| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment. | 1In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. |
| 2He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly. | 2He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. |
| 3One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” | 3One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said. |
| 4Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God. | 4Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel. And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! |
| 5Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter. | 5Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. |
| 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” | 6He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.” |
| 7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among his attendants. | 7As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. |
| 8He explained what had happened and sent them to Joppa. | 8He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa. Peter Visits Cornelius |
| 9The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray. | 9The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, |
| 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. | 10and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. |
| 11He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. | 11He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. |
| 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. | 12In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. |
| 13Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” | 13Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” |
| 14“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” | 14“No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean. ” |
| 15The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” | 15But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” |
| 16This happened three times, and all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven. | 16The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. |
| 17While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate. | 17Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. Standing outside the gate, |
| 18They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there. | 18they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there. |
| 19As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. | 19Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you. |
| 20So get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.” | 20Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.” |
| 21So Peter went down to the men and said, “Here am I, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?” | 21So Peter went down and said, “I’m the man you are looking for. Why have you come?” |
| 22“Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in his home so he could hear a message from you.” | 22They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.” |
| 23So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa. | 23So Peter invited the men to stay for the night. The next day he went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa. |
| 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. | 24They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. |
| 25As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. | 25As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. |
| 26But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” | 26But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” |
| 27As Peter talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together. | 27So they talked together and went inside, where many others were assembled. |
| 28He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. | 28Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. |
| 29So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have you sent for me?” | 29So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.” |
| 30Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me | 30Cornelius replied, “Four days ago I was praying in my house about this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me. |
| 31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God. | 31He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God! |
| 32Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’ | 32Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’ |
| 33So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.” | 33So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.” The Gentiles Hear the Good News |
| 34Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, | 34Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. |
| 35but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right. | 35In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. |
| 36He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. | 36This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. |
| 37You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed: | 37You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. |
| 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. | 38And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. |
| 39We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, | 39“And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, |
| 40God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen— | 40but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, |
| 41not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. | 41not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. |
| 42And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. | 42And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. |
| 43All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” | 43He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit |
| 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message. | 44Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. |
| 45All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. | 45The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. |
| 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said, | 46For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, |
| 47“Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!” | 47“Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” |
| 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days. | 48So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days. |
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