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.

Peter Explains His Actions

11 The apostles and the believers^(AK) throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.^{(AL) 2} So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers^(AM) criticized him ³ and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”^(AN)

⁴ Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision.^(AO) I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. ⁶ I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. ⁷ Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’

⁸ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

⁹ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’^{(AP) 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^(AQ) stopped at the house where I was staying. ¹² The Spirit told^(AR) me to have no hesitation about going with them.^(AS) These six brothers^(AT) also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ He told us how he had seen an angel^(AU) appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. ¹⁴ He will bring you a message^(AV) through which you and all your household^(AW) will be saved.’

¹⁵ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on^(AX) them as he had come on us at the beginning.^{(AY) 16} Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with^[b] water,^(AZ) but you will be baptized with^[c] the Holy Spirit.’^{(BA) 17} So if God gave them the same gift^(BB) he gave us^(BC) 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.”^(BD)

Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King

1 When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. ² So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.”

³ Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag,^(A) a Shunammite,^(B) and brought her to the king. ⁴ The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.

⁵ Now Adonijah,^(C) whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots^(D) and horses^[a] ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. ⁶ (His father had never rebuked^(E) him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)

⁷ Adonijah conferred with Joab^(F) son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar^(G) the priest, and they gave him their support. ⁸ But Zadok^(H) the priest, Benaiah^(I) son of Jehoiada, Nathan^(J) the prophet, Shimei^(K) and Rei and David’s special guard^(L) did not join Adonijah.

⁹ Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel.^(M) He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons,^(N) and all the royal officials of Judah, ¹⁰ but he did not invite^(O) Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.^(P)

¹¹ Then Nathan asked Bathsheba,^(Q) Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah,^(R) the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it? ¹² Now then, let me advise^(S) you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. ¹³ Go in to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear^(T) to me your servant: “Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ ¹⁴ While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said.”

¹⁵ So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag^(U) the Shunammite was attending him. ¹⁶ Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king.

“What is it you want?” the king asked.

¹⁷ She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore^(V) to me your servant by the Lord your God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ ¹⁸ But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it. ¹⁹ He has sacrificed^(W) great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. ²⁰ My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. ²¹ Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest^(X) with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals.”

²² While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. ²³ And the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” So he went before the king and bowed with his face to the ground.

²⁴ Nathan said, “Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne? ²⁵ Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ ²⁶ But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite.^{(Y) 27} Is this something my lord the king has done without letting his servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

David Makes Solomon King^(Z)

²⁸ Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.

²⁹ The king then took an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble,^{(AA) 30} I will surely carry out this very day what I swore^(AB) to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.”

³¹ Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

³² King David said, “Call in Zadok^(AC) the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came before the king, ³³ he said to them: “Take your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule^(AD) and take him down to Gihon.^{(AE) 34} There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint^(AF) him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet^(AG) and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ ³⁵ Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”

³⁶ Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. ³⁷ As the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he be with^(AH) Solomon to make his throne even greater^(AI) than the throne of my lord King David!”

³⁸ So Zadok^(AJ) the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites^(AK) and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon mount King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.^{(AL) 39} Zadok the priest took the horn of oil^(AM) from the sacred tent^(AN) and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet^(AO) and all the people shouted,^(AP) “Long live King Solomon!” ⁴⁰ And all the people went up after him, playing pipes^(AQ) and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound.

⁴¹ Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, “What’s the meaning of all the noise in the city?”^(AR)

⁴² Even as he was speaking, Jonathan^(AS) son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news.”^(AT)

⁴³ “Not at all!” Jonathan answered. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. ⁴⁴ The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king’s mule, ⁴⁵ and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resounds^(AU) with it. That’s the noise you hear. ⁴⁶ Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat^(AV) on the royal throne. ⁴⁷ Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours and his throne greater^(AW) than yours!’ And the king bowed in worship on his bed ⁴⁸ and said, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor^(AX) on my throne today.’”

⁴⁹ At this, all Adonijah’s guests rose in alarm and dispersed. ⁵⁰ But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns^(AY) of the altar. ⁵¹ Then Solomon was told, “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”

⁵² Solomon replied, “If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair^(AZ) of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” ⁵³ Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, “Go to your home.”

David’s Charge to Solomon^(BA)

2 When the time drew near for David to die,^(BB) he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

² “I am about to go the way of all the earth,”^(BC) he said. “So be strong,^(BD) act like a man, ³ and observe^(BE) what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper^(BF) in all you do and wherever you go ⁴ and that the Lord may keep his promise^(BG) to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully^(BH) before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

⁵ “Now you yourself know what Joab^(BI) son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner^(BJ) son of Ner and Amasa^(BK) son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. ⁶ Deal with him according to your wisdom,^(BL) but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

⁷ “But show kindness^(BM) to the sons of Barzillai^(BN) of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table.^(BO) They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

⁸ “And remember, you have with you Shimei^(BP) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim.^(BQ) When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore^(BR) to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ ⁹ But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom;^(BS) you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

¹⁰ Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried^(BT) in the City of David.^{(BU) 11} He had reigned^(BV) forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. ¹² So Solomon sat on the throne^(BW) of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.^(BX)