The
next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from
Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea.
Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives
and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and
fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up.
"Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."
Talking with him,
Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to
them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew
to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that
I should not call any man impure or unclean. So when I was sent for,
I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for
me?"
Cornelius
answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this
hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes
stood before me and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and
remembered your gifts to the poor. end to Joppa for Simon who is
called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who
lives by the sea.' So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of
you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to
everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
34-43
Then
Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God
does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear
him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the
people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus
Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout
Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power,
and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the
power of the devil, because God was with him.
"We are
witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in
Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised
him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was
not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already
chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the
dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he
is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him
receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
44-46
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy
Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers
who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy
Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them
speaking in tongues and praising God.
47,48
Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people
from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit
just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ.
Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
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