Acts

Cornelius Sends for Peter

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

2He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly.

3One day at about the ninth hour,he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

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.

5Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter.

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

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

8He explained what had happened and sent them to Joppa.

Peter’s Vision

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.

10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the 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.

12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air.

13Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”

14“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impureor unclean.”

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

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

Peter Called to Caesarea

17While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate.

18They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there.

19As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.

20So get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.”

21So Peter went down to the menand said, “Here am I, the one 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.”

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.

Peter Visits Cornelius

24The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting 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.

26But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

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

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.

29So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have 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

31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before 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.’

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.”

Good News for the Gentiles

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

35but welcomes those from every nation 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.

37You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed:

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.

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,

40God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen—

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.

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.

43All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins 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.

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.

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

47“Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!”

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

1And there was a certain man in Caesarea, by name Cornelius, a centurion from a band called Italian,

2pious, and fearing God with all his house, doing also many kind acts to the people, and beseeching God always,

3he saw in a vision manifestly, as it were the ninth hour of the day, a messenger of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, 'Cornelius;'

4and he having looked earnestly on him, and becoming afraid, said, 'What is it, Lord?' And he said to him, 'Thy prayers and thy kind acts came up for a memorial before God,

5and now send men to Joppa, and send for a certain one Simon, who is surnamed Peter,

6this one doth lodge with a certain Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea; this one shall speak to thee what it behoveth thee to do.'

7And when the messenger who is speaking to Cornelius went away, having called two of his domestics, and a pious soldier of those waiting on him continually,

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

9And on the morrow, as these are proceeding on the way, and are drawing nigh to the city, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour,

10and he became very hungry, and wished to eat; and they making ready, there fell upon him a trance,

11and he doth behold the heaven opened, and descending unto him a certain vessel, as a great sheet, bound at the four corners, and let down upon the earth,

12in which were all the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of the heaven,

13and there came a voice unto him: 'Having risen, Peter, slay and eat.'

14And Peter said, 'Not so, Lord; because at no time did I eat anything common or unclean;'

15and [there is] a voice again a second time unto him: 'What God did cleanse, thou, declare not thou common;'

16and this was done thrice, and again was the vessel received up to the heaven.

17And as Peter was perplexed in himself what the vision that he saw might be, then, lo, the men who have been sent from Cornelius, having made inquiry for the house of Simon, stood at the gate,

18and having called, they were asking if Simon, who is surnamed Peter, doth lodge here?

19And Peter thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'Lo, three men do seek thee;

20but having risen, go down and go on with them, nothing doubting, because I have sent them;'

21and Peter having come down unto the men who have been sent from Cornelius unto him, said, 'Lo, I am he whom ye seek, what [is] the cause for which ye are present?'

22And they said, 'Cornelius, a centurion, a man righteous and fearing God, well testified to, also, by all the nation of the Jews, was divinely warned by a holy messenger to send for thee, to his house, and to hear sayings from thee.'

23Having called them in, therefore, he lodged them, and on the morrow Peter went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa went with him,

24and on the morrow they did enter into Caesarea; and Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kindred and near friends,

25and as it came that Peter entered in, Cornelius having met him, having fallen at [his] feet, did bow before [him];

26and Peter raised him, saying, 'Stand up; I also myself am a man;'

27and talking with him he went in, and doth find many having come together.

28And he said unto them, 'Ye know how it is unlawful for a man, a Jew, to keep company with, or to come unto, one of another race, but to me God did shew to call no man common or unclean;

29therefore also without gainsaying I came, having been sent for; I ask, therefore, for what matter ye did send for me?'

30And Cornelius said, 'Four days ago till this hour, I was fasting, and [at] the ninth hour praying in my house, and, lo, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

31and he said, Cornelius, thy prayer was heard, and thy kind acts were remembered before God;

32send, therefore, to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter; this one doth lodge in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea, who having come, shall speak to thee;

33at once, therefore, I sent to thee; thou also didst do well, having come; now, therefore, are we all before God present to hear all things that have been commanded thee by God.'

34And Peter having opened his mouth, said, 'Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons,

35but in every nation he who is fearing Him, and is working righteousness, is acceptable to Him;

36the word that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming good news — peace through Jesus Christ (this one is Lord of all,)

37ye — ye have known; — the word that came throughout all Judea, having begun from Galilee, after the baptism that John preached;

38Jesus who [is] from Nazareth — how God did anoint him with the Holy Spirit and power; who went through, doing good, and healing all those oppressed by the devil, because God was with him;

39and we — we are witnesses of all things that he did, both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, — whom they did slay, having hanged upon a tree.

40'This one God did raise up the third day, and gave him to become manifest,

41not to all the people, but to witnesses, to those having been chosen before by God — to us who did eat with [him], and did drink with him, after his rising out of the dead;

42and he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify fully that it is he who hath been ordained by God judge of living and dead —

43to this one do all the prophets testify, that through his name every one that is believing in him doth receive remission of sins.'

44While Peter is yet speaking these sayings, the Holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word,

45and those of the circumcision believing were astonished — as many as came with Peter — because also upon the nations the gift of the Holy Spirit hath been poured out,

46for they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God.

47Then answered Peter, 'The water is any one able to forbid, that these may not be baptized, who the Holy Spirit did receive — even as also we?'

48he commanded them also to be baptized in the name of the Lord; then they besought him to remain certain days.