⁷ After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “My brothers,^[a] you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers.^(A)

⁷ On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised^{(A) 8} (for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the gentiles), ⁹ and when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the gentiles and they to the circumcised.^(B)

¹⁷ So faith^[a] comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.^[b]

¹⁸ But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have:

² And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders.^(A)

⁴ Yet the Lord God of Israel chose me from all my ancestral house to be king over Israel forever, for he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father’s house, and among my father’s sons he took delight in making me king over all Israel.^{(A) 5} And of all my sons, for the Lord has given me many, he has chosen my son Solomon to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.^(B)

²⁴ But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.^(A)

³² Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ ³³ Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.”

Gentiles Hear the Good News

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality,^{(A) 35} but in every people anyone who fears him and practices righteousness^[a] is acceptable to him.^{(B) 36} You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.^{(C) 37} That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.^{(D) 39} We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,^{(E) 40} but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear,^{(F) 41} not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.^{(G) 42} He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.^{(H) 43} All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”^(I)

Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.^{(J) 45} The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the gentiles,^{(K) 46} for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”^{(L) 48} So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.^(M)

²⁰ Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”

¹⁴ Do all things without murmuring and arguing,^(A)