1 N ow at Caesarea there was a man whose name was Cornelius, a centurion (captain) of what was known as the Italian Regiment,

There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

2 A devout man who venerated God and treated Him with reverential obedience, as did all his household; and he gave much alms to the people and prayed continually to God.

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

3 A bout the ninth hour (about 3: 00 p. m.) of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God entering and saying to him, Cornelius!

He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

4 A nd he, gazing intently at him, became frightened and said, What is it, Lord? And the angel said to him, Your prayers and your gifts to the poor have come up to God and have been remembered by Him.

And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

5 A nd now send men to Joppa and have them call for and invite here a certain Simon whose surname is Peter;

And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

6 H e is lodging with Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.

he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

7 W hen the angel who spoke to him had left, Cornelius called two of his servants and a God-fearing soldier from among his own personal attendants.

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

8 A nd having rehearsed everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

and when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 T he next day as they were still on their way and were approaching the town, Peter went up to the roof of the house to pray, about the sixth hour (noon).

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

10 B ut he became very hungry, and wanted something to eat; and while the meal was being prepared a trance came over him,

and he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

11 A nd he saw the sky opened and something like a great sheet lowered by the four corners, descending to the earth.

and saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

12 I t contained all kinds of quadrupeds and wild beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the air.

wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

13 A nd there came a voice to him, saying, Rise up, Peter, kill and eat.

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

14 B ut Peter said, No, by no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unhallowed or unclean.

But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

15 A nd the voice came to him again a second time, What God has cleansed and pronounced clean, do not you defile and profane by regarding and calling common and unhallowed or unclean.

And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

16 T his occurred three times; then immediately the sheet was taken up to heaven.

This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

17 N ow Peter was still inwardly perplexed and doubted as to what the vision which he had seen could mean, when behold the messengers that were sent by Cornelius, who had made inquiry for Simon’s house, stopped and stood before the gate.

Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,

18 A nd they called out to inquire whether Simon who was surnamed Peter was staying there.

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

19 A nd while Peter was earnestly revolving the vision in his mind and meditating on it, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you!

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

20 G et up and go below and accompany them without any doubt or any discrimination or hesitation, for I have sent them.

Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

21 T hen Peter went down to the men and said, I am the man you seek; what is the purpose of your coming?

Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?

22 A nd they said, Cornelius, a centurion (captain) who is just and upright and in right standing with God, being God-fearing and obedient and well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, has been instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house; and he has received in answer a warning to listen to and act upon what you have to say.

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

23 S o Peter invited them in to be his guests. The next day he arose and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

24 A nd on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for and expecting them, and he had invited together his relatives and his intimate friends.

And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

25 A s Peter arrived, Cornelius met him, and falling down at his feet he made obeisance and paid worshipful reverence to him.

And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

26 B ut Peter raised him up, saying, Get up; I myself am also a man.

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

27 A nd as spoke with him, he entered the house and found a large group of persons assembled;

And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.

28 A nd he said to them, You yourselves are aware how it is not lawful or permissible for a Jew to keep company with or to visit or to come near or to speak first to anyone of another nationality, but God has shown and taught me by words that I should not call any human being common or unhallowed or unclean.

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

29 T herefore when I was sent for, I came without hesitation or objection or misgivings. So now I ask for what reason you sent for me.

Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?

30 A nd Cornelius said, This is now the fourth day since about this time I was observing the ninth hour (three o’clock in the afternoon) of prayer in my lodging place; a man stood before me in dazzling apparel,

And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

31 A nd he said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and harkened to, and your donations to the poor have been known and preserved before God.

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

32 S end therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is surnamed Peter; he is staying in the house of Simon the tanner by the seaside.

Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

33 S o at once I sent for you, and you have done a kind and courteous and handsome thing in coming. Now then, we are all present in the sight of God to listen to all that you have been instructed by the Lord to say.

Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

34 A nd Peter opened his mouth and said: Most certainly and thoroughly I now perceive and understand that God shows no partiality and is no respecter of persons,

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

35 B ut in every nation he who venerates and has a reverential fear for God, treating Him with worshipful obedience and living uprightly, is acceptable to Him and sure of being received and welcomed.

but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

36 Y ou know the contents of the message which He sent to Israel, announcing the good news (Gospel) of peace by Jesus Christ, Who is Lord of all—

The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

37 T he message which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee after the baptism preached by John—

that word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

38 H ow God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth 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.

39 A nd we are witnesses of everything that He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they put Him out of the way (murdered Him) by hanging Him on a tree;

And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

40 B ut God raised Him to life on the third day and caused Him to be manifest (to be plainly seen),

him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

41 N ot by all the people but to us who were chosen (designated) beforehand by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

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

42 A nd He charged us to preach to the people and to bear solemn testimony that He is the God-appointed and God-ordained Judge of the living and the dead.

And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

43 T o Him all the prophets testify (bear witness) that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.

To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

44 W hile Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message.

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

45 A nd the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were surprised and amazed, because the free gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed and poured out largely even on the Gentiles.

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46 F or they heard them talking in tongues (languages) and extolling and magnifying God. Then Peter asked,

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

47 C an anyone forbid or refuse water for baptizing these people, seeing that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

48 A nd he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Then they begged him to stay on there for some days.

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.