Shining as Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling,^{(A) 13} for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

⁴ While staying^[a] with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me;^{(A) 5} for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”^(B)

The Ascension of Jesus

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”^{(C) 7} He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.^{(D) 8} But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”^(E)

⁹ About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.^{(A) 10} He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while it was being prepared he fell into a trance.^{(B) 11} He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners.^{(C) 12} In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. ¹³ Then he heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.”^{(D) 15} The voice said to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”^{(E) 16} This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven.

¹⁷ Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon’s house and were standing by the gate.^(F)

²¹ So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?”

Gentiles Hear the Good News

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality,^(A)

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?”^{(A) 48} So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.^(B)