24
And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and
1fell down at his feet and
2worshiped him.
26
But Peter lifted him up, saying,
3"Stand up; I too am a man."
27
And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered.
28
And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew
4to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but
5God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
29
So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me."
30
And Cornelius said,
6"Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at
7the ninth hour, and behold,
8a man stood before me in bright clothing
31
and said, 'Cornelius,
9your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.
32
Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.'
33
So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord."
Gentiles Hear the Good News
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that
10God
11shows no partiality,
35
but
12in every nation anyone who fears him and
13does what is right is acceptable to him.
36
As for
14the word that he sent to Israel,
15preaching good news of
16peace through Jesus Christ (
17he is Lord of all),
37
you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea,
18beginning
19from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:
38
how
20God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
21with the Holy Spirit and with
22power. He went about doing good and healing all
23who were oppressed by the devil,
24for God was with him.
39
And
25we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
26They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,
40
but
27God raised him on
28the third day and made him to
29appear,
41
30not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as
31witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42
And
32he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify
33that he is the one appointed by God to be judge
34of the living and the dead.
43
35To him
36all the prophets bear witness that
37everyone who believes in him receives
38forgiveness of sins
39through his name."
The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles
44 While Peter was still saying these things,
40the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.
45
And the believers from among
41the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because
42the gift of the Holy Spirit
43was poured out even on the Gentiles.
46
For they were hearing them
44speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared,
47
45"Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit
46just as we have?"
48
And he
47commanded them
48to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.