Acts 10
1 [There was] a man [who lived] in Caesarea [city] whose name was Cornelius. He was an officer who commanded 100 men in a large group of [Roman] soldiers from Italy.
Now a certain man was in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called Italian,
2 He always tried to do what would please God; he and his entire household [MTY] [were non-Jews who] habitually worshipped God. He sometimes gave money to help poor [Jewish] people, and he prayed to God regularly.
a devout man, and fearing God with all his house, and doing many charities for the people, and beseeching God always.
3 [One day] at about three o’clock in the afternoon [Cornelius saw] a vision. He clearly saw an angel whom God [had sent]. The angel came into [his room] and said to him, “Cornelius!”
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 Cornelius stared at the angel and became terrified. Then he asked [fearfully], “Sir, what do you [(sg)] want?” The angel answered him, “You [(sg)] have pleased God because you have been praying [regularly to him] and you often give money to [help] poor people. [Those things have been] like a sacrifice [to God].
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 So, now command some men to go to Joppa and [tell them to] bring back a man named Simon whose other name is Peter.
And now send men to Joppa and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter.
6 He is staying with a man, [also] named Simon, who makes leather. His house is near the ocean.”
This man lodges with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is beside the seaside.
7 When the angel who spoke to Cornelius had gone, Cornelius summoned two of his household servants and a soldier who served him, one who also worshipped God.
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 He explained to them everything [that the angel had said. Then] he told them to go to Joppa [to ask Peter to come to Caesarea].
and after reporting all things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 About noon the next day those [three men] were traveling [along the road] and were coming near [Joppa. As they were approaching Joppa], Peter went up on the [flat] housetop to pray.
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 He became hungry and wanted something to eat. While someone was preparing the food, [Peter] saw [this] vision:
And he became very hungry and wanted to eat. But while those men prepared, a trance fell upon him.
11 (He saw heaven open/He saw an opening in the sky) and something like a large sheet was being lowered [to the ground]. [It was tied at] its four corners [with ropes].
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 Inside the sheet were all kinds of creatures. [These included animals and birds that the Mosaic laws forbade Jews to eat]. Some had four feet, others scurried across the ground, and others were wild birds.
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 Then [he heard] God [SYN] say to him, “Peter, stand up, kill [and cook some of these] and eat [their meat]!”
And a voice came to him, After rising, Peter, kill and eat.
14 But Peter replied, “Lord, surely you [(sg)] do not [really want me to do that]! I have never eaten any [meat] that [our Jewish law says] is unacceptable to God or [something that we(exc)] must not eat!”
But Peter said, Not so, Lord, because I have never eaten anything profane or unclean.
15 [Then Peter heard] [MTY] God talk to him a second time. He said, “[I am] God, [so] if I have made something acceptable [to eat], do not say that it is not acceptable [to eat]!”
And a voice again for a second time, What God has cleansed, thou shall not make profane.
16 [This happened] three [times, so Peter knew that he had to think carefully about what it might mean]. Immediately [after God had said that the third time], ([the] sheet [with the animals and birds] was the pulled back into heaven/[someone] pulled the sheet [with the animals and birds] up into the sky again).
And this happened thrice, and again the vessel was taken up into heaven.
17 While Peter was trying to understand what that vision meant, the men who had been sent by Cornelius {whom Cornelius had sent} [arrived in Joppa. They asked people how to get to] Simon’s house. [So they found his house] and were standing outside the gate.
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 They called and were asking if a man named Simon, whose other name was Peter, was staying there.
And after calling out they asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, lodges here.
19 While Peter was still trying to understand [what] the vision [meant], [God’s] Spirit said to him, “Three men [are here who] want to see you.
And while Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, men seek thee.
20 So get up and go downstairs and go with them! Do not think that you [(sg)] should not go with them [because of their being non-Jews], because I have sent them [here]!”
But after rising, go down, and go with them, doubting nothing, because I have sent them.
21 So Peter went down to the men and said to them, “[Greetings!] I am [the man] you are looking for. Why have you come?”
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 One of them replied, “Cornelius, who is a [Roman] army officer, [sent us here]. He is a righteous man who worships God, and all of the Jewish people [HYP] [who know about him] say that he is a very good man. An angel (who was sent from God/whom God sent) said to him, ‘Tell some men to [go to Joppa to see Simon Peter and] bring him here, so that you [(sg)] can hear what he has to say.’”
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 Peter [said that he would go with them, and then he] invited them into [the house] and told them that they could stay [there that night]. Acts 10:23b-26 The next day Peter got ready and went with the men. Several of the believers from Joppa went with him.
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 The day after that, they arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them. He had also invited his relatives and close friends [to come to his house, so they were there, too].
And on the morrow they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and close friends.
25 When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and bowed low in front of him to worship him.
And when it came about for Peter to enter, Cornelius, having met him, after falling down at his feet, worshiped.
26 But Peter [grasped Cornelius by the hand and] lifted him to his feet. He said, “Stand up! [Do not revere/worship me] I myself am only human, [like you]!”
But Peter lifted him up, saying, Stand up. I am also myself a man.
27 While he was talking to Cornelius, Peter [and the others] entered [a large room inside the house]. Peter saw that many people had gathered together [there].
And as he conversed with him, he went in and found many who came together.
28 Then Peter said to them, “You all know that any [of us] Jews think we are disobeying [our Jewish] laws if we [(exc)] associate with a non-Jewish person or [if we even] visit him. However, God has shown me [in a vision] that I should not say about anyone that God will not accept him.
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 So when you sent [some men] to ask me to come [here], I came [right away. I] did not say that I could not go [with non-Jewish people. So, please tell me], why have you asked me to come [here]?”
And so I came without objection when summoned. I ask therefore for what matter ye summoned me.
30 Cornelius replied, “About this time four days ago I was praying [to God] in my house, [as I regularly do] at three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man whose clothes [shone] brightly stood in front of me,
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 said, ‘Cornelius, when you [(sg)] have prayed, you have been heard by God {God has heard [when] you [(sg)] have prayed [to him]}. He has also noticed that you have [often] given money to [help] poor people, [and he is pleased with that].
And he says, Cornelius, thy prayer was heard, and thy charities are remembered before God.
32 So now, send [messengers to go] to Joppa, [in order] to ask Simon whose other name is Peter to come [here]. He is staying near the ocean in a house that belongs to [another] man named Simon, who makes leather. [When Simon Peter comes, he will tell you a message from God].’
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 So I immediately sent [some men who asked] you [(sg) to come here], and I [certainly] thank you for coming. Now we [(exc)] all are gathered [here, knowing that] God is with us, in order to hear all the things that the Lord [God] has commanded you [to say. So please speak to us].”
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 So Peter began to speak [MTY] to them. He said, “[Now] I understand that it is true that God does not favor only certain groups [of people].
And having opened his mouth, Peter said, In truth, I am overwhelmed that God is not partial,
35 Instead, from every group of people he accepts [everyone who] honors him and who does what pleases him.
but in every nation, he who fears him, and works righteousness, is acceptable to him.
36 [You know] the message that God sent to [us] Israelis. [He] proclaimed [to us the good news that he] would cause [people] to have peace [with him] because of what Jesus Christ [has done]. This [Jesus is Lord not only over us Israelis. He] is [also the] Lord [who rules] over all [people].
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 You know what [he] did throughout the land of Judea, beginning in Galilee. He began [to do those things] after John had been proclaiming [to people that they should turn away from their sinful behavior before] he baptized them.
ye know, the word having occurred throughout the whole of Judea beginning from Galilee after the immersion that John preached-
38 You know that God gave [MTY] his Holy Spirit to Jesus, [the Man] from Nazareth [town], and gave him the power [to do miracles. You also know] how Jesus went to many places, always doing good deeds and healing [people. Specifically], he was continually healing all the people whom the devil was causing to suffer. [Jesus was able to do those things] because God was always helping him.”
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 “We [apostles] tell people about all the things that [we saw Jesus] do in Jerusalem and in the [rest of] Israel. [The leaders in Jerusalem] had him killed by being nailed to a cross.
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 However, God caused him to become alive again on the third day [after he had died]. God [also] enabled [some of us(exc)] to see him [so that we would know that he was alive again].
This man God raised up the third day, and granted him to become manifest,
41 God [did] not [let] all the [Jewish] people see him. Instead, he had chosen us [apostles] beforehand to see [Jesus after he became alive again], and to tell others [about him]. We [apostles are the people] who ate meals with him (after he had become alive [again]/after he had risen from the dead).
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 God commanded us to preach to the people and tell them that Jesus is the one whom he has appointed to judge [everyone some day. He will judge all] those who will [still] be living and all those who will have died [by that time].
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 All of the prophets [who wrote about the Messiah long ago] told [people] about him. [They wrote] that if people believe in the Messiah [MTY], God would forgive [them for] their sins, because of what [the Messiah would do] for them.”
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 was still speaking those words, suddenly the Holy Spirit (came down on/began to control) all [those non-Jewish people] who were listening to the message.
While Peter still spoke these sayings, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.
45 The Jewish believers who had come with Peter [from Joppa] were amazed that [God] had generously given the Holy Spirit to the non-Jewish people, too.
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 [The Jewish believers knew that God had done that] because they were hearing those people speaking languages [MTY] [that they had not learned] and telling how great God is.
For they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,
47 Then Peter said [to the other Jewish believers who were there], “[God] has given them the Holy Spirit just like [he gave him] to us [Jewish believers], so (surely all of you would agree that [we(exc)] should baptize these people!/would any of you forbid that these people should be baptized?) [RHQ]”
Can any man forbid the water for these not to be immersed, who have received the Holy Spirit as we also?
48 Then Peter told those [non-Jewish] people that they should be baptized [to show that they had believed] [MTY] in the [Lord] Jesus Christ. [So they baptized all of them. After they were baptized], they requested that Peter stay [with them] several days. [So Peter and the other Jewish believers did that].
And he commanded them to be immersed in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to remain some days.
