Acts 10:7-44

⁷And when the angel that spoke to him had departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of those who waited on him,

⁸and having told them every thing sent them to Joppa.

⁹On the morrow, as they were on their journey, and were drawing near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.

¹⁰And he became very hungry and wished to eat; but while they were making ready, a trance came upon him,

¹¹and he beheld heaven opened, and a sort of vessel descending, as it were a large sheet having cords at the four corners, and let down upon the earth;

¹²wherein were all the four-footed beasts and creeping things of the earth, and birds of the air.

¹³And there came a voice to him, Arise, Peter; slay, and eat.

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

¹⁵And a voice came to him again, the second time, That which God hath cleansed, call not thou common.

¹⁶This was done three times; and the vessel was immediately taken up into heaven.

¹⁷Now, while Peter was doubting within himself what the vision which he had seen meant, lo! the men who were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate;

¹⁸and they called, and asked whether Simon, surnamed Peter, lodged there.

¹⁹And while Peter was meditating on the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, men are seeking thee;

²⁰but arise, and go down, and go with them, without scruple; for I have sent them.

²¹And Peter went down to the men and said, Behold, I am he whom ye are seeking; for what cause have ye come?

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

²³Then 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 the morrow after, he came into Caesarea. And Cornelius was expecting them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

²⁵And as Peter came in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and did him reverence.

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

²⁷And while talking with him, he went in, and found many who had come together.

²⁸And he said to them, Ye know that it is an unlawful thing for a Jew to keep company with one of another nation, or to come near him; but God showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

²⁹Wherefore I came without objection, when sent for. I ask therefore, for what reason did ye send for me?

³⁰And Cornelius said, Four days ago, I was fasting till this hour; and at the ninth hour was praying in my house; and lo! a man stood before me in bright clothing,

³¹and said, Cornelius, thy prayer hath been heard, and thine alms have been remembered before God.

³²Send therefore to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea-side; and he, when he cometh, will speak to thee.

³³I therefore sent to thee immediately; and thou hast done well in coming here. Now therefore we are all present before God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee from the Lord.

³⁴And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons,

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

³⁶the word which he sent to the sons of Israel, publishing glad tidings of peace through Jesus Christ; he is Lord of all men.

³⁷Ye yourselves know what was spoken of through the whole of Judaea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached,

³⁸relating to Jesus of Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were overpowered by 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 they also slew by hanging him on a cross.

⁴⁰Him God raised up on the third day, and caused him to be manifested,

⁴¹not to all the people, but to witnesses before appointed by God, to ourselves, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead;

⁴²and he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who hath been appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

⁴³To him all the prophets bear witness, that through his name every one that believeth in him shall receive forgiveness of sins.

⁴⁴While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all that heard the word.