Acts 10
1Now there was a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what is called the Italian cohort,
2a godly man, and one who was a God-fearer, along with all his house, who did many acts of charity for the People, and implored God continually.
3About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, “Cornelius.”
4And staring at him and becoming afraid, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have come up as a memorial before God.
5And now send men to Joppa, and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;
6he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the seaside.”
7And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his household servants and a godly soldier who was one of his personal attendants,
8and when he had related all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9Now on the next day about the sixth hour, as they were on their journey and drew near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray.
10And he became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a state of suspended consciousness fell on him,
11and he saw the heavens opened and an object descending; something like a large linen cloth that was being let down to the earth by its four corners.
12In it were all the four-footed beasts and reptiles of the earth, and birds of heaven.
13And a voice came to him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14But Peter said, “Surely not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean.”
15And a voice came to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed, do not consider unclean!”
16And this was done three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.
17Now while Peter was greatly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen could mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having found Simon’s house by asking directions, stood at the gate
18and called and asked if Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.
19While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Pay attention! Three men are looking for you.
20So get up, and get down from the roof and go with them without hesitation, because I have sent them.”
21So Peter went down to the men, and said, “Look! I am the man you are looking for. Why have you come?”
22And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man who 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 to hear words from you.”
23So he called them in and received them as guests. And on the next day he got up and went off with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
24And on the next day they entered Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his close friends.
25Now it came to pass that when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and bowed down before him.
26But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up. I too am just a man.”
27And as he talked with him, he went in and found many assembled together,
28and he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a man who is a Jew to associate with or visit a foreigner, and yet God showed me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
29That is why when I was sent for I came without arguing. So I ask, why have you sent for me?”
30And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing
31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your acts of charity have been remembered in the sight of God.
32Therefore send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is called Peter. He is staying in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
33Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. So now we all have come here in the presence of God to hear all the things that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
34And Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly now I realize that God does not show favoritism,
35but in every nation anyone who fears him and is doing what is right is acceptable to him.
36You know the message that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all!
37You yourselves know what has happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee: how, after the baptism that John proclaimed,
38God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with holy spirit and with power, and he went around doing good and healing all those who were being oppressed by the Devil, because God was with him.
39“And we are witnesses of all the things that he did, both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem, and yet they killed him by hanging him on a tree.
40But God raised him up on the third day, and allowed him to be seen,
41not by all the People, but by witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, even by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from among the dead.
42And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to solemnly testify that he is the one who has been appointed by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.
43All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the holy spirit rushed onto all those who were listening to the message.
45And the believers from among the Circumcised (all those who came with Peter) were amazed because the gift of the holy spirit was poured out on the Gentiles also.
46For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter continued,
47“Surely no one can withhold water and insist that these people should not be baptized, these people who have received the holy spirit just as we have?”
48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain a few days.