Sermon notes

Please give us power from your Spirit to see with new eyes how you make unclean people clean. Help us to see again our uncleanness before Almighty God. Help us to see the cleanness that you give us freely, through faith in the Lord Jesus. In His Name we ask, make us clean. Big idea: Jesus calls the nations into His church Introduction: We understand 'unclean'. The opposite: clean. How can unclean be clean? Need to be washed. [muddy football top] [dirty hands] We understand 'common'. The opposite: holy (set apart). How can common be holy? Need to be chosen. [toothbrush] [special shoes][top drawer/Sunday best] Glory of God: He forgives and welcomes all, from everywhere, on the same terms. Freely gives! What God has made clean, do not call common. This is paradigmatic. verses 15, 20, 28, 34, 47, 11.9, 11.12, 11.17 FCF: Our hangups on distinctions, prejudices, inequalities. Equality and diversity is originally a gospel term - it can only exist in Jesus. Outside of Him we all are unclean, and common! This passage is the entrance into the final great 'zone'; the gentiles/nations (same word); the ends of the earth (cf Acts 1.8). The eunuch? Maybe, but probably not. 1. The Lord perfectly orchestrates everything so that Peter and Cornelius meet (10.1-33) A. Note Jesus orchestrating every detail. Similarities to the eunuch's conversion. V9-11 God's sovereignty over appetites and trances. And the times and places. It just so happens Peter is lodging with Simon the Tanner, having been called to Joppa to raise Dorcas. The seeming chance and random interruptions are providence! B. A devout man, gave generously, prayed continually. Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Or, ascended into memory before God. [pending to active; tracking an order etc] Obj: universalism? No, if so why did he need to hear the gospel? Judged on what we do know, not what we don't. Cornelius was devout relating to what he did know, and so God graciously leads the gospel to him. Not grounds for salvation based on sincerity. At most, this highlights God's mercy, in that those earnestly seeking Him - wherever they are - will be found by Him. Those earnestly seeking His gospel will come to hear it. But this is utterly different to saying 'those who pray a lot and give a lot will be loved and accepted by God'. We are given a snapshot of Cornelius' heart; one of sincere searching after God, YHWH, whom he will have learned of from the Jews. The principle is this; he was acting rightly in faith and obedience in light of what he did know. As a consequence, more was given - more revelation from God. Rahab is another example; faith an obedience in light of what she did know. And more was given. [God calls you to trust and obey Him today, however much or little you feel you know. Not to wait until you have more information. And in trusting and obeying you will grasp more and more and your joy will expand. To those who have, more will be given] C. Peter is being taught that God calls unclean things and people, clean . 'Surely not, Lord!' - classic Peter. cf Fishing, or Christ's suffering, or that he'll follow Him even to death. It still hasn't dawned on Peter. And v21 it's like he's saying, 'why do I need to come with you precisely?' It still doesn't seem to have dawned on him that the gospel is for the gentiles. Praise the Lord for His patience with us, so slow to 'get it'! Presume Peter had thought it was that 'repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached to [the Jews in] all nations.' Peter had been happy enough to stay with an unclean Jew (since tanning - and its involvement with dead animals - was unclean), but entering a gentile's house was still too much. The sovereignty of the Spirit; v19-20 He speaks to Peter and says 'I have sent them'. v20 - without distinction. V11-23 God's clear affirmation that His gospel is for the far off gentiles. What God has called clean, do not call common. Nature: Self-obsession; we come to think that election means favouritism because, after all, we're great and God must think so too. This historically has happened racially/tribally; but still exists at level of the individual. Unclean by nature (in Adam), but by nature try to hide this. [fig leaves]. [the desire to wash hands after meeting someone you don't like; people take showers after abuse or porn. Social exclusion and making people feel unclean] Choice: We choose to exclude other people from equal footing before God. We choose to believe what others imply about us. Mental or emotional health. Finances. Appearance. Social skill. We lazily imply that some camps have more access to God than others - eg the young earthers/old earthers/calvinists etc [jews view others as unclean; muslims view Christians as unclean; calvinists view methodists as unclean, etc]. And unclean by choice - what we do and how we think and live. We are unclean, and we choose to be unclean. D. A glimpse of Cornelius' character and sincerity . V24 Cornelius had gathered together his friends and relatives. Is this a mark of his sincerity? Or of his influence, that among his family and friends were many God-fearers who also wanted to hear the good news? In any case, Cornelius is totally convinced that God will do what He says. V33 what Cornelius says is striking. We are all here in the presence of God. His awareness of this. To hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord (presumably, all that you have been commanded by YHWH). 2. Peter preaches the gospel, and gentiles are added to the church! (10.34-48) A. Peter preaches the same gospel .Preaches a 3-point sermon stressing, 1) life of Jesus ( 10.37-38 ), 2) the death and resurrection of Jesus, of which he is a witness ( 10.39-41 ), and 3) the coming judgement by Jesus, and that forgiveness of sin is available through Him ( 10.42-43 ). v34-43 what a glorious gospel summary. He commanded us to preach and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. B. The same Spirit is given . The Spirit a mark of utter unity and reconciliation (like the Samaritans) with the One New Man. V44-48 especially v45-46. The gift of the Holy Spirit had even been poured out on the gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Thank you, gracious LORD, that you have poured out your Spirit on us far off as well, drawing us near to praise you! C. Peter really gets it now . v47-48 since God has called them clean, let us do the same! Person of Jesus underlines that He has come for all who will believe. Rich, educated - eg Nicodemus. And the unnamed nobodies by the sides of roads whom everyone tells to be quiet (even the disciples). Look at Jesus, not other people's behaviours. Jesus was gloriously pure and clean, although He associated with the unclean. He's the great hope of the unclean! Blind beggar by side of the road. Work of Jesus: He has achieved the grounds for acceptance by God of anyone, from anywhere. And He gives the Spirit without a doubt here to underline and celebrate that. Jesus has brought you into the presence of God. JESUS MAKES THE UNCLEAN CLEAN, AND THE COMMON HOLY. He absorbed our filth. Barabbas goes free. Repent: about views of other people. Perhaps other Christians. But also repent - change your mind - about what others might have made you feel about yourself. Turn to what God says to you, in Jesus. Believe - take God at His Word. This is for you, near or far, if you believe in the Lord Jesus. Trust that in Jesus you are clean and holy, no matter what others say or imply. 3. The Christians in Jerusalem grasp the good news that God accepts the nations in Jesus (11.1-18) Criticism leads to worship . The circumcision party come and start to dispute with Peter. Presume this may well be Christians in Jerusalem who, nevertheless, had not yet had their theology ironed out of salvation by grace alone. But interesting to note that there was - despite the disagreements in these early Jewish church days - a sufficient relational unity and desire for dialogue together that enabled the clearing of the air over this. Whereas today different factions have literally nothing to do with one another. Father, have mercy on us. v17 God gave the same gift to them as He gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ -the Holy Spirit is a gift -given to those who believe in Jesus -without distinction v18 to the gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life. God grants repentance! [if you have turned away it is because God gave that to you] Repent: about views of other people. Perhaps other Christians. But also repent - change your mind - about what others might have made you feel about yourself. Turn to what God says to you, in Jesus. Believe - take God at His Word. This is for you, near or far, if you believe in the Lord Jesus. Trust that in Jesus you are clean and holy, no matter what others say or imply. 11.18 joy at learning of the gospel's advance. Do you know this joy? When you hear of a great gospel advance somewhere totally out of your zone of influence, do you celebrate it? Their joy is expanded at glimpsing the glory of God (cf why do angels rejoice in heaven when a sinner repents? They see God's glory) [a great joy of NEGP or A29, or being subscribed to prayer feeds] Conclusion: What God has made clean, do not call common. This is paradigmatic. Thank you Lord Jesus for walking with the shameful; for dying that shameful and unclean death for our sake. We praise you that you make the unclean clean; you bring the far off near; you make the outcasts your children. Please give us power from your Spirit to believe and rest in this; to take you at your Word. Might our sense of identity be all about who we are in Jesus, and not at all what this world says we are. Response time: Prayer for unreached people groups The Lord's Supper: The one meal; all sharing in Jesus together around the world. back through time, and despite our cultural differences this morning. In Jesus we are clean - together!

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NT

Acts 10:1-11:18

esv

Peter and Cornelius 10 1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of w what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man x who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 y About the ninth hour of the day 1 z he saw clearly in a vision a an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms b have ascended c as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging d with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. Peter’s Vision 9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, e Peter went up f on the housetop about g the sixth hour 1 to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into h a trance 11 and saw i the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; j for I have never eaten anything that is k common or l unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, m “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. 17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what n the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, o the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering n the vision, p the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and q accompany them without hesitation, 1 for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and r God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by s a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and t to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and u some of v the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and w fell down at his feet and x worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, y “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew z to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but a God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” 30 And Cornelius said, b “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at c the ninth hour, 1 and behold, d a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, e your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” Gentiles Hear the Good News 34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that f God g shows no partiality, 35 but f in every nation anyone who fears him and h does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for i the word that he sent to Israel, j preaching good news of k peace through Jesus Christ ( l he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, m beginning n from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how o God anointed Jesus of Nazareth p with the Holy Spirit and with q power. He went about doing good and healing all r who were oppressed by the devil, s for God was with him. 39 And t we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. u They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but v God raised him on w the third day and made him to x appear, 41 y not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as z witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And a he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify b that he is the one appointed by God to be judge c of the living and the dead. 43 d To him e all the prophets bear witness that f everyone who believes in him receives g forgiveness of sins h through his name.” The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles 44 While Peter was still saying these things, i the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among j the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because k the gift of the Holy Spirit l was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them m speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 n “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit o just as we have?” 48 And he p commanded them q to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. Peter Reports to the Church 11 1 Now the apostles and r the brothers 1 who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, s the circumcision party 1 criticized him, saying, 3 t “You went to uncircumcised men and u ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 v “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, w making no distinction. x These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 y he will declare to you a message by which z you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, a the Holy Spirit fell on them b just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, c ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then d God gave e the same gift to them as he gave to us f when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, g who was I h that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they i glorified God, saying, j “Then to the Gentiles also God has k granted l repentance that leads to life.”

Acts 10:1-11:18

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10 1 Ἀνὴρ δέ τις ἐν Καισαρείᾳ ὀνόματι Κορνήλιος, ἑκατοντάρχης ἐκ σπείρης τῆς καλουμένης Ἰταλικῆς, 2 εὐσεβὴς καὶ φοβούμενος τὸν θεὸν σὺν παντὶ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, ποιῶν ἐλεημοσύνας πολλὰς τῷ λαῷ καὶ δεόμενος τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ παντός, 3 εἶδεν ἐν ὁράματι φανερῶς ὡσεὶ περὶ ὥραν ἐνάτην τῆς ἡμέρας ἄγγελον τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελθόντα πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἰπόντα αὐτῷ• Κορνήλιε. 4 ὁ δὲ ἀτενίσας αὐτῷ καὶ ἔμφοβος γενόμενος εἶπεν• τί ἐστιν, κύριε; εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ• αἱ προσευχαί σου καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἀνέβησαν εἰς μνημόσυνον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θεοῦ. 5 καὶ νῦν πέμψον ἄνδρας εἰς Ἰόππην καὶ μετάπεμψαι Σίμωνά τινα ὃς ἐπικαλεῖται Πέτρος• 6 οὗτος ξενίζεται παρά τινι Σίμωνι βυρσεῖ, ᾧ ἐστιν οἰκία παρὰ θάλασσαν. 7 ὡς δὲ ἀπῆλθεν ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ λαλῶν αὐτῷ, φωνήσας δύο τῶν οἰκετῶν καὶ στρατιώτην εὐσεβῆ τῶν προσκαρτερούντων αὐτῷ 8 καὶ ἐξηγησάμενος ἅπαντα αὐτοῖς ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν Ἰόππην. 9 Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον, ὁδοιπορούντων ἐκείνων καὶ τῇ πόλει ἐγγιζόντων, ἀνέβη Πέτρος ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα προσεύξασθαι περὶ ὥραν ἕκτην. 10 ἐγένετο δὲ πρόσπεινος καὶ ἤθελεν γεύσασθαι. παρασκευαζόντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐγένετο ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἔκστασις 11 καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγμένον καὶ καταβαῖνον σκεῦός τι ὡς ὀθόνην μεγάλην τέσσαρσιν ἀρχαῖς καθιέμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, 12 ἐν ᾧ ὑπῆρχεν πάντα τὰ τετράποδα καὶ ἑρπετὰ τῆς γῆς καὶ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. 13 καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ πρὸς αὐτόν• ἀναστάς, Πέτρε, θῦσον καὶ φάγε. 14 ὁ δὲ Πέτρος εἶπεν• μηδαμῶς, κύριε, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔφαγον πᾶν κοινὸν καὶ ἀκάθαρτον. 15 καὶ φωνὴ πάλιν ἐκ δευτέρου πρὸς αὐτόν• ἃ ὁ θεὸς ἐκαθάρισεν, σὺ μὴ κοίνου. 16 τοῦτο δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τρίς καὶ εὐθὺς ἀνελήμφθη τὸ σκεῦος εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. 17 Ὡς δὲ ἐν ἑαυτῷ διηπόρει ὁ Πέτρος τί ἂν εἴη τὸ ὅραμα ὃ εἶδεν, ἰδοὺ οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ ἀπεσταλμένοι ὑπὸ τοῦ Κορνηλίου διερωτήσαντες τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ Σίμωνος ἐπέστησαν ἐπὶ τὸν πυλῶνα, 18 καὶ φωνήσαντες ἐπυνθάνοντο εἰ Σίμων ὁ ἐπικαλούμενος Πέτρος ἐνθάδε ξενίζεται. 19 Τοῦ δὲ Πέτρου διενθυμουμένου περὶ τοῦ ὁράματος εἶπεν [αὐτῷ] τὸ πνεῦμα• ἰδοὺ ἄνδρες τρεῖς ζητοῦντές σε, 20 ἀλλʼ ἀναστὰς κατάβηθι καὶ πορεύου σὺν αὐτοῖς μηδὲν διακρινόμενος ὅτι ἐγὼ ἀπέσταλκα αὐτούς. 21 καταβὰς δὲ Πέτρος πρὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας εἶπεν• ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι ὃν ζητεῖτε• τίς ἡ αἰτία διʼ ἣν πάρεστε; 22 οἱ δὲ εἶπαν• Κορνήλιος ἑκατοντάρχης, ἀνὴρ δίκαιος καὶ φοβούμενος τὸν θεόν, μαρτυρούμενός τε ὑπὸ ὅλου τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἐχρηματίσθη ὑπὸ ἀγγέλου ἁγίου μεταπέμψασθαί σε εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ῥήματα παρὰ σοῦ. 23 εἰσκαλεσάμενος οὖν αὐτοὺς ἐξένισεν. Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ἀναστὰς ἐξῆλθεν σὺν αὐτοῖς καί τινες τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῶν ἀπὸ Ἰόππης συνῆλθον αὐτῷ. 24 τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν Καισάρειαν. ὁ δὲ Κορνήλιος ἦν προσδοκῶν αὐτοὺς συγκαλεσάμενος τοὺς συγγενεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἀναγκαίους φίλους. 25 Ὡς δὲ ἐγένετο τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν τὸν Πέτρον, συναντήσας αὐτῷ ὁ Κορνήλιος πεσὼν ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας προσεκύνησεν. 26 ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν λέγων• ἀνάστηθι• καὶ ἐγὼ αὐτὸς ἄνθρωπός εἰμι. 27 καὶ συνομιλῶν αὐτῷ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ εὑρίσκει συνεληλυθότας πολλούς, 28 ἔφη τε πρὸς αὐτούς• ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ὡς ἀθέμιτόν ἐστιν ἀνδρὶ Ἰουδαίῳ κολλᾶσθαι ἢ προσέρχεσθαι ἀλλοφύλῳ• κἀμοὶ ὁ θεὸς ἔδειξεν μηδένα κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον λέγειν ἄνθρωπον• 29 διὸ καὶ ἀναντιρρήτως ἦλθον μεταπεμφθείς. πυνθάνομαι οὖν τίνι λόγῳ μετεπέμψασθέ με; 30 καὶ ὁ Κορνήλιος ἔφη• ἀπὸ τετάρτης ἡμέρας μέχρι ταύτης τῆς ὥρας ἤμην τὴν ἐνάτην προσευχόμενος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ἔστη ἐνώπιόν μου ἐν ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ 31 καὶ φησίν• Κορνήλιε, εἰσηκούσθη σου ἡ προσευχὴ καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἐμνήσθησαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ. 32 πέμψον οὖν εἰς Ἰόππην καὶ μετακάλεσαι Σίμωνα ὃς ἐπικαλεῖται Πέτρος, οὗτος ξενίζεται ἐν οἰκίᾳ Σίμωνος βυρσέως παρὰ θάλασσαν. 33 ἐξαυτῆς οὖν ἔπεμψα πρὸς σέ, σύ τε καλῶς ἐποίησας παραγενόμενος. νῦν οὖν πάντες ἡμεῖς ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ πάρεσμεν ἀκοῦσαι πάντα τὰ προστεταγμένα σοι ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου. 34 Ἀνοίξας δὲ Πέτρος τὸ στόμα εἶπεν• ἐπʼ ἀληθείας καταλαμβάνομαι ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολήμπτης ὁ θεός, 35 ἀλλʼ ἐν παντὶ ἔθνει ὁ φοβούμενος αὐτὸν καὶ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην δεκτὸς αὐτῷ ἐστιν. 36 τὸν λόγον [ὃν] ἀπέστειλεν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εὐαγγελιζόμενος εἰρήνην διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὗτός ἐστιν πάντων κύριος, 37 ὑμεῖς οἴδατε τὸ γενόμενον ῥῆμα καθʼ ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐκήρυξεν Ἰωάννης, 38 Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέθ, ὡς ἔχρισεν αὐτὸν ὁ θεὸς πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ δυνάμει, ὃς διῆλθεν εὐεργετῶν καὶ ἰώμενος πάντας τοὺς καταδυναστευομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἦν μετʼ αὐτοῦ. 39 καὶ ἡμεῖς μάρτυρες πάντων ὧν ἐποίησεν ἔν τε τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ [ἐν] Ἰερουσαλήμ. ὃν καὶ ἀνεῖλαν κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου, 40 τοῦτον ὁ θεὸς ἤγειρεν [ἐν] τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν ἐμφανῆ γενέσθαι, 41 οὐ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, ἀλλὰ μάρτυσιν τοῖς προκεχειροτονημένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἡμῖν, οἵτινες συνεφάγομεν καὶ συνεπίομεν αὐτῷ μετὰ τὸ ἀναστῆναι αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν• 42 καὶ παρήγγειλεν ἡμῖν κηρύξαι τῷ λαῷ καὶ διαμαρτύρασθαι ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ὡρισμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ κριτὴς ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν. 43 τούτῳ πάντες οἱ προφῆται μαρτυροῦσιν ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν λαβεῖν διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ πάντα τὸν πιστεύοντα εἰς αὐτόν. 44 Ἔτι λαλοῦντος τοῦ Πέτρου τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα ἐπέπεσεν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντας τὸν λόγον. 45 καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς πιστοὶ ὅσοι συνῆλθαν τῷ Πέτρῳ, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἡ δωρεὰ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐκκέχυται• 46 ἤκουον γὰρ αὐτῶν λαλούντων γλώσσαις καὶ μεγαλυνόντων τὸν θεόν. τότε ἀπεκρίθη Πέτρος• 47 μήτι τὸ ὕδωρ δύναται κωλῦσαί τις τοῦ μὴ βαπτισθῆναι τούτους, οἵτινες τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἔλαβον ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς; 48 προσέταξεν δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ βαπτισθῆναι. τότε ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν ἐπιμεῖναι ἡμέρας τινάς. 11 1 Ἤκουσαν δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ οἱ ὄντες κατὰ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἐδέξαντο τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ. 2 Ὅτε δὲ ἀνέβη Πέτρος εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ, διεκρίνοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς

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Translation

10.1 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian regiment. 2. He was pious and feared God, along with all his household, gave alms generously to the people and bound himself to God through all [prayed to God continually] 3. He saw clearly in a vision at about the 9th hour of the day, and angel of God came to him and said, 'Cornelius'. 4. He looked steadily at him and became afraid and said, 'Who are you Lord?' He said, 'Your prayers and your almsgiving have ascended into memory before God.' 5. And now send men into Joppa and summon Simon who is called Peter. 6. He is being hosted by Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea. 7. When the angel who spoke to him had left, he summoned two household servants and a pious soldier who persisted with him, 8. and having explained everything to them he sent them to Joppa.