Acts 10:1-17, 34-48
In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the
Italian Cohort, as it was called. 2He was a devout man who feared God
with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and
prayed constantly to God. 3One afternoon at about three o’clock he had
a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying
to him, “Cornelius.” 4He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it,
Lord?” He answered, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a
memorial before God. 5Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon
who is called Peter; 6
he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house
is by the seaside.” 7When the angel who spoke to him had left, he
called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those
who served him, 8
and after telling them everything, he sent them to
Joppa.9About noon the next 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 it was being prepared,
he fell into a trance. 11He saw the heaven opened and something like a
large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four
corners. 12In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and
birds of the air. 13Then he heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter; kill and
eat.” 14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten
anything that is profane or unclean.” 15The voice said to him again, a
second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”
16This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to
5
heaven. 17Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of
the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius
appeared. They were asking for Simon’s house and were standing by
the gate.
34Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows
no partiality, 35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what
is right is acceptable to him. 36You know the message he sent to the
people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.
37That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the
baptism that John announced: 38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good
and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with
him. 39We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in
Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40but God
raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41not to all the
people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and 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 ordained by God 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 upon
all who heard the word. 45The circumcised believers who had come
with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been
poured out even on the Gentiles, 46for they heard them speaking in
tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone withhold
the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit
just as we have?” 48So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.