Acts 10

1There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion from the cohort called the Italian Cohort,

2devout and fearing God with all his household, doing many acts of charity for the people and praying to God continually,

3He saw clearly in a vision, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him and saying to him, “Cornelius.”

4But he stared at him, and becoming afraid, said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of mercy have gone up as a memorial before God.”

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

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

7When the angel who was speaking to him had gone away, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those attending him.

8And after explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9On the next day, while those men were traveling and drawing near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.

10He became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were preparing it, a trance came over him.

11and he sees heaven opened, and something like a large sheet descending, being lowered by its four corners to the earth,

12In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and birds of the sky.

13And a voice came to him: “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”

14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, because I have never eaten anything common and unclean.”

15And a voice came to him again a second time: “What God has made clean, you must not call common.”

16This happened three times, and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven.

17While Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions to Simon’s house, stood at the gate.

18And they called out and asked whether Simon, who is called Peter, was staying here.

19While Peter was still pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look, men are seeking you.”

20But get up, go down, and go with them, doubting nothing, because I have sent them.

21So Peter went down to the men and said, “Look, I am the one you are looking for. Why are you here?”

22They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and who is well spoken of by the whole nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear words from you.”

23So he invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.

24On the next day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

25And when Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and paid him homage.

26But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”

27And talking with him, he entered and found many gathered together.

28And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner; but God has shown me to call no person common or unclean.”

29Therefore I came without objection when I was sent for. So I ask, for what reason did you send for me?

30And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, up to this hour, I was praying at the ninth hour in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing.”

31And he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms have been remembered before God.’

32Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.

33So I sent for you at once, and you did well to come. Now then, we are all here before God to hear everything that has been commanded to you by the Lord.

34Then Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I understand that God is not one who shows partiality,”

35but in every nation the one who fears him and does what is righteous is acceptable to him.

36the message that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming peace through Jesus the Messiah—he is Lord of all.

37You yourselves know the thing that happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed,

38Jesus of Nazareth: how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power; he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.

39And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put him to death by hanging him on a tree.

40God raised this one on the third day and granted him to become visible,

41not to all the people, but to witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God—to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

42And he commanded us to proclaim to the people and to testify solemnly that this is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.

43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those hearing the word.

45And the believers from the circumcision who had come with Peter were astonished, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

46For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered:

47Surely no one can withhold the water so that these people should not be baptized, can they? For they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.

48So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah. Then they asked him to remain for some days.