150 lines
6.3 KiB
Markdown
150 lines
6.3 KiB
Markdown
## Cornelius' and Peter's Visions
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###### 1
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Now _there was_ a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort,
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###### 2
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a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the people and prayed to God continually.
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###### 3
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About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had come in and said to him, "Cornelius!"
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###### 4
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And looking intently on him and becoming afraid, he said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
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###### 5
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Now send _some_ men to Joppa and summon a man _named_ Simon, who is also called Peter;
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###### 6
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he is lodging with a tanner _named_ Simon, whose house is by the sea."
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###### 7
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And when the angel who was speaking to him had left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants,
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###### 8
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and after he explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
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###### 9
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And on the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
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###### 10
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But he became hungry and was desiring to eat. And while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance
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###### 11
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and *saw heaven opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,
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###### 12
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and there were in it all _kinds of_ four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the sky.
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###### 13
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And a voice came to him, "Rise up, Peter, slaughter and eat!"
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###### 14
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But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean."
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###### 15
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Again a voice _came_ to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, no _longer_ consider defiled."
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###### 16
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And this happened three times and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.
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###### 17
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Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon's house, appeared at the gate;
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###### 18
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and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was lodging there.
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###### 19
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And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you.
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###### 20
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But rise up, go down and accompany them without taking issue at all, for I have sent them Myself."
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###### 21
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And Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?"
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###### 22
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And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and hear a message from you."
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###### 23
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So he invited them in and gave them lodging.
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## Peter at Caesarea And on the next day he rose up and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.
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###### 24
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And on the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
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###### 25
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And when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped _him_.
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###### 26
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But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am _just_ a man."
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###### 27
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As he talked with him, he entered and *found many people assembled.
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###### 28
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And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and _yet_ God has shown me that I should not call any man defiled or unclean.
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###### 29
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That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was summoned. So I ask for what reason you have summoned me."
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###### 30
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And Cornelius said, "Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments,
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###### 31
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and he *said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.
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###### 32
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Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is lodging at the house of Simon _the_ tanner by the sea.'
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###### 33
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So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been ordered by the Lord."
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## The Holy Spirit Poured out on the Gentiles
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###### 34
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And opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most truly comprehend _now_ that God is not one to show partiality,
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###### 35
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but in every nation the one who fears Him and does righteousness is welcome to Him.
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###### 36
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As for the word which He sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--
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###### 37
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you yourselves know the thing which happened throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.
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###### 38
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_You know of_ Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and _how_ He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
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###### 39
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And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree.
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###### 40
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God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He appear,
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###### 41
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not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, _that is_, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
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###### 42
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And He commanded us to preach to the people, and solemnly to bear witness that this is the One who has been designated by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
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###### 43
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Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
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###### 44
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While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the word.
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###### 45
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And all the circumcised believers who came with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
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###### 46
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For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,
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###### 47
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"Can anyone refuse water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we _did_?"
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###### 48
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And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for a few days.
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