Acts of the Apostles 10
10
Peter, Cornelius, and the Gentiles
1There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Company.#10.1 Or cohort(approximately six hundred soldiers) 2He and his whole household were pious, Gentile God-worshippers. He gave generously to those in need among the Jewish people and prayed to God constantly. 3One day at nearly three o’clock in the afternoon, he clearly saw an angel from God in a vision. The angel came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4Startled, he stared at the angel and replied, “What is it, Lord?”
The angel said, “Your prayers and your compassionate acts are like a memorial offering to God. 5Send messengers to Joppa at once and summon a certain Simon, the one known as Peter. 6He is a guest of Simon the tanner, whose house is near the seacoast.” 7When the angel who was speaking to him had gone, Cornelius summoned two of his household servants along with a pious soldier from his personal staff. 8He explained everything to them, then sent them to Joppa.
9At noon on the following day, as their journey brought them close to the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted to eat. While others were preparing the meal, he had a visionary experience. 11He saw heaven opened up and something like a large linen sheet being lowered to the earth by its four corners. 12Inside the sheet were all kinds of four-legged animals, reptiles, and wild birds.#10.12 Or birds in the sky 13A voice told him, “Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!”
14Peter exclaimed, “Absolutely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15The voice spoke a second time, “Never consider unclean what God has made pure.” 16This happened three times, then the object was suddenly pulled back into heaven.
17Peter was bewildered about the meaning of the vision. Just then, the messengers sent by Cornelius discovered the whereabouts of Simon’s house and arrived at the gate. 18Calling out, they inquired whether the Simon known as Peter was a guest there.
19While Peter was brooding over the vision, the Spirit interrupted him, “Look! Three people are looking for you. 20Go downstairs. Don’t ask questions; just go with them because I have sent them.”
21So Peter went downstairs and told them, “I’m the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”
22They replied, “We’ve come on behalf of Cornelius, a centurion and righteous man, a God-worshipper who is well-respected by all Jewish people. A holy angel directed him to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23Peter invited them into the house as his guests.
The next day he got up and went with them, together with some of the believers from Joppa. 24They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Anticipating their arrival, Cornelius had gathered his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in order to honor him. 26But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Get up! Like you, I’m just a human.” 27As they continued to talk, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them, “You all realize that it is forbidden for a Jew to associate or visit with outsiders. However, God has shown me that I should never call a person impure or unclean. 29For this reason, when you sent for me, I came without objection. I want to know, then, why you sent for me.”
30Cornelius answered, “Four days ago at this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon, I was praying at home. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me. 31He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayers, and your compassionate acts are like a memorial offering to him. 32Therefore, send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is known as Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, located near the seacoast.’ 33I sent for you right away, and you were kind enough to come. Now, here we are, gathered in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has directed you to say.”
34Peter said, “I really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another. 35Rather, in every nation, whoever worships him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36This is the message of peace he sent to the Israelites by proclaiming the good news through Jesus Christ: He is Lord of all! 37You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism John preached. 38You know about Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and endowed with power. Jesus traveled around doing good and healing everyone oppressed by the devil because God was with him. 39We are witnesses of everything he did, both in Judea and in Jerusalem. 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 everyone but by us. We are witnesses whom God chose beforehand, who ate and drank with him after God raised him 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, the Holy Spirit fell on everyone who heard the word. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46They heard them speaking in other languages and praising God. Peter asked, 47“These people have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. Surely no one can stop them from being baptized with water, can they?” 48He directed that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited Peter to stay for several days.
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Acts of the Apostles 10: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Acts 10
10
The Centurion’s Vision
1Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort.
2He was a devout man, revering God with all his household. He gave tzadakah generously to the people and prayed to God continually.
3About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel said to him, “Your prayers and tzadakah have gone up as a memorial offering before God.
5Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, also named Peter.
6He is being entertained as a guest by Simon the tanner, whose house is beside the sea.”
7When the angel speaking to him had left, he called two of his servants and a soldier from among those attached to his command.
8After he explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision
9The next day, as the soldiers were traveling and approaching the city, Peter went up to the rooftop to pray, at about the sixth hour.
10Now he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance.
11He saw the heavens opened, and something like a great sheet coming down, lowered by its four corners to the earth.
12In it were all sorts of four-footed animals and reptiles and birds of the air.
13A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord! For never have I eaten anything unholy or unclean.”
15Again a voice came to him, a second time: “What God has made clean, you must not consider unholy.”
16This happened three times, and the sheet was immediately taken up to heaven.
17Now while Peter was puzzling about what the vision he had seen might mean, behold, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and appeared before the gate.
18They called out and began to ask whether Simon, also called Peter, was staying in this place as a guest.
19Now while Peter was mulling over the vision, the Ruach said to him, “Look here, three men are looking for you.
20But get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitating, because I Myself have sent them.”
21Going down to the men, Peter said, “Here, I’m the one you’re looking for. What is the reason for your coming?”
22And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well-spoken of by all the Jewish people, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message from you.”
23So Peter invited them in to be his guests. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
Peter Goes to Cornelius
24The following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25As Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
26But Peter pulled him up, saying, “Stand up! I too am just a man.”
27Talking with him, Peter went inside and found many people gathered.
28He said to them, “You yourselves know that it is not permitted for a Jewish man to associate with a non-Jew or to visit him. Yet God has shown me that I should call no one unholy or unclean.
29So I came without objection when I was sent for. I ask, then, what is the reason why you sent for me?”
30Cornelius declared, “Four days ago at this hour, I was praying minchah in my house. Suddenly, a man stood in front of me in shining clothes.
31He says, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your tzadakah remembered before God.
32Therefore send to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is also called Peter. He is staying in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
33So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
34Then Peter opened his mouth and said, “I truly understand that God is not one to show favoritism,
35but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.
36You know the message He sent to Bnei-Yisrael, proclaiming shalom through Messiah Yeshua—He is Lord of all.
37You know the message that has spread throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the immersion that John proclaimed.
38You know how God anointed Yeshua of Natzeret with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and power—how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
39We are witnesses to all He did, both in the Judean countryside and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree,
40but God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be visible—
41not to all the people, but to us, witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God. We ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
42And He commanded us to proclaim to the people and to testify that He is the One ordained by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
43All the prophets testify about Him—that everyone who puts his trust in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
The Ruach Falls on the Gentiles
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Ruach ha-Kodesh fell on all those hearing the message.
45All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were astonished, because the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
46For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,
47“Can anyone refuse water for these to be immersed, who have received the Ruach ha-Kodesh just as we did?”
48So he commanded them to be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.
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