1 Now there was a man at AActs 8:40; 10:24Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was BMatt 27:27; Mark 15:16; John 18:3, 12; Acts 21:31; 27:1called the Italian 1Or battalioncohort, 2 a devout man and AActs 10:22, 35; 13:16, 26one who feared God with all his household, and BLuke 7:4fgave many 1Or gifts of charityalms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. 3 About AActs 3:1the 1I.e. 3 p.m.ninth hour of the day he clearly saw BActs 9:10; 10:17, 19in a vision CActs 5:19an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And AActs 3:4fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and 1Or deeds of charityalms BRev 8:4have ascended CMatt 26:13; Phil 4:18; Heb 6:10as a memorial before God. 5  “Now dispatch some men to AActs 9:36Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6 he is staying with a tanner named AActs 9:43Simon, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his 1Or household slavesservants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8 and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to AActs 9:36Joppa.

9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, AActs 10:9-32; 11:5-14Peter went up on BJer 19:13; 32:29; Zeph 1:5; Matt 24:17the housetop about CPs 55:17; Acts 10:3the 1I.e. noonsixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he AActs 11:5; 22:17fell into a trance; 11 and he *saw AJohn 1:51the 1Or heavensky opened up, and an 2Or vesselobject like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and 1Or reptilescrawling creatures of the earth and birds of the 2Or heavenair. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, 1Or sacrificekill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, AMatt 8:2ff; John 4:11ff; Acts 9:5; 22:8Lord, for BLev 11:20-25; Deut 14:4-20; Ezek 4:14; Dan 1:8; Acts 10:28I have never eaten anything 1Or profane; lit commonunholy and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “AMatt 15:11; Mark 7:19; Rom 14:14; 1 Cor 10:25ff; 1 Tim 4:4f; Titus 1:15What God has cleansed, no longer consider 1Lit make commonunholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the 1Or vesselobject was taken up into the 2Or heavensky.

17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in 1Lit himselfmind as to what AActs 10:3the vision which he had seen might be, behold, BActs 10:8the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was reflecting on AActs 10:3the vision, BActs 8:29the Spirit said to him, “Behold, 1One early ms reads twothree men are looking for you. 20  “But get up, go downstairs and AActs 15:7-9accompany them 1Lit doubting nothingwithout misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” 21 Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” 22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and AActs 10:2God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, BMatt 2:12was divinely directed by a CMark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Rev 14:10holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear 1Lit wordsDActs 11:14a message from you.” 23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and AActs 10:45; 11:12some of BActs 1:15the brethren from CActs 9:36Joppa accompanied him. 24 On the following day he entered AActs 8:40; 10:1Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and 1Or prostrated himself in reverenceAMatt 8:2worshiped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, “AActs 14:15; Rev 19:10; 22:8fStand up; I too am just a man.” 27 As he talked with him, he entered and *found AActs 10:24many people assembled. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how AJohn 4:9; 18:28; Acts 11:3unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet BActs 10:14f, 35; 15:9God has shown me that I should not call any man 1Or profane; lit commonunholy or unclean. 29  “That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

30 Cornelius said, “AActs 10:9, 22fFour days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during BActs 3:1; 10:3the 1I.e. 3 to 4 p.m.ninth hour; and behold, CActs 10:3-6, 30-32a man stood before me in shining garments, 31 and he *said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your 1Or deeds of charityalms have been remembered before God. 32  ‘Therefore send to AJohn 4:9; 18:28; Acts 11:3Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ 33  “So I sent for you immediately, and you have 1Lit done well in comingbeen kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

34 AMatt 5:2Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“

I most certainly understand now that BDeut 10:17; 2 Chr 19:7; Rom 2:11; Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; 1 Pet 1:17God is not one to show partiality, 35 but AActs 10:28in every nation the man who 1Or reverencesBActs 10:2fears Him and 2Lit works righteousnessdoes what is right is welcome to Him. 36  “The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, AActs 13:32preaching 1Or the gospel of peaceBLuke 1:79; 2:14; Rom 5:1; Eph 2:17peace through Jesus Christ (He is CMatt 28:18; Acts 2:36; Rom 10:12Lord of all)— 37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. 38  “1Or How God anointed Jesus of NazarethYou know of AActs 2:22Jesus of Nazareth, how God BActs 4:26anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, 2Lit who wentCMatt 4:23and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for DJohn 3:2God was with Him. 39  “We are ALuke 24:48; Acts 10:41witnesses of all the things He did both in the 1Or countrysideland of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also BActs 5:30put Him to death by hanging Him on a 2Lit woodcross. 40  “AActs 2:24God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 41 AJohn 14:19, 22; 15:27not to all the people, but to BLuke 24:48; Acts 10:39witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us CLuke 24:43; Acts 1:4 mgwho ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42  “And He AActs 1:2ordered us to 1Or proclaimpreach to the people, and solemnly to BLuke 16:28testify that this is the One who has been CLuke 22:22appointed by God as DJohn 5:22, 27; Acts 17:31; 2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5Judge of the living and the dead. 43  “Of Him AActs 3:18all the prophets bear witness that through BLuke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 4:12His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, AActs 11:15; 15:8the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the 1Lit wordmessage. 45 AActs 10:23All the 1Lit believers from among the circumcision; i.e. Jewish Christianscircumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been BActs 2:33, 38poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them AMark 16:17; Acts 2:4; 19:6speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “AActs 8:36Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who BActs 2:4; 10:44f; 11:17; 15:8have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he A1 Cor 1:14-17ordered them to be baptized BActs 2:38; 8:16; 19:5in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.