Bildad

8 Then Bildad the Shuhite^(A) replied:

¹⁷ While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision,^(A) the men sent by Cornelius^(B) found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. ¹⁸ They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

¹⁹ While Peter was still thinking about the vision,^(C) the Spirit said^(D) to him, “Simon, three^[a] men are looking for you. ²⁰ So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”^(E)

²¹ Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”

²² The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man,^(F) who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.”^{(G) 23} Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius’s House

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers^(H) from Joppa went along.^{(I) 24} The following day he arrived in Caesarea.^(J) Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”^(K)

²⁷ While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.^{(L) 28} He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile.^(M) But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.^{(N) 29} So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes^(O) stood before me ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. ³² Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ ³³ 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.”

Jesus Teaches at the Festival

¹⁴ Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.^{(A) 15} The Jews^(B) there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning^(C) without having been taught?”^(D)

¹⁶ Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.^{(E) 17} Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out^(F) whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. ¹⁸ Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory,^(G) but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. ¹⁹ Has not Moses given you the law?^(H) Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”^(I)

²⁰ “You are demon-possessed,”^(J) the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

²¹ Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle,^(K) and you are all amazed. ²² Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision^(L) (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs),^(M) you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. ²³ Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? ²⁴ Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”^(N)

Division Over Who Jesus Is

²⁵ At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?^{(O) 26} Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities^(P) really concluded that he is the Messiah?^{(Q) 27} But we know where this man is from;^(R) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

²⁸ Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts,^(S) cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from.^(T) I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true.^(U) You do not know him, ²⁹ but I know him^(V) because I am from him and he sent me.”^(W)

³⁰ At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him,^(X) because his hour had not yet come.^{(Y) 31} Still, many in the crowd believed in him.^(Z) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs^(AA) than this man?”

³² The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

³³ Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time,^(AB) and then I am going to the one who sent me.^{(AC) 34} You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”^(AD)

³⁵ The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered^(AE) among the Greeks,^(AF) and teach the Greeks? ³⁶ What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”^(AG)