1 ¶ There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the company called the Italian,

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

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

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.

3 H e 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.

About 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!

4 A nd 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.

And 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.

5 A nd now send men to Joppa and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter;

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

6 h e lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side; he shall tell thee what it behooves thee to do.

He is lodging with Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.

7 A nd when the angel who spoke unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those that waited on him continually;

When 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.

8 a nd when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

And having rehearsed everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 ¶ On the morrow, as they went on their journey and drew near unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour;

The 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).

10 a nd he became very hungry and would have eaten; but while they made ready, he fell into a rapture of understanding

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

11 a nd saw the 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,

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

12 i n which were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth and wild beasts and reptiles and fowls of the air.

It contained all kinds of quadrupeds and wild beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the air.

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

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

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

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

15 A nd the voice spoke unto him again the second time, That which God has cleansed, do not call common.

And 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.

16 T his was done three times, and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

This occurred three times; then immediately the sheet was taken up to heaven.

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

Now 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.

18 a nd called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

And they called out to inquire whether Simon who was surnamed Peter was staying there.

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

And 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!

20 A rise therefore and get thee down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.

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

21 T hen Peter went down to the men who were sent unto him from Cornelius and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek; what is the cause for which ye are come?

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

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

And 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.

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

So 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.

24 A nd the next day they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

And 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

28 A nd he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an abominable thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation; but God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

And 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.

29 T herefore I came unto you without doubting, as soon as I was sent for; I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?

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

30 A nd 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

And 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,

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

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

32 S end therefore to Joppa, and call here Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side, who, when he comes, shall speak unto thee.

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

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

So 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.

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

And 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,

35 b ut in every nation he that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

But 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.

36 T he word which God sent unto the sons of Israel, preaching the gospel: peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),

You 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—

37 t hat word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached,

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

38 h ow God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.

How 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.

39 A nd we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of Judea and in Jerusalem, whom they slew hanging him on a tree.

And 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;

40 T his same one God raised up the third day and showed him openly,

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

41 n ot to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

Not 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.

42 A nd he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is he who is ordained of God to be the Judge of living and dead.

And 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.

43 U nto him all the prophets give witness, that whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins through his name.

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

44 ¶ While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.

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

45 A nd those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, that also on the Gentiles the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out.

And 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.

46 F or they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,

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

47 C an anyone forbid water that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?

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

48 A nd he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they begged him to tarry certain days.

And 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.