Acts 10:1-23 ▼

1 Now a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius was a centurion of the cohort that is called Italian,

2 devout and fearing God with all his household, doing many alms to the people and praying to God through all.

3 He saw clearly in a vision, as it was about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God having come to him and having said to him, “Cornelius!”

4 And having looked intently at him, and having become afraid, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa and summon a certain Simon, who is called Peter.

6 He lodges with a certain Simon, a tanner whose house is by the sea.”

7 And when the angel speaking to him went away, having called two of the servants and a devout soldier of those attending him,

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

9 Now on the next day, in their journeying and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

10 And he became hungry and desired to eat. But in their preparing, a trance fell upon him,

11 and he sees heaven opening and a certain vessel as a great sheet descending, being let down upon the earth by four corners,

12 in which were all the quadrupeds and creeping things of the earth and birds of heaven.

13 And a voice came to him: “Having risen up, Peter, kill and eat!”

14 But Peter said, “In no way, Lord! For never have I eaten anything common or unclean.”

15 And a voice came again to him for the second time: “What God has cleansed, you do not call common.”

16 Now this took place for three times, and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven.

17 And while Peter was perplexed in himself as to what the vision that he had seen might be, behold, the men having been sent from Cornelius, having inquired for the house of Simon, stood at the gate.

18 And having called out, they were asking if Simon who is called Peter is lodged here.

19 And of Peter thinking over the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you.

20 But having risen, go down and proceed with them, doubting nothing, because I have sent them.”

21 And Peter, having gone down to the men, said, “Behold, I am whom you? seek; what is the cause for which you? are here?”

22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a man righteous and fearing God—and being well testified to by all the nation of the Jews—was divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house and to hear a message from you.”

23 Therefore, having called them in, he lodged them. And on the next day, having risen up, he went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.