Acts 10:2-44

²devout and fearing God with all his household, both giving alms generously to the people and praying to God about everything.

³About the ninth hour of the day, in a vision, he saw clearly an angel of God entering his presence and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

⁴Well, staring at him and being frightened he said, “What is it, Lord?” So he said to him: “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

⁵Now send men to Joppa and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter;

⁶he is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

⁷So when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who were faithful to him,

⁸and explaining everything to them he sent them to Joppa.

⁹Now on the next day, as they were traveling and drawing near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.

¹⁰Well he became hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were preparing, a trance fell on him,

¹¹and he saw the heaven opened and a container like a great sheet descending to him—it was tied at the four corners and was being let down to the earth—

¹²in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth (both wild animals and reptiles) and birds of the sky.

¹³Then a voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, slaughter and eat!”

¹⁴But Peter said: “No way, Lord! Never have I eaten anything ‘common’ or unclean!”

¹⁵So the voice came to him a second time, “What (pl) God has made clean you must not call ‘common’!”

¹⁶Well this happened three times, and then the object was taken back up into the sky.

¹⁷Now as Peter was really perplexed within himself as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, well the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having inquired and found Simon's house, stood before the gate,

¹⁸and calling out they inquired whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was staying there as a guest.

¹⁹So as Peter was pondering the vision the Spirit said to him: “Listen, some men are looking for you;

²⁰so get up and go downstairs; and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them.”

²¹So going down to the men Peter said: “Yes, I am the one you are looking for. For what reason have you come?”

²²So they said: “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by an angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.”

²³So he invited them in and put them up. The next day Peter set out with them, also some of the brothers from Joppa went with him;

²⁴and the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and close friends.

²⁵So when Peter actually arrived, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet and worshiped.

²⁶But Peter lifted him up, saying: “Stand up! I myself am also a man.”

²⁷And conversing with him he went in and found many gathered there.

²⁸Then he said to them: “You know how it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with or to approach a different race; but God has shown me that I should not call any man ‘common’ or unclean.

²⁹Therefore also I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. So I ask, for what reason did you send for me?”

³⁰So Cornelius said: “I have been fasting during four days until this very hour; yes, it was the ninth hour, I was praying in my house when wow, a man stood before me in shining clothing

³¹and said: ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms are remembered before God.

³²Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea; upon arriving he will speak to you.’

³³So I sent to you at once, and you did well to come. Now then, we are all present before God to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

³⁴So opening his mouth Peter said: “Really, I comprehend that God is not One to show partiality,

³⁵but in every ethnic nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him.

³⁶The word that He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—

³⁷that spoken word you know, that was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism that John preached:

³⁸Jesus of Natsareth, how God anointed Him with Holy Spirit and power, who went about doing good and healing all those being oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him

³⁹—yes, we are witnesses of all that He did, both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem—whom they also killed, hanging Him on a tree.

⁴⁰Him God raised on the third day, and gave Him to become visible,

⁴¹not to all the people but to witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose out from the dead.

⁴²And He ordered us to proclaim to the people, that is, to testify that He is the One who has been ordained by God as Judge of living and dead.

⁴³To Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes into Him will receive forgiveness of sins.”

⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were hearing the message.