﻿Acts.
Chapter 10.
In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Cohort. 
He was devout and feared God with all his household, gave generously in alms to the people, and prayed to God continually. 
About three in the afternoon he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God come to him and say, “Cornelius.” 
He stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, sir?” The angel said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up as a memorial before God. 
Now send men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon who is called Peter. 
He is staying with Simon, a tanner, whose house is beside the sea.” 
When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him. 
He explained everything to them and sent them to Joppa. 
The next day, as they traveled and approached the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray about noon. 
He became hungry and wanted something to eat. While they were preparing it, he fell into a trance. 
He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, lowered to the earth by its four corners. 
In it were all kinds of four-footed animals, creatures that crawl on the earth, and birds of the sky. 
A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.” 
But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.” 
The voice spoke to him again a second time: “What God has made clean, you must not call defiled.” 
This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken up into heaven. 
While Peter was inwardly perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, the men sent by Cornelius had asked for Simon’s house and were standing at the gate. 
They called out and asked whether Simon who was called Peter was staying there. 
As Peter pondered the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look, men are seeking you. 
Get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” 
Peter went down to the men and said, “Here I am, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?” 
They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man who fears God and is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear what you have to say.” 
So he invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 
The following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 
When Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and bowed before him. 
But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up. I too am a man.” 
As he talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered. 
He said to them, “You know that a Jewish man is not permitted to associate with or visit a foreigner. But God has shown me that I must not call any person defiled or unclean. 
That is why I came without objection when you sent for me. So I ask, why did you send for me?” 
Cornelius said, “Four days ago, at this very hour, three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, and suddenly a man in bright clothing stood before me 
and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 
Send to Joppa and call for Simon who is called Peter. He is staying at the house of Simon the tanner beside the sea.’ 
So I sent for you at once, and you have done well to come. Now we are all here before God to hear everything the Lord has commanded you.” 
Then Peter began to speak: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 
but in every nation whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 
He sent the word to the children of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 
You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism John proclaimed: 
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth 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. 
We are witnesses of all he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree. 
God raised him on the third day and caused him to appear, 
not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God: to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 
He commanded us to proclaim to the people and bear solemn witness that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 
All the prophets bear witness about him: everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were hearing the word. 
The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, 
for they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter said, 
“Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 
He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days. 
