Book of Common Prayer

The Spirit Tells Peter He Has Sent Three Men, And He Is To Go With Them

¹⁷ Now while Peter was being greatly-perplexed within himself as to what the vision which he saw might mean, behold— the men having been sent-forth by Cornelius, having asked-repeatedly as to the house of Simon, stood at the gate. ¹⁸ And having called, they were inquiring, “Is Simon, the one being called Peter, lodging here?” ¹⁹ And while Peter was pondering about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold— three men are seeking you. ²⁰ But^[a] having arisen, go down and proceed with them not doubting^[b] at all, because I have sent them forth”. ²¹ And Peter, having gone down to the men, said, “Behold— I am the one whom you are seeking. What is the reason for which you are-here?” ²² And the ones said, “Cornelius— a centurion, a righteous man, and one fearing God, and one being attested by the whole nation of the Jews— was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to listen-to words from you”. ²³ Then having invited them in, he gave-them-lodging.

Peter Goes To Cornelius. Peter Now Understands That His Vision Pertained To Gentiles

And on the next day, having arisen, he went forth with them. And some of the brothers from Joppa went with him. ²⁴ And on the next day, he entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was expecting them, having called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ And when Peter’s entering the house came about, Cornelius— having met him, having fallen at his feet— paid-homage. ²⁶ But Peter raised him, saying, “Stand up. I myself also am a man”. ²⁷ And while conversing-with him, he went in and finds many having come-together. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You know how it is unlawful for a Jewish man to be joining^[c] or coming-to^[d] a foreigner. And-yet God showed me that I should be calling no person defiled or unclean. ²⁹ Therefore, having been sent-for, I indeed came without-objection. So I ask, for what reason did you send-for me?” ³⁰ And Cornelius said, “Four days ago at this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth^[e] hour, and behold— a man stood before me in shining clothing. ³¹ And he says, ‘Cornelius, your prayer was heard, and your acts-of-almsgiving were remembered before God. ³² Therefore send to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This one is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, beside the sea’. ³³ Therefore I sent to you at-once, and you did^[f] well, having come. So now we are all here before God to hear all the things having been commanded you by the Lord”.

³⁶ And while they were speaking these things, He Himself stood in the midst of them. And He says to them, “Peace to you”. ³⁷ But having been frightened and having become terrified, they were thinking that they were seeing a spirit. ³⁸ And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And for what reason are doubts coming-up in your heart? ³⁹ Look at My hands and My feet, that I am Myself. Touch^[a] Me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you observe Me having”. ⁴⁰ And having said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. ⁴¹ But while they were still not-believing it because of the joy, and marveling, He said to them, “Do you have something edible here?” ⁴² And the ones gave Him a part of a broiled fish. ⁴³ And having taken it, He ate it in their presence. ⁴⁴ And He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while still being with you— that all the things having been written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled”. ⁴⁵ Then He opened their mind that they might understand the Scriptures.

The Christ Had To Suffer And Rise Up, And The Message Go Forth. You Are Witnesses

⁴⁶ And^[b] He said to them that “Thus it has been written— that the Christ suffers and rises-up from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed on the basis of His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And behold— I am sending-forth the promise^[c] of My Father upon you. But you sit in the city^[d] until which time you put-on^[e] power from on-high”.

Jesus Ascends Into Heaven

⁵⁰ And He led them outside^[f] until near Bethany. And having lifted-up His hands, He blessed them. ⁵¹ And it came about during His blessing them that He separated^[g] from them, and was being carried-up^[h] into heaven. ⁵² And they, having worshiped Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ⁵³ And they were continually in the temple blessing God.