Chapter 10

¹There was at Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a captain in what was known as the Italian regiment. ²He was a devout man, who feared God, as did all the members of his household. He was liberal in charities to the people, and always prayed to God. ³One afternoon, about three o’clock, he had a vision, and distinctly saw an angel of God come into his room and say to him,

“Cornelius!”

⁴He stared at him in terror, and said,

“What is it, sir?”

“Your prayers and charities,” the angel answered, “have gone up and been remembered before God. ⁵Now send men to Joppa, for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter. ⁶He is being entertained at the house of a tanner named Simon, which is close to the sea.”

⁷When the angel who had spoken to him was gone, Cornelius called two of his servants, and a devout soldier who was one of his personal attendants, ⁸and after telling them the whole story, sent them to Joppa.

⁹The next day, while they were still on their way, and were just getting near the town, Peter went up on the housetop about noon to pray. ¹⁰He got very hungry, and wanted something to eat. While they were getting it ready, he fell into a trance, ¹¹and saw the sky opened and a thing like a great sheet coming down, lowered to the ground by the four corners, ¹²with all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles, and wild birds in it. ¹³And a voice came to him,

“Get up, Peter! Kill something and eat it!”

¹⁴But Peter said,

“Never, sir! For I have never eaten anything that was not ceremonially cleansed.”

¹⁵The voice came to him again a second time,

“Do not call what God has cleansed unclean.”

¹⁶This happened three times; then the thing was taken right up into the sky.

¹⁷While Peter was still wondering what the vision he had had could mean, the men whom Cornelius had sent had asked the way to Simon’s house and reached the door, ¹⁸and they called out to ask if Simon who was called Peter was staying there. ¹⁹As Peter was pondering over his vision, the Spirit said to him,

“There are two men looking for you. ²⁰Get up and go down, and go with them without any hesitation, for I have sent them.”

²¹Then Peter went down to see the men, and said to them,

“I am the man you are asking for. What is the reason for your coming?”

²²They answered,

“Cornelius, who is a captain, and an upright and God-fearing man, and who has a good reputation with the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to listen to what you have to say.”

²³So Peter invited them in and entertained them. The next day he started off with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa, ²⁴and the day after, he reached Caesarea. Cornelius had invited in his relatives and his intimate friends and was waiting for them. ²⁵When Peter actually came in, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and made obeisance to him. ²⁶But Peter lifted him to his feet, and said,

“Get up! I am only human myself.”

²⁷So they went in talking together, and Peter found that many people had gathered, ²⁸and he said to them,

“You know that it is against the Law for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit one; but God has taught me not to call anyone vulgar or unclean. ²⁹That was why, when I was sent for, I came without any hesitation. And now I want to ask why you sent for me.”

³⁰Cornelius answered,

“Three days ago, just at this time of day, I was praying in my house about three o’clock, when a man in dazzling clothing stood before me, ³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been recalled to mind by God. ³²So send to Joppa and invite Simon who is called Peter to come here. He is staying at the house of a tanner named Simon, close to the sea.’ ³³So I sent for you immediately, and you have very kindly come. Now we are all here in God’s presence, to hear everything that the Lord has instructed you to say.”

³⁴Then Peter began and said,

“Now I really understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵but welcomes the man of any nation who reveres him and does what is right. ³⁶He has sent his message to Israel’s descendants, and made the good news of peace known to them through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of us all. ³⁷You know the story that has gone all over Judea, starting from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed, ³⁸about Jesus of Nazareth, and how God endowed him with the power of the holy Spirit, and he went about doing good and curing all who were in the power of the devil, because God was with him. ³⁹We are witnesses of everything that he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. Yet they put him upon a cross and killed him. ⁴⁰But God raised him to life on the third day and caused him to be plainly seen, ⁴¹not by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had designated beforehand, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen from the dead. ⁴²He also directed us to announce to the people and bear solemn testimony that he is the one whom God has appointed to be the judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³It is of him that all the prophets bear witness that everyone that believes in him will have his sins forgiven in his name.”

⁴⁴Before Peter had finished saying these words, the holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to his message. ⁴⁵The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the holy Spirit had been showered upon the heathen too, ⁴⁶for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter said,

⁴⁷“Can anyone refuse the use of water to baptize these people when they have received the holy Spirit just as we did?”

⁴⁸And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on there a few days.