Acts 10:1-22 ▼

1 In Cesarea there was a centurion of a cohort in the Italic legion, whose name was Cornelius, a religious man,

2 and was a proselyte, together with all his family: he gave much alms to the people, and was assiduous in his prayers to God.

3 one day about the ninth hour, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God, who addrest himself to him, and said, Cornelius!

4 and when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, what is it, Lord? and he said to him, thy prayers and thine alms have been observ'd and approv'd by God.

5 send messengers immediately to Joppa, for one Simon, whose sirname is Peter:

6 he lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea-side.

7 As soon as the angel that spoke to Cornelius was departed, he called two of his domesticks, and a devout soldier, one of those that were in waiting:

8 and after he had related to them the whole affair, he sent them to Joppa.

9 On the morrow as they were on their journey, and drew nigh the city, Peter went upon the leads to pray, about the sixth hour.

10 and being seiz'd with hunger, he would have had something to eat: but while they were making it ready, he fell into a trance,

11 when he saw the heaven open, and something descending in the form of a great sheet, ty'd at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

12 in it were all sorts of quadrupeds, reptiles, and birds.

13 and a voice said to him, rise, Peter; kill and eat.

14 but Peter said, not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

15 and the voice spake to him again the second time, don't call that common, which God calls clean.

16 this was done thrice: and then the sheet was taken up into heaven.

17 While Peter was perplexed about the signification of this vision, the messengers from Cornelius having enquir'd out Simon's house, arriv'd at the gate,

18 and calling somebody, ask'd, whether Simon Peter lodg'd there.

19 As Peter was still pondering upon the vision, the spirit said to him, there are people below, who enquire for you.

20 rise therefore, get thee down, and go with them, without hesitating: for I have sent them.

21 then Peter went down to the messengers; and said, I am the person you look for: what occasion brought you hither?

22 they answered, Cornelius the centurion, a man of probity and piety, one that has an universal good character among the Jews, was divinely admonish'd by an holy angel to send for you to his house, to hear what you had to say to him.