Acts 9:32-43
Aeneas, Jesus Christ Heals You
32As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.
33There he found a man named Aeneas who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.
34“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,
35and all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity.
37At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room.
38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.”
39So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.
41Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.
42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
43And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.
Berean Standard Bible
Peter visits believers in Lydda and finds Aeneas, a man who has been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Peter does not present himself as the healer. He names Jesus and tells Aeneas to get up.
Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.
The news turns the people of Lydda and Sharon toward the Lord. In nearby Joppa, Tabitha is known for practical kindness, especially the clothing she makes for others. When she dies, the widows show Peter the evidence of her generous life. Peter prays, and Tabitha is restored to life. The miracle becomes known, but the quiet detail is also important: Peter stays with Simon the tanner, in a setting that will prepare him for the next step in God's widening welcome.
Peter does not seek attention for himself when he meets Aeneas. He speaks the man's name, acknowledges that he has been bedridden for eight years, and points to Jesus Christ as the healer. The command to get up and make his bed connects restoration with ordinary responsibility: Aeneas is not only helped to stand; he is returned to daily life.
The news travels through all Lydda and the Plain of Sharon, and people turn to the Lord. In Joppa, a disciple named Tabitha, also called Dorcas, becomes sick and dies. She is remembered by widows who show the clothing she made for them. Her ministry has left tangible evidence of love among people who are now grieving.
Peter kneels and prays before speaking to Tabitha. She opens her eyes, sits up, and is presented alive to the believers and widows. Luke does not erase death's grief or turn the miracle into a guarantee that every person will be raised now. He shows Jesus' mercy through Peter, and the result is that many in Joppa believe in the Lord. Peter remains in the home of Simon the tanner, a detail that prepares the next widening of the gospel.
Questions
1 How long had Aeneas been bedridden?
AnswerHe had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.
2 In whose name did Peter speak healing?
AnswerPeter said that Jesus Christ healed Aeneas.
3 What was Tabitha known for?
AnswerShe was known for works of kindness and charity.
4 Where did Peter stay?
AnswerHe stayed for several days with Simon the tanner.
What This Means for Us
God's care can arrive through a dramatic answer to prayer or through years of ordinary kindness that a grieving community remembers. Both healing and service point beyond the servant to the Lord who gives life.
Prayer
Jesus, make us ready to serve in quiet ways and to trust you with needs we cannot solve. Help our lives leave behind evidence of love. Amen.