Acts 10:24–48

Peter Meets Cornelius

²⁴And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. ²⁶But Peter lifted him up, saying, ^p“Stand up; I myself am also a man.” ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. ²⁸Then he said to them, “You know how ^qunlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But ^rGod has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. ²⁹Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”

³⁰So Cornelius said, ⁹“Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, ^sa man stood before me ^tin bright clothing, ³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, ^uyour prayer has been heard, and ^vyour ¹alms are remembered in the sight of God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. ²When he comes, he will speak to you.’ ³³So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

Preaching to Cornelius’ Household

³⁴Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ^w“In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. ³⁵But ^xin every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is ^yaccepted by Him. ³⁶The word which God sent to the ³children of Israel, ^zpreaching peace through Jesus Christ—^aHe is Lord of all—³⁷that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and ^bbegan from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: ³⁸how ^cGod anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who ^dwent about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, ^efor God was with Him. ³⁹And we are ^fwitnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom ⁴they ^gkilled by hanging on a tree. ⁴⁰Him ^hGod raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, ⁴¹ⁱnot to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us ^jwho ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. ⁴²And ^kHe commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify ^lthat it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge ^mof the living and the dead. ⁴³ⁿTo Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, ^owhoever believes in Him will receive ^premission ⁵of sins.”

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, ^qthe Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. ^45rAnd ⁶those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, ^sbecause the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit ^tjust as we have?” ^48uAnd he commanded them to be baptized ^vin the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.