³ After his suffering^[a] he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.^{(A) 4} While staying^[b] 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;^{(B) 5} for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with^[c] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”^(C)

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?”^{(D) 7} He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.^{(E) 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.”^{(F) 9} When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.^{(G) 10} While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them.^{(H) 11} They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”^(I)

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)

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)