ActsChapter 10

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¹In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius. He was a centurion, an army officer in what was called the Italian Regiment. ²He and everyone in his house loved and feared God. He gave a lot to people in need. He prayed to God often. ³One day at about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. He clearly saw an angel of God come to him. The angel said, "Cornelius!" ⁴Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have gone up to God. He has remembered them like an offering. ⁵Now send men to Joppa. Have them bring back a man named Simon. He is also called Peter. ⁶He is staying with Simon, a man who works with leather. His house is by the sea." ⁷The angel who spoke to him left. Then Cornelius called two of his servants. He also called a soldier who served him and who loved God. ⁸He told them everything that had happened. Then he sent them to Joppa. ⁹About noon the next day, the men were on their way and getting close to the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray. ¹⁰He got hungry and wanted something to eat. While the meal was being made, he fell into a trance. ¹¹He saw heaven open. Something like a large sheet was being let down to earth by its four corners. ¹²In it were all kinds of animals with four feet. There were also reptiles and birds. ¹³Then a voice said to him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat!" ¹⁴"No, Lord!" Peter answered. "I have never eaten anything that is not pure or clean." ¹⁵The voice spoke to him a second time. "Do not call anything unclean that God has made clean." ¹⁶This happened three times. Then right away the sheet was taken back up into heaven. ¹⁷Peter was still wondering what the vision meant. Just then the men Cornelius had sent found Simon's house. They stood at the gate. ¹⁸They called out and asked if Simon, also called Peter, was staying there. ¹⁹Peter was still thinking about the vision. Then the Spirit said to him, "Look, three men are looking for you. ²⁰So get up! Go downstairs. Don't doubt; go with them, because I have sent them." ²¹So Peter went down to the men. He said, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?" ²²"Cornelius the centurion sent us," they said. "He is a good man who does what is right and fears God. All the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house. He wants to hear what you have to say." ²³So Peter asked them in to stay as his guests. The next day he got ready and went with them. Some of the believers from Joppa went along too. ²⁴The day after that, he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them. He had invited his relatives and close friends. ²⁵Peter was about to go into the house. Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. ²⁶But Peter helped him up. "Stand up," he said. "I'm only a man myself." ²⁷Peter kept talking with him as he went inside. There he found a large group of people gathered. ²⁸He said to them, "You know it's against our law for a Jew to spend time with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I shouldn't call anyone unholy or unclean. ²⁹So when I was invited, I came without arguing. Now may I ask why you sent for me?" ³⁰Cornelius answered, "Four days ago I was praying in my house. It was at this same time, three in the afternoon. All at once a man in shining clothes stood in front of me. ³¹He said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer. He has remembered your gifts to the poor. ³²So send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon, a man who works with leather. His house is by the sea.' ³³So I sent for you right away. It was good of you to come. Now we are all here before God. We want to hear everything the Lord has told you to say to us." ³⁴Then Peter began to speak. "Now I truly understand that God doesn't treat some people better than others. ³⁵He accepts people from every nation who fear him and do what is right. ³⁶God sent this message to the people of Israel. It is the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. ³⁷You know what has happened all over Judea. It began in Galilee after John preached about baptism. ³⁸You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went around doing good. He healed all who were under the power of the devil. He did this because God was with him. ³⁹We saw everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree. ⁴⁰But God raised him from the dead on the third day. He let him be seen. ⁴¹Not all the people saw him. He was seen by the witnesses God had already chosen. We are those witnesses. We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²He ordered us to preach to the people. He told us to tell them that God has chosen him to judge the living and the dead. ⁴³All the prophets tell about him. They say that everyone who believes in him has their sins forgiven through his name." ⁴⁴Peter was still speaking these words. Then the Holy Spirit came down on all who were listening to the message. ⁴⁵All the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed. The gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles! ⁴⁶For they heard them speaking in other languages and praising God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like we have!" ⁴⁸So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.