23
So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and
1some of
2the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
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
3fell down at his feet and
4worshiped him.
26
But Peter lifted him up, saying,
5"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
6to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but
7God 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,
8"Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at
9the ninth hour, and behold,
10a man stood before me in bright clothing
31
and said, 'Cornelius,
11your 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
12God
13shows no partiality,
35
but
14in every nation anyone who fears him and
15does what is right is acceptable to him.
36
As for
16the word that he sent to Israel,
17preaching good news of
18peace through Jesus Christ (
19he is Lord of all),
37
you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea,
20beginning
21from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:
38
how
22God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
23with the Holy Spirit and with
24power. He went about doing good and healing all
25who were oppressed by the devil,
26for God was with him.
39
And
27we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
28They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,
40
but
29God raised him on
30the third day and made him to
31appear,
41
32not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as
33witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42
And
34he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify
35that he is the one appointed by God to be judge
36of the living and the dead.
43
37To him
38all the prophets bear witness that
39everyone who believes in him receives
40forgiveness of sins
41through his name."
The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles
44 While Peter was still saying these things,
42the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.
45
And the believers from among
43the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because
44the gift of the Holy Spirit
45was poured out even on the Gentiles.
46
For they were hearing them
46speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared,
47
47"Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit
48just as we have?"
48
And he
49commanded them
50to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.