Acts 10
10
Cornelius Calls for Peter
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and 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 come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision
9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three#10:19 One early manuscript two; other manuscripts do not have the number. men are looking for you. 20So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
21Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
22The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
Peter at Cornelius’s House
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
27While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
30Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God 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 does not show favoritism 35but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues#10:46 Or other languages and praising God.
Then Peter said, 47“Surely no one can stand in the way of their 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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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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Acts 10
10
Peter and Cornelius
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of #Matt. 27:27; Mark 15:16; John 18:3, 12what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2a devout man #ver. 22; ch. 13:16, 26who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3#See ch. 3:1 About the ninth hour of the day#10:3 That is, 3 p.m. #ver. 17, 19 he saw clearly in a vision #See ch. 8:26an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms #Rev. 8:4; [Ps. 141:2; Dan. 10:12] have ascended #Matt. 26:13; Mark 14:9; [ver. 31; Heb. 6:10]as a memorial before God. 5And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6He is lodging #ch. 9:43with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision
9The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, #For ver. 9-32, see ch. 11:5-14 Peter went up #[2 Kgs. 23:12; Jer. 19:13; 32:29; Zeph. 1:5]; See 1 Sam. 9:25 on the housetop about #Ps. 55:17the sixth hour#10:9 That is, noon to pray. 10And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into #ch. 22:17a trance 11and saw #See John 1:51the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; #Ezek. 4:14; Dan. 1:8 for I have never eaten anything that is #ver. 28 common or #Lev. 11:2-47; 20:25; Deut. 14:4-20unclean.” 15And the voice came to him again a second time, #Rom. 14:2, 14, 20; 1 Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:15; [Matt. 15:11; Mark 7:15, 19; 1 Cor. 10:25]“What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.
17Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what #ver. 3 the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, #ver. 7, 8the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate 18and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19And while Peter was pondering #[See ver. 17 above] the vision, #See ch. 8:29the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20Rise and go down and #[ch. 15:7-9]accompany them without hesitation,#10:20 Or accompany them, making no distinction for I have sent them.” 21And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and #See ver. 2 God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by #See Mark 8:38 a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and #ch. 11:14to hear what you have to say.” 23So he invited them in to be his guests.
The next day he rose and went away with them, and #ver. 45; [ch. 11:12] some of #See John 21:23the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and #ch. 16:29; Dan. 2:46 fell down at his feet and #See Matt. 8:2worshiped him. 26But Peter lifted him up, saying, #Rev. 19:10; 22:8, 9; [ch. 14:15]“Stand up; I too am a man.” 27And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew #[ch. 11:3; John 4:9; 18:28; Gal. 2:12] to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but #[ver. 35]; See ver. 14, 15God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”
30And Cornelius said, #ver. 9, 23, 24 “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at #See ch. 3:1 the ninth hour,#10:30 That is, 3 p.m. and behold, #[ch. 1:10]a man stood before me in bright clothing 31and said, ‘Cornelius, #See ver. 4your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Gentiles Hear the Good News
34So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that #[ver. 28; ch. 15:19; Deut. 1:17; Rom. 3:29]; See Deut. 10:17 God #Prov. 24:23; James 2:1, 9; [Jude 16]shows no partiality, 35but #[See ver. 34 above] in every nation anyone who fears him and #Isa. 64:5does what is right is acceptable to him. 36As for #ch. 13:26; Ps. 107:20; 147:18, 19 the word that he sent to Israel, #Isa. 52:7; Nah. 1:15; Eph. 2:17 preaching good news of #See Luke 2:14 peace through Jesus Christ (#Rom. 10:12; [Rev. 17:14; 19:16]; See ch. 2:36; Matt. 28:18he is Lord of all), 37you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, #Luke 24:47 beginning #Matt. 4:12; Mark 1:14from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38how #[Matt. 3:16; John 1:32, 33]; See ch. 4:26 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth #[ch. 1:2; 2:22; Matt. 12:28; Luke 4:18; Rom. 1:4] with the Holy Spirit and with #[Luke 6:19] power. He went about doing good and healing all #See Matt. 4:24; Luke 13:16 who were oppressed by the devil, #See John 8:29; 10:38for God was with him. 39And #ver. 41; See ch. 2:32; Luke 24:48 we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. #ch. 5:30They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40but #See ch. 2:24 God raised him on #See Luke 9:22 the third day and made him to #ch. 1:3appear, 41#[John 14:21, 22] not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as #ver. 39witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42And #See ch. 1:2 he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify #ch. 17:31; 24:25; John 5:22, 27; 2 Cor. 5:10; See Matt. 16:27 that he is the one appointed by God to be judge #2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Pet. 4:5; [Rom. 14:9, 10; 1 Thess. 4:15, 17]of the living and the dead. 43#ch. 26:22; Rom. 3:21; [Jer. 31:34] To him #ch. 3:18, 24; Luke 24:27 all the prophets bear witness that #ch. 11:17; 13:39; 15:9; Rom. 9:33; 10:11; Gal. 3:22 everyone who believes in him receives #ch. 5:31 forgiveness of sins #ch. 2:38; 4:12; John 20:31; 1 John 2:12through his name.”
The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles
44While Peter was still saying these things, #ch. 11:15; 15:8; 1 Thess. 1:5; See ch. 2:4the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45And the believers from among #ver. 23; [ch. 11:2] the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because #See ch. 2:38 the gift of the Holy Spirit #See ch. 2:17was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they were hearing them #See Mark 16:17speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47#ch. 8:36 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit #ch. 2:4; 11:17; 15:8just as we have?” 48And he #[1 Cor. 1:14-17] commanded them #ch. 2:38; See ch. 8:12, 16to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
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