Acts 10:1-22 ▼

1 THERE was in Cæs-a-re’a a man called Cornelius, a centurion of the regiment which is called the Italian,

2 A righteous and God-fearing man as were all his household; which gave much alms to the people, and always sought after God.

3 Very openly in a vision about three o’clock in the afternoon he saw an angel of God who came in to him, and said to him, Cornelius.

4 And he looked at the angel and was afraid, and he said, What is it, my LORD? And the angel said to him, Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to the city of Joppa, and bring here Simon who is called Peter:

6 Behold he is staying with Simon Bur-saya, the tanner, whose house is by the seaside.

7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household, and a soldier who believed in God and was obedient to him;

8 And he related to them everything that he had seen, and sent them to Joppa.

9 The next day, while they were on their journey, drawing near to the city, Simon Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about noontime.

10 And he became hungry, and wanted to eat: but while they were preparing food for him, he was seized with a sudden faintness.

11 And he saw the sky open and something fastened at the four corners, resembling a large linen cloth, was let down from heaven to the earth:

12 And there were in it all kind of fourfooted beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the air.

13 And there came a voice to him, saying, Simon Peter, rise; kill and eat.

14 But Simon Peter said, Far be it, my LORD; for I have never eaten anything which was unclean and defiled.

15 And again the voice came to him a second time, What God has cleansed, you should not call unclean.

16 This happened the third time: then the cloth was lifted up to the heaven.

17 Now while Simon Peter was bewildered, wondering in himself what the vision he had seen should mean, the men who were sent by Cornelius arrived, and enquired for the house in which Simon Peter had been staying, and they came and stood at the door of the courtyard.

18 And from there they called and asked if Simon who is called Peter stayed there.

19 While Simon Peter meditated about the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold three men seek you.

20 Arise, go down, and go with them, without doubt in your mind: for I have sent them.

21 Then Simon Peter went down to the men and said, I am the man you seek. What is the purpose of your mission?

22 They said to him, A man called Cornelius, a righteous and God-fearing centurion of whom all the Jewish people speak well, was told in a vision by a holy angel to send and bring you to his house and to hear words from you.