²³ So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

Peter in Caesarea

Now on the next day he got ready and went away with them, and ^(A)some of ^(B)the brothers from ^(C)Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ On the following day he entered ^(D)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](E)worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter helped him up, saying, “^(F)Stand up; I, too, am just a man.” ²⁷ As he talked with him, he entered and *found ^(G)many people assembled. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is ^(H)forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a ^[b]foreigner; and yet ^(I)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, “^(J)Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during ^(K)the ^[d]ninth hour; and behold, ^(L)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 ^(M)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 (N)Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that ^(O)God is not one to show partiality, ³⁵ but ^(P)in every nation the one who ^[f](Q)fears Him and ^[g]does what is right is acceptable to Him. ³⁶ The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, ^(R)preaching ^[h](S)peace through Jesus Christ (He is ^(T)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 ^(U)Jesus of Nazareth, how God ^(V)anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, ^[j](W)and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for ^(X)God was with Him. ³⁹ We are ^(Y)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](Z)a cross. ^40 (AA)God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He ^[m]be revealed, ^41 (AB)not to all the people, but to ^(AC)witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us ^(AD)who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. ⁴² And He ^(AE)ordered us to ^[n]preach to the people, and to ^(AF)testify solemnly that this is the One who has been ^(AG)appointed by God as ^(AH)Judge of the living and the dead. ^43 (AI)All the prophets testify of Him, that through ^(AJ)His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”