< Acts 10 >
1 Now a certain man was in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called Italian,
2 a devout man, and fearing God with all his house, and doing many charities for the people, and beseeching God always.
3 He saw plainly in a vision about the ninth hour of the day, an agent of God coming in to him, and saying to him, Cornelius.
4 And after gazing at him, and having become afraid, he said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Thy prayers and thy charities have come up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter.
6 This man lodges with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is beside the seaside.
7 And when the agent speaking to Cornelius departed, having called two of his housemen, and a devout soldier of those who personally served him,
8 and after reporting all things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 Now on the morrow, while those men were traveling and approaching the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
10 And he became very hungry and wanted to eat. But while those men prepared, a trance fell upon him.
11 And he sees heaven opened, and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet bound at four corners, and being lowered to the earth,
12 in which were all the four-footed things of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the birds of the sky.
13 And a voice came to him, After rising, Peter, kill and eat.
14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord, because I have never eaten anything profane or unclean.
15 And a voice again for a second time, What God has cleansed, thou shall not make profane.
16 And this happened thrice, and again the vessel was taken up into heaven.
17 Now while Peter was bewildered in himself whatever the vision which he saw might be, that lo, the men who were sent from Cornelius, having inquired the house of Simon, stood at the gate.
18 And after calling out they asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, lodges here.
19 And while Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, men seek thee.
20 But after rising, go down, and go with them, doubting nothing, because I have sent them.
21 And having gone down to the men, Peter said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek. What is the cause for which ye are here?
22 And they said, Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man, and fearing God, and being well testified by the whole nation of the Jews, was divinely warned by a holy agent to summon thee to his house, and to hear sayings from thee.
23 So, having invited them in, he lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went forth with them, and certain of the brothers from Joppa went with him.
24 And on the morrow they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and close friends.
25 And when it came about for Peter to enter, Cornelius, having met him, after falling down at his feet, worshiped.
26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, Stand up. I am also myself a man.
27 And as he conversed with him, he went in and found many who came together.
28 And he said to them, Ye understand how it is unlawful for a Jewish man to fraternize or to visit with a foreign man, and yet God demonstrated to me not to call one man profane or unclean.
29 And so I came without objection when summoned. I ask therefore for what matter ye summoned me.
30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour, and the ninth hour praying in my house. And behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel.
31 And he says, Cornelius, thy prayer was heard, and thy charities are remembered before God.
32 Send therefore to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter. This man lodges in the house of Simon, a tanner, beside the sea, who, after coming, will speak to thee.
33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee, and thou did well having come. Now therefore we are all present in the sight of God, to hear all the things commanded thee by God.
34 And having opened his mouth, Peter said, In truth, I am overwhelmed that God is not partial,
35 but in every nation, he who fears him, and works righteousness, is acceptable to him.
36 The word that he sent forth to the sons of Israel, preaching good news, peace by Jesus Christ (this man is Lord of all),
37 ye know, the word having occurred throughout the whole of Judea beginning from Galilee after the immersion that John preached-
38 Jesus of Nazareth-how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who passed through doing good, and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, whom also they killed, having hung on a tree.
40 This man God raised up the third day, and granted him to become manifest,
41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were previously chosen by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he arose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to solemnly testify that this is the man designated by God, judge of the living and the dead.
43 To this man all the prophets testify, that every man who believes in him, to receive remission of sins through his name.
44 While Peter still spoke these sayings, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.
45 And the faithful men of circumcision were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because also on the Gentiles the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out.
46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,
47 Can any man forbid the water for these not to be immersed, who have received the Holy Spirit as we also?
48 And he commanded them to be immersed in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to remain some days.
