Acts 10

1In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Cohort. 2He was a devout man who feared God, as did his whole household. He gave generously to the poor among the Jewish people and prayed to God at all times. 3One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision. He saw plainly an angel of God come in to him and say, “Cornelius!” 4Cornelius stared at him in fear and said, “What is it, sir?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and your gifts to the poor have risen before God, and he has remembered you. 5Now send some men to Joppa and have them bring back a man named Simon, the one called Peter. 6He is a guest of another Simon, a tanner, whose house stands by the sea.” 7As soon as the angel who had spoken to him was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and one of the soldiers who attended him, a devout man. 8He told them all that had happened and sent them off to Joppa.

9The next day, while the men were still on the road and nearing the town, Peter went up on the roof to pray. It was about noon. 10He grew hungry and wanted something to eat. While the food was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven standing open and something like a large sheet coming down, lowered to the ground by its four corners. 12In it were all kinds of four-footed animals, creatures that crawl on the ground, and birds of the air. 13Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.” 14“Certainly not, Lord!” Peter replied. “Nothing unholy or unclean has ever passed my lips.” 15The voice spoke to him a second time: “What God has made clean, you must not call unholy.” 16This happened three times, and then at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven.

17Peter was still wondering what to make of the vision he had seen when the men sent by Cornelius, who had found their way to Simon’s house, arrived at the gate. 18They called out, asking whether Simon known as Peter was a guest there. 19While Peter was still turning the vision over in his mind, the Spirit said to him, “Some men are here looking for you. 20Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without any hesitation, because I have sent them.” 21So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the man you are looking for. Why have you come?” 22They replied, “We come from Cornelius the centurion, an upright man who fears God and is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel instructed him to send for you to come to his house, so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23Peter invited them in and had them stay as his guests. The next day he set out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa came along with him. 24The day after that, he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them and had gathered his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter came in, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and bowed down before him. 26But Peter pulled him to his feet. “Stand up,” he said. “I am only a human being myself.” 27Still talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them, “You know well that it is not permitted for a Jew to keep company with a foreigner or to enter a foreigner’s home. But God has shown me that I must not call anyone unholy or unclean. 29That is why I came without raising any objection when you sent for me. So may I ask why you sent for me?”

30Cornelius answered, “Four days ago, at this very hour, three in the afternoon, I was in my house praying. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood in front of me. 31He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and has remembered your gifts to the poor. 32So send to Joppa and ask Simon, who is called Peter, to come. He is staying as a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’ 33I sent for you right away, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here before God, ready to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to say.”

34Then Peter began to speak: “In truth I now see that God does not favor one person over another. 35Instead, in every nation he accepts those who fear him and practice righteousness. 36This is the message he sent to the people of Israel, bringing the good news that peace has come through Jesus Christ, and Jesus is Lord of all. 37You yourselves know the events that took place across all Judea. They began in Galilee, after the baptism John proclaimed. 38They concern Jesus from Nazareth: God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and he traveled from place to place doing good and healing everyone the devil held in his grip, because God was with him. 39We ourselves saw all that he did, both in the Jewish countryside and in Jerusalem, and we testify to it. Yet they put him to death, hanging him on a tree. 40God raised this same Jesus on the third day and allowed him to appear openly, 41though not to the whole people. He appeared to witnesses whom God had chosen ahead of time, to us. We ate and drank with him after he had risen from the dead. 42He gave us orders to announce this to the people and to declare solemnly that he is the one God has appointed as judge of the living and of the dead. 43Every one of the prophets bears witness to him: whoever believes in him has their sins forgiven through his name.”

44Peter was still saying these things when the Holy Spirit came down on everyone who was listening to the message. 45The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles too. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising the greatness of God. Then Peter said, 47“Surely no one can refuse the water to keep these people from being baptized. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we did!” 48So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on with them for a few days.