Acts 10
1In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the unit called the Italian Cohort. 2He was devout and feared God with his whole household, gave generously to the people, and prayed to God continually. 3About the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God come to him and say, “Cornelius!” 4He stared at him in fear and said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel said to him, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have gone up as a memorial before God. 5Now send men to Joppa and summon a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.” 7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his household slaves and a devout soldier from among those who attended him. 8After explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9The next day, while they were traveling and drawing near the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray, about the sixth hour. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat. While they were preparing it, a trance came upon him. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet descending, lowered to the earth by its four corners. 12In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky. 13A voice came to him: “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord! I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.” 15Again a voice came to him a second time: “What God has made clean, you must not call defiled.” 16This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.
17While Peter was perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, look: the men sent by Cornelius had asked their way to Simon's house and stood at the gate. 18They called out and asked whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there. 19As Peter reflected on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look, men are looking for you. 20Get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation, because I have sent them.” 21Peter went down to the men and said, “Here I am, the one you are looking for. What brings you here?” 22They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man who fears God and is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and hear words from you.” 23So he invited them in and gave them lodging.
The next day he got up and left with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24The following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and bowed before him. 26But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up. I too am a human being.” 27Talking with him, he entered and found many people gathered. 28He said to them, “You yourselves know how forbidden it is for a Jewish man to associate with or visit someone of another nation. But God has shown me to call no human being defiled or unclean. 29That is why I came without objection when I was summoned. So I ask: why did you summon me?”
30Cornelius said, “Four days ago, at this very hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour. And look, a man stood before me in shining clothing 31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God. 32So send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. He is staying in the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ 33So I sent for you at once, and you were kind to come. Now we are all here before God to hear everything the Lord has commanded you.”
34Peter opened his mouth and said, “I truly understand that God shows no favoritism. 35Rather, in every nation, whoever fears him and does what is righteous is acceptable to him. 36He sent the word to the sons of Israel, proclaiming good news of peace through Jesus the Messiah—he is Lord of all. 37You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism John proclaimed: 38Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and 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 everything he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also killed him by hanging him on a tree. 40God raised him on the third day and allowed him to be seen, 41not by all the people, but by witnesses chosen beforehand by God—by us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to proclaim to the people and solemnly testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets bear witness to him: everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were hearing the word. 45The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the nations, 46for they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone withhold the water to keep these people from being baptized? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah. Then they asked him to stay for several days.