Acts 10:1-14 ▼

1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

2 a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

3 He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.

4 And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter:

6 he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side.

7 And when the angel that spake unto him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

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

9 Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:

10 and he became hungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance;

11 and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth:

12 wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and fowls of the heaven.

13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean.