Acts 10:1-39 ▼

1 Now a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius was a centurion of the cohort that is called Italian,

2 devout and fearing God with all his household, doing many alms to the people and praying to God through all.

3 He saw clearly in a vision, as it was about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God having come to him and having said to him, “Cornelius!”

4 And having looked intently at him, and having become afraid, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa and summon a certain Simon, who is called Peter.

6 He lodges with a certain Simon, a tanner whose house is by the sea.”

7 And when the angel speaking to him went away, having called two of the servants and a devout soldier of those attending him,

8 and having related all things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 Now on the next day, in their journeying and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

10 And he became hungry and desired to eat. But in their preparing, a trance fell upon him,

11 and he sees heaven opening and a certain vessel as a great sheet descending, being let down upon the earth by four corners,

12 in which were all the quadrupeds and creeping things of the earth and birds of heaven.

13 And a voice came to him: “Having risen up, Peter, kill and eat!”

14 But Peter said, “In no way, Lord! For never have I eaten anything common or unclean.”

15 And a voice came again to him for the second time: “What God has cleansed, you do not call common.”

16 Now this took place for three times, and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven.

17 And while Peter was perplexed in himself as to what the vision that he had seen might be, behold, the men having been sent from Cornelius, having inquired for the house of Simon, stood at the gate.

18 And having called out, they were asking if Simon who is called Peter is lodged here.

19 And of Peter thinking over the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you.

20 But having risen, go down and proceed with them, doubting nothing, because I have sent them.”

21 And Peter, having gone down to the men, said, “Behold, I am whom you? seek; what is the cause for which you? are here?”

22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a man righteous and fearing God—and being well testified to by all the nation of the Jews—was divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house and to hear a message from you.”

23 Therefore, having called them in, he lodged them. And on the next day, having risen up, he went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.

24 And on the next day, he entered into Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them, having called together his relatives and close friends.

25 And as Peter was entering, Cornelius, having met him, having fallen at his feet, worshiped him.

26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Rise up, I myself am also a man.”

27 And talking with him, he entered, and he finds many having gathered together.

28 And he was saying to them, “You? know how it is unlawful for a man, a Jew, to unite himself or to come near to a foreigner. But God showed to me not to call a man common or unclean.

29 Therefore also without objection I came, having been summoned. I ask, therefore for what reason did you? summon me?”

30 And Cornelius was saying, “Four days ago until this hour, the ninth hour, I was praying in my house; and behold, a man in bright apparel stood before me,

31 and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer was heard, and your alms have been remembered before God.

32 Therefore send to Joppa and call for Simon, who is called Peter; he lodges in the house of Simon, a tanner by the sea.’

33 Therefore I sent to you at once, and you did well, having come. Now, therefore, we are all present before God to hear all the things having been commanded you by the Lord.”

34 And Peter, having opened the mouth, said, “Of a truth I understand that God is not One who shows partiality,

35 but in every nation the one fearing Him and working righteousness is acceptable to Him,

36 the word that He sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the gospel, peace by Jesus Christ—this One is Lord of all.

37 You? yourselves know the declaration having come through all Judea, having begun from Galilee, after the baptism that John proclaimed:

38 Jesus from Nazareth—how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power—who went about doing good and healing all those being oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.

39 And we are witnesses of all that He did—both in the region of the Jews and in Jerusalem—whom they also put to death, having hanged Him on a tree.