Gentiles Hear Good News

^34 (A)Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that ^(B)God is not one to show partiality, ³⁵ but ^(C)in every nation the one who ^[a](D)fears Him and ^[b]does what is right is acceptable to Him. ³⁶ The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, ^(E)preaching ^[c](F)peace through Jesus Christ (He is ^(G)Lord of all)— ³⁷ you yourselves know the thing that happened throughout Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. ^38 [d]You know of ^(H)Jesus of Nazareth, how God ^(I)anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, ^[e](J)and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for ^(K)God was with Him. ³⁹ We are ^(L)witnesses of all the things that He did both in the ^[f]country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on ^[g](M)a cross. ^40 (N)God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He ^[h]be revealed, ^41 (O)not to all the people, but to ^(P)witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us ^(Q)who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. ⁴² And He ^(R)ordered us to ^[i]preach to the people, and to ^(S)testify solemnly that this is the One who has been ^(T)appointed by God as ^(U)Judge of the living and the dead. ^43 (V)All the prophets testify of Him, that through ^(W)His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, ^(X)the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the ^[j]message. ^45 (Y)All the ^[k]Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been ^(Z)poured out on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they were hearing them ^(AA)speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter responded, ⁴⁷ “^(AB)Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who ^(AC)have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” ⁴⁸ And he ^(AD)ordered them to be baptized ^(AE)in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

²⁴ namely us, whom He also ^(A)called, ^(B)not only from among Jews, but also from among Gentiles,

¹² For ^(A)there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is ^(B)Lord of ^(C)all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;

⁹ and for ^(A)the Gentiles to ^(B)glorify God for His mercy; as it is written:

^28 (A)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is ^[a]neither male nor female; for ^(B)you are all one in ^(C)Christ Jesus.

¹¹ Therefore remember that ^(A)previously ^(B)you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “^(C)Uncircumcision” by the so-called “^(D)Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— ¹² remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, ^[a](E)excluded from ^[b]the people of Israel, and strangers to ^(F)the covenants of the promise, having ^(G)no hope and ^(H)without God in the world. ¹³ But now in ^(I)Christ Jesus you who ^(J)previously were ^(K)far away ^[c]have ^(L)been brought near ^[d](M)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For He Himself is ^(N)our peace, ^(O)who made both groups into one and broke down the ^[e]barrier of the dividing wall, ^15 [f]by ^(P)abolishing ^[g]in His flesh the hostility, which is ^(Q)the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might ^[h](R)make the two ^(S)one new person, in this way establishing ^(T)peace; ¹⁶ and that He might ^(U)reconcile them both in ^(V)one body to God through the cross, ^[i]by it having ^(W)put to death the hostility. ¹⁷ And ^(X)He came and preached ^(Y)peace to you who were ^(Z)far away, and peace to those who were ^(AA)near; ¹⁸ for through Him we both have ^(AB)our access in ^(AC)one Spirit to ^(AD)the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(AE)strangers and foreigners, but you are ^(AF)fellow citizens with the ^[j]saints, and are of ^(AG)God’s household,