Acts
10
- At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius,
a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.
- He and all his family were devout and God-fearing;
he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.
- One day at about three in the afternoon
he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said,
"Cornelius!"
- Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What
is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts
to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.
- Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man
named Simon who is called Peter.
- He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose
house is by the sea."
- When the angel who spoke to him had gone,
Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his
attendants.
- He told them everything that had happened
and sent them to Joppa.
- About noon the following day as they were
on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
- He became hungry and wanted something to
eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
- He saw heaven opened and something like
a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
- It contained all kinds of four-footed animals,
as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.
- Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter.
Kill and eat."
- "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied.
"I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
- The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do
not call anything impure that God has made clean."
- This happened three times, and immediately
the sheet was taken back to heaven.
- While Peter was wondering about the meaning
of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was
and stopped at the gate.
- They called out, asking if Simon who was
known as Peter was staying there.
- While Peter was still thinking about the
vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you.
- So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate
to go with them, for I have sent them."
- Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm
the one you're looking for. Why have you come ?"
- The men replied, "We have come from
Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected
by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house
so that he could hear what you have to say."
- Then Peter invited the men into the house
to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the
brothers from Joppa went along.
- The following day he arrived in Caesarea.
Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close
friends.
- As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met
him and fell at his feet in reverence.
- But Peter made him get up. "Stand up,"
he said, "I am only a man myself."
- Talking with him, Peter went inside and
found a large gathering of people.
- He said to them: "You are well aware
that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit
him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
- So when I was sent for, I came without raising
any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"
- Cornelius answered: "Four days ago
I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly
a man in shining clothes stood before me
- and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your
prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.
- Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.
He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.'
- So I sent for you immediately, and it was
good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen
to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
- Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize
how true it is that God does not show favoritism
- but accepts men from every nation who fear
him and do what is right.
- You know the message God sent to the people
of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord
of all.
- You know what has happened throughout Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached --
- how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with
the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all
who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
- "We are witnesses of everything he
did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging
him on a tree,
- but God raised him from the dead on the
third day and caused him to be seen.
- He was not seen by all the people, but by
witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after
he rose from the dead.
- He commanded us to preach to the people
and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living
and the dead.
- All the prophets testify about him that
everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
- While Peter was still speaking these words,
the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
- The circumcised believers who had come with
Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out
even on the Gentiles.
- For they heard them speaking in tongues
and praising God. Then Peter said,
- "Can anyone keep these people from
being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."
- So he ordered that they be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
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