23 And on the nextday he got up and wentaway with them, and 1some of 2the brethren from 3Joppaaccompanied him.
Peter at Caesarea
24 On the followingday he entered4Caesarea. NowCornelius was waiting for them and had calledtogether his relatives and closefriends.
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WhenPeterentered, Corneliusmet him, and fell at his feet and 5worshiped him.
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But Peterraised him up, saying, "6Stand up; I tooam just a man."
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As he talked with him, he entered and found7manypeopleassembled.
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And he said to them, "You yourselvesknowhow8unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigneror to visit him; and yet 9God has shown me that I should not callanymanunholyorunclean.
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"That is why I camewithoutevenraising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for whatreason you have sent for me."
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Corneliussaid, "10Fourdaysago to thishour, I was praying in my house during 11the ninthhour; and behold, 12a manstoodbefore me in shininggarments,
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and he said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been rememberedbeforeGod.
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'Thereforesend to 13Joppa and inviteSimon, who is also calledPeter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.'
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"So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kindenough to come. Nowthen, we are allherepresentbeforeGod to hearall that you have been commanded by the Lord."
Gentiles Hear Good News
3414Opening his mouth, Petersaid: "I mostcertainly*understand now that 15God is not one to showpartiality,
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but 16in everynation the man who 17fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.
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"The wordwhich He sent to the sons of Israel, 18preaching19peacethroughJesusChrist (He is 20Lord of all )-
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you yourselvesknow the thing which tookplacethroughoutallJudea, starting from Galilee, after the baptismwhichJohnproclaimed.
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"You know of 21Jesus of Nazareth, howGod22anointed Him with the HolySpirit and with power, 23and how He wentaboutdoinggood and healingall who were oppressed by the devil, for 24God was with Him.
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"We are 25witnesses of all the things He didboth in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also26put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.
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"27Godraised Him up on the thirdday and granted that He becomevisible,
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28not to all the people, but to 29witnesses who were chosenbeforehand by God, that is, to us 30whoate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
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"And He 31ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to 32testify that this is the One who has been 33appointed by God as 34Judge of the living and the dead.
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"Of Him 35all the prophetsbearwitness that through36His nameeveryone who believes in Him receivesforgiveness of sins."
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While Peter was stillspeakingthesewords, 37the HolySpiritfell upon allthose who were listening to the message.
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38All the circumcisedbelieverswhocame with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the HolySpirit had been 39poured out on the Gentilesalso.
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For they were hearing them 40speaking with tongues and exaltingGod. ThenPeteranswered,
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"41Surelynoonecanrefuse the water for these to be baptizedwho42have received the HolySpiritjust as we did, can he?"
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And he 43ordered them to be baptized44in the name of JesusChrist. Then they asked him to stay on for a fewdays.