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On the followingday he entered1Caesarea. 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 2worshiped him.
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But Peterraised him up, saying, "3Stand up; I tooam just a man."
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As he talked with him, he entered and found4manypeopleassembled.
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And he said to them, "You yourselvesknowhow5unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigneror to visit him; and yet 6God 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, "7Fourdaysago to thishour, I was praying in my house during 8the ninthhour; and behold, 9a 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 10Joppa 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
3411Opening his mouth, Petersaid: "I mostcertainly*understand now that 12God is not one to showpartiality,
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but 13in everynation the man who 14fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.
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"The wordwhich He sent to the sons of Israel, 15preaching16peacethroughJesusChrist (He is 17Lord 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 18Jesus of Nazareth, howGod19anointed Him with the HolySpirit and with power, 20and how He wentaboutdoinggood and healingall who were oppressed by the devil, for 21God was with Him.
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"We are 22witnesses of all the things He didboth in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also23put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.
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"24Godraised Him up on the thirdday and granted that He becomevisible,
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25not to all the people, but to 26witnesses who were chosenbeforehand by God, that is, to us 27whoate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
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"And He 28ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to 29testify that this is the One who has been 30appointed by God as 31Judge of the living and the dead.
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"Of Him 32all the prophetsbearwitness that through33His nameeveryone who believes in Him receivesforgiveness of sins."
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While Peter was stillspeakingthesewords, 34the HolySpiritfell upon allthose who were listening to the message.
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35All the circumcisedbelieverswhocame with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the HolySpirit had been 36poured out on the Gentilesalso.
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For they were hearing them 37speaking with tongues and exaltingGod. ThenPeteranswered,
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"38Surelynoonecanrefuse the water for these to be baptizedwho39have received the HolySpiritjust as we did, can he?"
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And he 40ordered them to be baptized41in the name of JesusChrist. Then they asked him to stay on for a fewdays.