Acts 10
10
Cornelius Calls for Peter
1A man named Cornelius lived in Caesarea. He was a Roman commander in the Italian Regiment. 2Cornelius and all his family were faithful and worshiped God. He gave freely to people who were in need. He prayed to God regularly. 3One day about three o’clock in the afternoon he had a vision. He saw clearly an angel of God. The angel came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4Cornelius was afraid. He stared at the angel. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to poor people are like an offering to God. So he has remembered you. 5Now send men to Joppa. Have them bring back a man named Simon. He is also called Peter. 6He is staying with another 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 godly soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened. Then he sent them to Joppa.
Peter Has a Vision
9It was about noon the next day. The men were on their journey and were approaching the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry. He wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, Peter had a vision. 11He saw heaven open up. There he saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It had all kinds of four-footed animals in it. It also had reptiles and birds in it. 13Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14“No, Lord! I will not!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything that is not pure and ‘clean.’ ”
15The voice spoke to him a second time. It said, “Do not say anything is not pure that God has made ‘clean.’ ”
16This happened three times. Right away the sheet was taken back up to heaven.
17Peter was wondering what the vision meant. At that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. They stopped at the gate 18and called out. They asked if Simon Peter was staying there.
19Peter was still thinking about the vision. The Holy Spirit spoke to him. “Simon,” he said, “three men are looking for you. 20Get up and go downstairs. Don’t let anything keep you from going with them. I have sent them.”
21Peter went down and spoke to the men. “I’m the one you’re looking for,” he said. “Why have you come?”
22The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius, the Roman commander. He is a good man who worships God. All the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to invite you to his house. Then Cornelius can hear what you have to say.” 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius
The next day Peter went with the three men. Some of the believers from Joppa went along. 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them. He had called together his relatives and close friends. 25When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him. As a sign of respect, he fell at Peter’s feet. 26But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said. “I am only a man myself.”
27As he was talking with Cornelius, Peter went inside. There he found a large group of people. 28He said to them, “You know that it is against our law for a Jew to enter a Gentile home. A Jew shouldn’t have any close contact with a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not say anyone is not pure and ‘clean.’ 29So when you sent for me, I came without asking any questions. May I ask why you sent for me?”
30Cornelius answered, “Three days ago at this very hour I was in my house praying. It was three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood in front of me. 31He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer. He has remembered your gifts to poor people. 32Send someone to Joppa to get Simon Peter. He is a guest in the home of another Simon, who works with leather. He lives by the sea.’ 33So I sent for you right away. It was good of you to come. Now we are all here. And God is here with us. We are ready to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
34Then Peter began to speak. “I now realize how true it is that God treats everyone the same,” he said. 35“He accepts people from every nation. He accepts anyone who has respect for him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent 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 through the area of Judea. It started 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 devil’s power. God was with him.
39“We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by nailing him to a cross. 40But on the third day God raised him from the dead. God allowed Jesus to be seen. 41But he wasn’t seen by all the people. He was seen only by us. We are witnesses whom God had already chosen. We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people. He told us to tell people that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43All the prophets tell about him. They say that all who believe in him have their sins forgiven through his name.”
44While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45Some Jewish believers had come with Peter. They were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46They heard them speaking in languages they had not known before. They also heard them praising God.
Then Peter said, 47“Surely no one can keep these people from being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as 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.
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Acts 10
10
Peter and Cornelius
1#Ac 27:1; 8:40In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, the centurion#Commander with the rank of captain over 100 soldiers. of a band of soldiers called the Italian Detachment, 2#Ac 10:22; 13:16; 13:26a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave many alms to the people and continually prayed to God. 3#Ac 3:1; 5:19About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.”
4#Heb 6:10; Ps 141:2When he looked at him he was afraid, and said, “What is it, Lord?”
He said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up as a memorial before God. 5Now send men to Joppa, and bring back Simon whose surname is Peter. 6#Ac 9:43He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
7When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who continually waited on him. 8When he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9#Ps 55:17; Zep 1:5The next day as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. 10#Ac 22:17He became very hungry and desired to eat. But while they prepared a meal, he fell into a trance 11#Jn 1:51and saw heaven opened, and a vessel like a great sheet, tied at the four corners, descending to him, and let down to the earth. 12In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth and wild beasts and reptiles and birds of the air. 13Then a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
14#Eze 4:14; Lev 20:25Peter said, “Not at all, Lord. For I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”
15#Mt 15:11; 1Co 10:25The voice spoke to him a second time: “What God has cleansed, do not call common.”
16This happened three times. And again the vessel was taken up into heaven.
17Now while Peter wondered what this vision which he had seen might mean, the men who were sent by Cornelius had inquired for Simon’s house and stood at the gate, 18and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.
19#Ac 8:29While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Three men are looking for you. 20#Ac 15:7–9So rise and go down, and go with them, doubting nothing. For I have sent them.”
21Then Peter went down to the men who were sent to him by Cornelius and said, “Here I am, the one you are seeking. Why have you come?”
22#Ac 11:14; 10:2They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a man who is righteous and fears God and is of good report throughout the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house to hear your words.” 23#Ac 10:45; 11:12Then he invited them in and gave them lodging.
The next day Peter went with them, and some brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24And the next day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25#Mt 8:2; Da 2:46As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. 26#Rev 19:10But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up. I myself am a man.”
27#Ac 10:24As he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28#Jn 4:9; 18:28He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to visit or approach a foreigner. But God has shown me not to call any man common or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without question. Therefore I ask why you have sent for me.”
30#Ac 10:3; 1:10Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour. At the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and suddenly a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31#Ac 10:4and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered before God. 32Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 33So immediately I sent for you, and you have done well to come. Now therefore we are all here, present before God, to hear everything the Lord has commanded you.”
Peter Speaks in Cornelius’ House
34#Dt 10:17; 2Ch 19:7Then Peter began to speak, saying, “Truthfully, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. 35#Ac 10:2; 15:9But in every nation he who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36#Mt 28:18; Ac 2:36The word which He sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, 37the word, which you know, that was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38#Lk 4:18; Jn 3:2how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
39#Lk 24:48; Ac 10:41“We are witnesses of all that He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40#Ac 2:24But God raised Him on the third day and presented Him publicly, 41#Jn 14:22; Ac 10:39not to all the people, but to witnesses previously chosen by God, to us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. 42#Ac 17:31; 2Ti 4:1He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. 43#Ac 15:9; Isa 53:11To Him all the prophets bear witness that whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins through His name.”
Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit
44#Ac 11:15; 15:8While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. 45#Ac 10:23; 2:38All the believers of the circumcision who had come with Peter were astonished, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46#Ac 2:4; 19:6For they heard them speaking in other tongues and magnifying God.
Then Peter continued, 47#Ac 8:36“Can anyone forbid water for baptizing these, who have received the Holy Spirit as we have?” 48#Ac 2:38; 8:16; 1Co 1:13–17So he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
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