Acts 10:1-28 ▼

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

2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.

3 At about three in the afternoon, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, |Cornelius.|

4 He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, |What is it, Lord?| He said to him, |Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa, and bring one Simon who is surnamed Peter.

6 He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.|

7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually.

8 Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.

10 He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.

11 He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,

12 in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, crawling creatures and birds of the sky.

13 A voice came to him, |Rise, Peter, kill and eat.|

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

15 A voice came to him again the second time, |What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.|

16 This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.

17 Now while Peter was very perplexed within himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, look, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate,

18 and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.

19 While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, |Look, three men seek you.

20 But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.|

21 And Peter went down to the men, and said, |Look, I am the one whom you seek. Why have you come?|

22 They said, |Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say.|

23 So he called them in and lodged them. On the next day he arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

24 On the next day he entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends.

25 When it happened that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him.

26 But Peter raised him up, saying, |Stand up. I myself am also a man.|

27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together.

28 He said to them, |You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.