⁴ For this is what the Lord says:

²⁷ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian^[a](A) eunuch,^(B) an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,^{(C) 28} and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. ²⁹ The Spirit told^(D) Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

³⁰ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

³¹ “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³² This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

³⁴ The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip began^(F) with that very passage of Scripture^(G) and told him the good news^(H) about Jesus.

³⁶ As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”^{(I) [37] [c] 38} And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away,^(J) and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

Jesus Predicts His Death

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks^(A) among those who went up to worship at the festival.

¹⁶ Then the survivors^(A) from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship^(B) the King,^(C) the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.^{(D) 17} If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship^(E) the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain.^(F)

¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners^(A) to the covenants of the promise,^(B) without hope^(C) and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once^(D) were far away have been brought near^(E) by the blood of Christ.^(F)

Cornelius Calls for Peter

10 At Caesarea^(A) there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. ² He and all his family were devout and God-fearing;^(B) he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. ³ One day at about three in the afternoon^(C) he had a vision.^(D) He distinctly saw an angel^(E) of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

⁴ Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering^(F) before God.^(G)

¹⁰ Phrygia^(A) and Pamphylia,^(B) Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;^(C) visitors from Rome