John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)

In those days John the Baptist(B) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(C) has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[a](D)

John’s(E) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.(F) His food was locusts(G) and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized(H) by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!(I) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(J) Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(K) And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(L) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(M)

11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance.(N) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit(O) and fire.(P) 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(Q)

The Baptism of Jesus(R)

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.(S) 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3
  2. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  3. Matthew 3:11 Or in

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”(A)

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.(B) 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see;(C) a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.(D)

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you:(E) Everything must be fulfilled(F) that is written about me in the Law of Moses,(G) the Prophets(H) and the Psalms.”(I)

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer(J) and rise from the dead on the third day,(K) 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name(L) to all nations,(M) beginning at Jerusalem.(N) 48 You are witnesses(O) of these things.

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23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius’s House

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers(A) from Joppa went along.(B) 24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea.(C) Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”(D)

27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.(E) 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile.(F) But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.(G) 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

30 Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes(H) stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism(I) 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.(J) 36 You know the message(K) God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news(L) of peace(M) through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.(N) 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed(O) Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing(P) all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.(Q)

39 “We are witnesses(R) of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross,(S) 40 but God raised him from the dead(T) on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people,(U) but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate(V) and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people(W) and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.(X) 43 All the prophets testify about him(Y) that everyone(Z) who believes(AA) in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”(AB)

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on(AC) all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter(AD) were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out(AE) even on Gentiles.(AF) 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues[a](AG) and praising God.

Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water.(AH) They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”(AI) 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.(AJ) Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 10:46 Or other languages

Peter Explains His Actions

11 The apostles and the believers(A) throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.(B) So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers(C) criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”(D)

Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision.(E) I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’

“I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

“The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’(F) 10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.

11 “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea(G) stopped at the house where I was staying. 12 The Spirit told(H) me to have no hesitation about going with them.(I) These six brothers(J) also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen an angel(K) appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message(L) through which you and all your household(M) will be saved.’

15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on(N) them as he had come on us at the beginning.(O) 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with[a] water,(P) but you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.’(Q) 17 So if God gave them the same gift(R) he gave us(S) who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”

18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”(T)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 11:16 Or in
  2. Acts 11:16 Or in

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