Peter and Cornelius

¹At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of wwhat was known as the Italian Cohort, ²a devout man xwho feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. ³yAbout the ninth hour of the day1 zhe saw clearly in a vision aan angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” ⁴And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms bhave ascended cas a memorial before God. ⁵And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. ⁶He is lodging dwith one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” ⁷When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, ⁸and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Peter's Vision

⁹The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, ePeter went up fon the housetop about gthe sixth hour2 to pray. ¹⁰And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into ha trance ¹¹and saw ithe heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. ¹²In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. ¹³And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; jfor I have never eaten anything that is kcommon or lunclean.” ¹⁵And the voice came to him again a second time, m“What God has made clean, do not call common.” ¹⁶This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

¹⁷Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what nthe vision that he had seen might mean, behold, othe men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate ¹⁸and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. ¹⁹And while Peter was pondering nthe vision, pthe Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. ²⁰Rise and go down and qaccompany them without hesitation,3 for I have sent them.” ²¹And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” ²²And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and rGod-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by sa holy angel to send for you to come to his house and tto hear what you have to say.” ²³So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and usome of vthe brothers from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and wfell down at his feet and xworshiped him. ²⁶But Peter lifted him up, saying, y“Stand up; I too am a man.” ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. ²⁸And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew zto associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but aGod has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. ²⁹So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

³⁰And Cornelius said, b“Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at cthe ninth hour,4 and behold, da man stood before me in bright clothing ³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, eyour prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ ³³So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Gentiles Hear the Good News

³⁴So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that fGod gshows no partiality, ³⁵but fin every nation anyone who fears him and hdoes what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶As for ithe word that he sent to Israel, jpreaching good news of kpeace through Jesus Christ (lhe is Lord of all), ³⁷you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, mbeginning nfrom Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸how oGod anointed Jesus of Nazareth pwith the Holy Spirit and with qpower. He went about doing good and healing all rwho were oppressed by the devil, sfor God was with him. ³⁹And twe are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. uThey put him to death by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰but vGod raised him on wthe third day and made him to xappear, ⁴¹ynot to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as zwitnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²And ahe commanded us to preach to the people and to testify bthat he is the one appointed by God to be judge cof the living and the dead. ⁴³dTo him eall the prophets bear witness that feveryone who believes in him receives gforgiveness of sins hthrough his name.”

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

⁴⁴While Peter was still saying these things, ithe Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. ⁴⁵And the believers from among jthe circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because kthe gift of the Holy Spirit lwas poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶For they were hearing them mspeaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, ⁴⁷n“Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit ojust as we have?” ⁴⁸And he pcommanded them qto be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Expand Chapter