ACTS 10:1-41

¹Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

²a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

³He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.

⁴And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.

⁵And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter:

⁶he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side.

⁷And when the angel that spake unto him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

⁸and having rehearsed all things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:

¹⁰and he became hungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance;

¹¹and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth:

¹²wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and fowls of the heaven.

¹³And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat.

¹⁴But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean.

¹⁵And a voice came unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.

¹⁶And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven.

¹⁷Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate,

¹⁸and called and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodging there.

¹⁹And while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

²⁰But arise, and get thee down, and go with them, nothing doubting: for I have sent them.

²¹And Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?

²²And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee.

²³So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

²⁴And on the morrow they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends.

²⁵And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

²⁶But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in, and findeth many come together:

²⁸and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God shewed that I should not call any man common or unclean:

²⁹wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for. I ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me.

³⁰And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel,

³¹and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

³²Send therefore to Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side.

³³Forthwith therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord.

³⁴And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

³⁵but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him.

³⁶The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)—

³⁷that saying ye yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

³⁸even Jesus of Nazareth, how that God anointed him with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

³⁹And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on a tree.

⁴⁰Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest,

⁴¹not to all the people, but unto witnesses that were chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.