And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not left my master destitute of his mercy and his truth: I being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brothers.
However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.
And his servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? how much rather then, when he says to you, Wash, and be clean?
Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
I was angry with my people, I have polluted my inheritance, and given them into your hand: you showed them no mercy; upon the elderly have you very heavily laid your yoke.
Now therefore, what have I here, says the LORD, that my people are taken away for nothing? those who rule over them make them to howl, says the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
And when they entered among the heathen, to which they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and have gone forth out of his land.
And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which you have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. And you say, How have we despised your name?
And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that fears God, and of good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to hear words from you.
And when the angel which spoke to Cornelius departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually;
Therefore shall you serve your enemies which the LORD shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon your neck, until he has destroyed you.
Having your conduct honest among the Gentiles: that, although they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.