1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment.[ † ]Acts 8:40Acts 23:23 2He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly.[ † ]Acts 8:2Acts 9:22Acts 22:12Acts 10:22-35Acts 13:16-26 3One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”[ † ]Acts 10:30Acts 11:13
4Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter.[ † ]Acts 11:13-14 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”[ † ]Acts 9:43Acts 11:14
7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among his attendants. 8He explained what had happened and sent them to Joppa.
9The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
11He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.[ † ]Ezekiel 1:1Matthew 3:16Acts 7:56Revelation 4:1Revelation 19:11 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. 13Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
14“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”[ † ]Leviticus 11:4Leviticus 20:25Deuteronomy 14:3-7Ezekiel 4:14
15The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”[ † ]Matthew 15:11Mark 7:19Acts 10:28Romans 14:141 Corinthians 10:251 Timothy 4:4Titus 1:15
16This happened three times, and all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven.
17While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate. 18They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there.
19As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.[ † ]Acts 11:12 20So get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.”[ † ]Acts 15:7-9
21So Peter went down to the men and said, “Here am I, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”
22“Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in his home so he could hear a message from you.”[ † ]Acts 22:12
23So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.[ † ]Acts 10:45Acts 11:12
24The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. 26But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”[ † ]Acts 14:14-15Revelation 19:10Revelation 22:8
27As Peter talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together. 28He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.[ † ]John 4:9John 18:28Acts 11:3Galatians 2:12Acts 10:14-35Acts 15:8-9 29So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have you sent for me?”
30Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me[ † ]Acts 1:10Matthew 28:3Mark 16:5 31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.[ † ]Daniel 10:12Hebrews 6:10 32Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
33So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.”
34Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,[ † ]Deuteronomy 10:172 Chronicles 19:7Romans 2:11Galatians 2:6Ephesians 6:9 35but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.[ † ]Acts 15:91 Corinthians 121 Corinthians 13Ephesians 2:13Psalms 15:1-2 36He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.[ † ]Isaiah 57:19Ephesians 2:14Colossians 1:20Matthew 28:18Acts 2:36Romans 10:121 Corinthians 15:27
37You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed:[ † ]Luke 4:14 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.[ † ]Isaiah 61:1-3Luke 4:18Matthew 4:23John 3:2John 8:29
39We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree,[ † ]Acts 1:8Acts 2:23 40God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen—[ † ]Hosea 6:2Matthew 12:39-40Matthew 16:4Matthew 20:19John 2:19-21Acts 2:24 41not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.[ † ]John 14:17-19, 22John 15:27Luke 24:30-41-43 42And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.[ † ]Matthew 28:19John 5:22-27Acts 17:31Romans 14:92 Timothy 4:11 Peter 4:5 43All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”[ † ]Isaiah 42:1Isaiah 53:11Isaiah 61:1Jeremiah 31:34Daniel 9:24Hosea 6:1-3Micah 7:18Zechariah 13:1Malachi 4:2John 3:16-18Acts 26:18Romans 10:11Galatians 3:22Acts 13:38-39
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message.[ † ]Acts 4:31 45All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.[ † ]Acts 10:23Isaiah 42:1-6Isaiah 49:6Luke 2:32John 11:52Acts 11:18
46For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!”[ † ]Acts 2:4Acts 10:44Acts 11:17Acts 15:8 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.[ † ]1 Corinthians 1:14-17Acts 2:38Acts 8:16Acts 19:5