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 man in the city of Caesarea by the name of Cornelius. He was a captain of an Italian group of the army.

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.

He and his family were good people and honored God. He gave much money to the people and prayed always to God.

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!

One afternoon about three o’clock he saw in a dream what God wanted him to see. An angel of God came to him and said, “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.

He was afraid as he looked at the angel. He said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel said, “Your prayers and your gifts of money have gone up to God. He has remembered them.

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

Send some men to the city of Joppa and ask Simon Peter to come here.

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

He is living with Simon, the man who works with leather. His house is by the sea-shore. He will tell you what you must 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.

The angel left him. Then Cornelius called two of his servants and a religious soldier who took care of him.

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

He told what had happened. Then he sent them to Joppa. Peter’s Dream

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).

The next day they went on their way. About noon they were coming near the town. At this time Peter went up on the roof to pray.

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

He became very hungry and wanted something to eat. While they were getting food ready to eat, he saw in a dream things God wanted him to see.

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

He saw heaven open up and something like a large linen cloth being let down to earth by the four corners.

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

On the cloth were all kinds of four-footed animals and snakes of the earth and birds of the sky.

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

A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill something and eat it.”

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

Peter said, “No, Lord! I have never eaten anything that our Law says is 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.

The voice said the second time, “What God has made clean you must not say is unclean.”

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

This happened three times. Then it was taken back to heaven. Cornelius’ Men Find Peter

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.

Peter thought about the meaning of the dream. The men that Cornelius had sent came. They were standing by the gate asking about Simon’s house.

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

They called to ask if Simon Peter was staying 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!

Peter was still thinking about the dream when the Holy Spirit said to him, “See, three men are looking for you.

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

Get up. Go down and go with them. Do not doubt if you should go, because I 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?

Peter went down to the men who had been sent by Cornelius. He said, “I am the one you are looking for. Why have you 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.

They said, “Cornelius sent us. He is a captain and a good man and he honors God. The whole Jewish nation can say this is true. An angel from God told him to send for you. He asks you to come to his house. He wants to hear what you have to say.” Peter Goes to Cornelius

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.

Peter asked them to come in and stay with him for the night. The next day he went with them. Some of the brothers from Joppa went along.

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.

The next day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was looking for them. He had gathered all his family and close friends at his house.

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

When Peter came, Cornelius got down at his feet and worshiped him.

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

But Peter raised him up and said, “Get up! I am just a man like you.”

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

As Peter spoke with Cornelius, he went into the house and found a large group of people gathered 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.

Peter said to them, “You know it is against our Law for a Jew to visit a person of another nation. But God has shown me I should not say that any man is 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.

For this reason I came as soon as you sent for me. But I want to ask you why you 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,

Cornelius said, “Four days ago at three o’clock in the afternoon I was praying here in my house. All at once, I saw a man standing in front of me. He had on bright clothes.

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.

He said to me, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayers and has remembered your gifts of love.

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.

You must send to Joppa and ask Simon Peter to come here. He is staying at the house of Simon, the man who works with leather. His house is by the sea-shore.’

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.

I sent for you at once. You have done well to come. We are all here and God is with us. We are ready to hear whatever the Lord has told you to say.” Peter Preaches in Cornelius’ House

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 said, “I can see, for sure, that God does not respect one person more than another.

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.

He is pleased with any man in any nation who honors Him and does what is right.

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—

He has sent His Word to the Jews. He told them the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord of All.

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

You know the story yourselves. It was told in all the country of Judea. It began in the country of Galilee after the preaching of John the Baptist.

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.

God gave Jesus of Nazareth the Holy Spirit and power. He went around doing good and healing all who were troubled by the devil because 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;

We have seen and heard everything He did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And yet they killed Him by nailing Him to a cross.

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

God raised Him to life on the third day and made Him to be seen.

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 all the people saw Him but those who were chosen to see Him. We saw Him. We ate and drank with Him after He was raised 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.

He told us to preach to the people and tell them that God gave Christ the right to be the One Who says who is guilty of the living and the dead.

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

All the early preachers spoke of this. Everyone who puts his trust in Christ will have his sins forgiven through His name.” The Holy Spirit Comes to the Family of Cornelius

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

While Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit came on all who were hearing his words.

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.

The Jewish followers who had come along with Peter were surprised and wondered because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also given to the people who were not Jews.

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

They heard them speak in special sounds and give thanks to God. Then Peter said,

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

“Will anyone say that these people may not be baptized? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

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.

He gave the word that they should be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for some days.