“ He accepts people from every nation. He accepts anyone who has respect for him and does what is right.

原来，各国中那敬畏主、行义的人都为主所悦纳。

不但如此，在各国中那敬畏他而行义的人都为他所悦纳。

不但如此，在各国中那敬畏他而行义的人都为他所悦纳。

无论哪一个民族，只要敬畏祂，秉公行义，都会蒙祂接纳。

原来在各民族中，凡敬畏他而行义的，都蒙他悦纳。

原来在各民族中，那敬畏神而行义的人，都是神所悦纳的。

原來，各國中那敬畏主、行義的人都為主所悅納。

不但如此，在各國中那敬畏他而行義的人都為他所悅納。

不但如此，在各國中那敬畏他而行義的人都為他所悅納。

無論哪一個民族，只要敬畏祂，秉公行義，都會蒙祂接納。

原來在各民族中，凡敬畏他而行義的，都蒙他悅納。

但是各國中敬畏他而行義的人，都是他所接納的。

原來在各民族中，那敬畏神而行義的人，都是神所悅納的。

萬國中有畏之而行義者、為其悅納也、

萬國有畏上帝而行義者、必為其所喜、

各國有畏天主而行義者、皆為其所悅、

蓋世界萬國、凡敬畏天主而行為正直者、莫不見悅於天主也。

but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.

but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.

but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.

But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him.

but in every nation the person who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him.

But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him.

but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

Cornelius and all his family were faithful and worshiped God. He gave freely to people who were in need. He prayed to God regularly.

Dear friends, we have these promises from God. So let us make ourselves pure from everything that makes our bodies and spirits impure. Let us be completely holy. We want to honor God.

God showed that there is no difference between us and them. That’s because he made their hearts pure because of their faith.

Here there is no Gentile or Jew. There is no difference between those who are circumcised and those who are not. There is no rude outsider, or even a Scythian. There is no slave or free person. But Christ is everything. And he is in everything.

Abel had faith. So he brought to God a better offering than Cain did. Because of his faith Abel was praised as a godly man. God said good things about his offerings. Because of his faith Abel still speaks. He speaks even though he is dead.Enoch had faith. So he was taken from this life. He didn’t die.“ He couldn’t be found, because God had taken him away.”( Genesis 5:24) Before God took him, Enoch was praised as one who pleased God.Without faith it is impossible to please God. Those who come to God must believe that he exists. And they must believe that he rewards those who look to him.

Through love and truth sin is paid for. People avoid evil when they have respect for the Lord.

There is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is Lord of all. He richly blesses everyone who calls on him.Scripture says,“ Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”( Joel 2:32)

All those things bring praise to his glorious grace. God freely gave us his grace because of the One he loves.

Then you will understand how to have respect for the Lord. You will find out how to know God.

But you must keep your faith steady and firm. You must not move away from the hope the good news holds out to you. This is the good news that you heard. It has been preached to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, now serve the good news.I am happy because of what I am suffering for you. My suffering joins with and continues the sufferings of Christ. I suffer for his body, which is the church.I serve the church. God appointed me to bring the complete word of God to you.That word contains the mystery that has been hidden for many ages. But now it has been made known to the Lord’s people.God has chosen to make known to them the glorious riches of that mystery. He has made it known among the Gentiles. And here is what it is. Christ is in you. He is your hope of glory.

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. The church was strengthened and grew larger. That’s because they worshiped the Lord and the Holy Spirit helped them.

If you really want to gain knowledge, you must begin by having respect for the Lord. But foolish people hate wisdom and instruction.

The angel greeted her and said,“ The Lord has blessed you in a special way. He is with you.”

At one time you were far away from God. But now you belong to Christ Jesus. He spilled his blood for you. This has brought you near to God.Christ himself is our peace. He has made Jews and Gentiles into one group of people. He has destroyed the hatred that was like a wall between us.Through his body on the cross, Christ set aside the law with all its commands and rules. He planned to create one new people out of Jews and Gentiles. He wanted to make peace between them.He planned to bring both Jews and Gentiles back to God as one body. He planned to do this through the cross. On that cross, Christ put to death their hatred toward one another.He came and preached peace to you who were far away. He also preached peace to those who were near.Through Christ we both come to the Father by the power of one Holy Spirit.

He said to human beings,“ Have respect for the Lord. That will prove you are wise. Avoid evil. That will show you have understanding.”

We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink.

Hearing the law does not make a person right with God. People are considered to be right with God only when they obey the law.

We are made right with God by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. This happens to all who believe. It is no different for the Jews than for the Gentiles.

Everything has now been heard. And here’s the final thing I want to say. Have respect for God and obey his commandments. This is what he expects of all human beings.

There is no Jew or Gentile. There is no slave or free person. There is no male or female. That’s because you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Follow the lead of one another because of your respect for Christ.

Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Have respect for the Lord and avoid evil.

If you really want to become wise, you must begin by having respect for the Lord. All those who follow his rules have good understanding. People should praise him forever.

They offer sacrifices as gifts to me. They eat the meat of the animals they bring. But the Lord is not pleased with any of this. He will remember the evil things they have done. He will punish them for their sins. And they will return to Egypt.

that has come to you. In the same way, the good news is bearing fruit. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world. It has been doing that among you since the day you heard it. That is when you really understood God’s grace.

Suppose an outsider wants to follow the Lord. Then that person shouldn’t say,“ The Lord won’t accept me as one of his people.” And a eunuch shouldn’t say,“ I’m like a dry tree that doesn’t bear any fruit.”The Lord says,“ Suppose some eunuchs keep my Sabbath days. They choose to do what pleases me. And they are faithful in keeping my covenant.Then I will set up a monument in the area of my temple. Their names will be written on it. That will be better for them than having sons and daughters. The names of the eunuchs will be remembered forever. They will never be forgotten.“ Suppose outsiders want to follow me and serve me. They want to love me and worship me. They keep the Sabbath day and do not misuse it. And they are faithful in keeping my covenant.Then I will bring them to my holy mountain of Zion. I will give them joy in my house. They can pray there. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices on my altar. My house will be called a house where people from all nations can pray.”The Lord and King will gather those who were taken away from their homes in Israel. He announces,“ I will gather them to myself. And I will gather others to join them.”

I know he’s ready to save those who have respect for him. Then his glory can be seen in our land.

The law that brings respect for the Lord is pure. It lasts forever. The commands the Lord gives are true. All of them are completely right.

Here is the mystery. Because of the good news, God’s promises are for Gentiles as well as for Jews. Both groups are parts of one body. They share in the promise. It belongs to them because they belong to Christ Jesus.I now serve the good news because God gave me his grace. His power is at work in me.I am by far the least important of all the Lord’s holy people. But he gave me the grace to preach to the Gentiles about the unlimited riches that Christ gives.

Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of Gentiles? Yes, he is their God too.There is only one God. When those who are circumcised believe in him, he makes them right with himself. Suppose those who are not circumcised believe in him. Then God also will make them right with himself.

But he wasn’t pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was sad.Then the Lord said to Cain,“ Why are you angry? Why are you looking so sad?Do what is right and then you will be accepted. If you don’t do what is right, sin is waiting at your door to grab you. It desires to control you. But you must rule over it.”

Circumcision has value if you obey the law. But if you break the law, it is just as if you hadn’t been circumcised.And sometimes those who aren’t circumcised do what the law requires. Won’t God accept them as if they had been circumcised?Many are not circumcised physically, but they obey the law. They will prove that you are guilty. You are breaking the law, even though you have the written law and are circumcised.A person is not a Jew if they are a Jew only on the outside. And circumcision is more than just something done to the outside of a man’s body.No, a person is a Jew only if they are a Jew on the inside. And true circumcision means that the heart has been circumcised by the Holy Spirit. The person whose heart has been circumcised does more than obey the written law. The praise that matters for that kind of person does not come from other people. It comes from God.

But we have been truly circumcised. We serve God by the power of his Spirit. We boast about what Christ Jesus has done. We don’t put our trust in who we are or what we can do.