The True Kindred of Jesus

⁴⁶ While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him.^{(A) 47} Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”^{[a] 48} But to the one who had told him this, Jesus^[b] replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”^(B)

Peter and Cornelius

10 In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. ² He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. ³ One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.”^{(A) 4} He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” He answered, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.^{(B) 5} Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; ⁶ he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.”^{(C) 7} When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, ⁸ and after telling them everything he sent them to Joppa.

⁹ About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.^{(D) 10} He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while it was being prepared he fell into a trance.^{(E) 11} He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners.^{(F) 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.”^{(G) 15} The voice said to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”^{(H) 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.^{(I) 18} They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there. ¹⁹ While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look, three^[a] men are searching for you.^{(J) 20} Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” 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?” ²² They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous^[b] and God-fearing man who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish people, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.”^{(K) 23} So Peter^[c] invited them in and gave them lodging.

The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers and sisters from Joppa accompanied him.^{(L) 24} The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ On Peter’s arrival, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up; I am only a mortal.”^{(M) 27} And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled, ²⁸ and he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is improper for a Jew to associate with or to visit an outsider, but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean.^{(N) 29} So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. ³¹ He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms have been remembered before God. 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,^{(O) 35} but in every people anyone who fears him and practices righteousness^[d] is acceptable to him.^{(P) 36} You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.^{(Q) 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.^{(R) 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,^{(S) 40} but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear,^{(T) 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.^{(U) 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.^{(V) 43} All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”^(W)

Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.^{(X) 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,^{(Y) 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?”^{(Z) 48} So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.^(AA)

Directions concerning Marriage

7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” ² But because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. ³ The husband should give to his wife what is due her and likewise the wife to her husband.^{(A) 4} For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive one another except perhaps by agreement for a set time, to devote yourselves to prayer,^[a] and then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.^{(B) 6} This I say by way of concession, not of command.^{(C) 7} I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind.^(D)

⁸ To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain unmarried as I am.^{(E) 9} But if they are not practicing self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.^(F)

²¹ being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

The Christian Household

²² Wives, be subject^[a] to your husbands as to the Lord,^{(A) 23} for the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.^{(B) 24} Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind, so that she may be holy and without blemish.^{(C) 28} In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hates his own flesh, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, ³⁰ because we are members of his body.^{[b](D) 31} “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”^{(E) 32} This is a great mystery, but I am speaking about Christ and the church. ³³ Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect^[c] her husband.