Acts 10

¹ At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment.

² He was devout and God-fearing, as was his whole household; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

³ One afternoon, about three o'clock, he had a vision. He clearly saw an angel of God come to him and say, "Cornelius!"

⁴ Cornelius stared at him in fear and said, "What is it, lord?" The angel said, "Your prayers and your gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God."

⁵ Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

⁶ He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.

⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among his personal attendants.

⁸ He told them everything and sent them to Joppa.

⁹ About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.

¹⁰ He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared he fell into a trance.

¹¹ He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.

¹² In it were all kinds of four-footed animals, along with reptiles and birds of the air.

¹³ Then a voice said to him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."

¹⁴ "Certainly not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."

¹⁵ The voice spoke to him a second time: "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

¹⁶ This happened three times, and at once the sheet was taken back up to heaven.

¹⁷ While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon's house and stopped at the gate.

¹⁸ They called out, asking whether Simon who was called Peter was staying there.

¹⁹ While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look, three men are looking for you."

²⁰ So get up and go downstairs. Go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them."

²¹ Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?"

²² They answered, "We come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, well respected by the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel told him to send for you to come to his house so he could hear what you have to say."

²³ So Peter invited them in to be his guests. The next day he got ready and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along.

²⁴ The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

²⁵ As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.

²⁶ But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up. I am only a man myself."

²⁷ As he talked with him, Peter went inside and found many people gathered there.

²⁸ He said to them, "You know it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.

²⁹ That is why I came without objection when I was sent for. So may I ask why you sent for me?"

³⁰ Cornelius answered, "Four days ago at this very hour, three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, and suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me.

³¹ He said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.

³² Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.'

³³ So I sent for you right away, and you were kind enough to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: "I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,

³⁵ but in every nation he accepts anyone who fears him and does what is right.

³⁶ This is the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

³⁷ You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—

³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were under the devil's power, because God was with him.

³⁹ We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree,

⁴⁰ but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen—

⁴¹ not by all the people, but by us whom God had already chosen as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.

⁴³ All the prophets testify about him, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.

⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said,

⁴⁷ "Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."

⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.