²⁴ On the following day he entered ^(A)Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and ^[a](B)worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter helped him up, saying, “^(C)Stand up; I, too, am just a man.” ²⁷ As he talked with him, he entered and *found ^(D)many people assembled. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is ^(E)forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a ^[b]foreigner; and yet ^(F)God has shown me that I am not to call any person ^[c]unholy or unclean. ²⁹ That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask, for what reason did you send for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius said, “^(G)Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during ^(H)the ^[d]ninth hour; and behold, ^(I)a man stood before me in shining clothing, ³¹ and he *said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your charitable gifts have been remembered before God. ³² Therefore send some men to ^(J)Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent men to you immediately, and you have ^[e]been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear everything that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Gentiles Hear Good News

^34 (K)Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that ^(L)God is not one to show partiality, ³⁵ but ^(M)in every nation the one who ^[f](N)fears Him and ^[g]does what is right is acceptable to Him. ³⁶ The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, ^(O)preaching ^[h](P)peace through Jesus Christ (He is ^(Q)Lord of all)— ³⁷ you yourselves know the thing that happened throughout Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. ^38 [i]You know of ^(R)Jesus of Nazareth, how God ^(S)anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, ^[j](T)and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for ^(U)God was with Him. ³⁹ We are ^(V)witnesses of all the things that He did both in the ^[k]country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on ^[l](W)a cross. ^40 (X)God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He ^[m]be revealed, ^41 (Y)not to all the people, but to ^(Z)witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us ^(AA)who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. ⁴² And He ^(AB)ordered us to ^[n]preach to the people, and to ^(AC)testify solemnly that this is the One who has been ^(AD)appointed by God as ^(AE)Judge of the living and the dead. ^43 (AF)All the prophets testify of Him, that through ^(AG)His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, ^(AH)the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the ^[o]message. ^45 (AI)All the ^[p]Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been ^(AJ)poured out on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they were hearing them ^(AK)speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter responded, ⁴⁷ “^(AL)Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who ^(AM)have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” ⁴⁸ And he ^(AN)ordered them to be baptized ^(AO)in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.