1 N ow there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,

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 who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.

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 A t about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to 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 H e, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, “What is it, Lord?” He said to him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone 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 N ow send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is also called 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 a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the seaside.

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

7 W hen the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who 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 H aving explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

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

9 N ow on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.

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 H e became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.

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

11 H e saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on 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 kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.

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

13 A voice came 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 anything 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 voice came to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.”

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 immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.

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

17 N ow while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, 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 also called Peter, was lodging there.

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

19 W hile Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men seek you.

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 B ut arise, get 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 P eter went down to the men, and said, “Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?”

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

22 T hey said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say.”

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 S o he called them in and provided a place to stay. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers 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 O n the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his 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 W hen Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped 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 raised him up, saying, “Stand up! I myself am also a man.”

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

27 A s he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together.

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

28 H e said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy 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 also I came without complaint when I was sent for. I ask therefore, why did you send 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 C ornelius 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, your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered 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 summon Simon, who is also called Peter. He lodges in the house of a tanner named Simon, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to you.’

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 T herefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by 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 P eter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism;

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 who 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 he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of 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 y ou yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning 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 e ven Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by 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 W e are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, 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 G od raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed,

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 to witnesses who were chosen before by God, 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 H e commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the 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 A ll the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.”

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

44 W hile Peter was still speaking 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 T hey of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.

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 speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

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

47 “ Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.”

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

48 H e commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some 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.