Acts 9:32-43

Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. 37 And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

After the controversy Peter had with Simon, Luke (the author of Acts) sets forth, in Acts 8:12-40, the ministry of Philip; then in Acts 9:1-31, he also sets forth Paul’s conversion and early ministry.

In Acts 9:32, Luke returns again with Peter, this time talking about his ministry in Lydda and Joppa, about 30 miles northwest of Jerusalem. And we can’t be sure whether he was doing this ministry at the same time as the ministry of Philip and Paul (from Acts 8:12 to 9:31), or whether it came later. It seems to me that there may have been some overlapping.

Nonetheless, it seemed that Peter was traveling by himself through all the regions of Judea and Galilee and Samaria (v. 31), probably checking on all the church believers to see how they were progressing in the Lord. We don’t have an account of everything Peter did, except for these two incidents: the healing of Aeneas from Lydda and the resurrection of Tabitha at Joppa.

What Peter did with Aeneas and Tabitha reminds me of the ministry of Elijah the Prophet (1 Kings17:1 to 2 Kings 3: l1). Peter had so much spiritual power just like Elijah had and also like Jesus had. It was wonderful, and it was used by God to turn people to the Lord and to believe in Him.