Acts 10

¹In Caesarea, there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort. ²He was a devout man who, along with his entire household, feared God; he performed many acts of mercy for the Jewish people and prayed to God constantly. ³One afternoon, about the ninth hour, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God entering his room and saying to him, "Cornelius."

⁴Cornelius stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" The angel said to him, "Your prayers and your acts of mercy have ascended as a memorial offering before God. ⁵Now, send men to Joppa and summon a man named Simon, who is also called Peter. ⁶He is staying as a guest with another Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea."

⁷When the angel who had been speaking to him departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among his personal attendants. ⁸After he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the flat roof of the house to pray about the sixth hour. ¹⁰He became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were preparing the meal, he fell into a trance. ¹¹He saw the sky opened and something like a large linen sheet coming down, being lowered to the earth by its four corners. ¹²In it were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky. ¹³Then a voice came to him: "Get up, Peter; kill and eat!"

¹⁴But Peter said, "By no means, Lord! For I have never eaten anything profane or ritually impure."

¹⁵The voice spoke to him again, a second time: "What God has made pure, you must not call profane." ¹⁶This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

¹⁷While Peter was still deeply perplexed within himself about what the vision he had seen might mean, the men sent by Cornelius, having asked their way to Simon’s house, stood at the gate. ¹⁸They called out to ask if Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there as a guest. ¹⁹While Peter was still reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look, men are searching for you. ²⁰Get up, go down, and go with them without making any distinction, because I have sent them myself."

²¹So Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your visit?"

²²They replied, "Cornelius, a centurion, a man of justice who fears God and is well-respected by the entire Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house so that he might hear a message from you." ²³So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴The following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having invited his relatives and close friends. ²⁵As Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and bowed down in worship. ²⁶But Peter helped him up, saying, "Stand up; I am only a human being myself." ²⁷As he talked with him, he went inside and found a large group gathered.

²⁸Peter said to them, "You yourselves know how forbidden it is for a Jewish man to associate with or even visit a foreigner. But God has shown me that I should call no human being profane or ritually impure. ²⁹For this reason, I came without objection when I was sent for. So I ask: for what reason did you send for me?"

³⁰Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this very hour, I was praying the ninth-hour prayer in my house. Suddenly, a man in radiant clothing stood before me ³¹and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of mercy have been remembered before God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying as a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.' ³³So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to hear everything that has been commanded to you by the Lord."

³⁴Then Peter opened his mouth and said, "In truth, I am coming to understand that God does not show favoritism, ³⁵but in every nation, the one who fears him and practices justice is acceptable to him. ³⁶This is the message he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. ³⁷You know the thing that happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.

³⁹We are witnesses of everything he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross of wood, ⁴⁰but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to be clearly seen— ⁴¹not by all the people, but by witnesses previously chosen by God, by us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²He commanded us to proclaim to the people and to testify solemnly that this is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³All the prophets testify about him, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. ⁴⁵The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, ⁴⁶for they heard them speaking in different languages and magnifying God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷"Can anyone withhold the water for these people to be baptized—those who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?" ⁴⁸So he directed that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for several days.