Cornelius Sends for Peter

1And there was a certain man in Caesarea, by name Cornelius, a centurion from a band called Italian, 2pious, and fearing God with all his house, doing also many kind acts to the people, and beseeching God always, 3he saw in a vision manifestly, as it were the ninth hour of the day, a messenger of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, 'Cornelius;' 4and he having looked earnestly on him, and becoming afraid, said, 'What is it, Lord?' And he said to him, 'Thy prayers and thy kind acts came up for a memorial before God, 5and now send men to Joppa, and send for a certain one Simon, who is surnamed Peter, 6this one doth lodge with a certain Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea; this one shall speak to thee what it behoveth thee to do.' 7And when the messenger who is speaking to Cornelius went away, having called two of his domestics, and a pious soldier of those waiting on him continually, 8and having declared to them all things, he sent them to Joppa.

Peter's Vision

(Leviticus 11:1-47; Deuteronomy 14:1-21)

9And on the morrow, as these are proceeding on the way, and are drawing nigh to the city, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour, 10and he became very hungry, and wished to eat; and they making ready, there fell upon him a trance, 11and he doth behold the heaven opened, and descending unto him a certain vessel, as a great sheet, bound at the four corners, and let down upon the earth, 12in which were all the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of the heaven, 13and there came a voice unto him: 'Having risen, Peter, slay and eat.' 14And Peter said, 'Not so, Lord; because at no time did I eat anything common or unclean;' 15and there is a voice again a second time unto him: 'What God did cleanse, thou, declare not thou common;' 16and this was done thrice, and again was the vessel received up to the heaven.

Peter Summoned to Caesarea

17And as Peter was perplexed in himself what the vision that he saw might be, then, lo, the men who have been sent from Cornelius, having made inquiry for the house of Simon, stood at the gate, 18and having called, they were asking if Simon, who is surnamed Peter, doth lodge here? 19And Peter thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'Lo, three men do seek thee; 20but having risen, go down and go on with them, nothing doubting, because I have sent them;' 21and Peter having come down unto the men who have been sent from Cornelius unto him, said, 'Lo, I am he whom ye seek, what is the cause for which ye are present?' 22And they said, 'Cornelius, a centurion, a man righteous and fearing God, well testified to, also, by all the nation of the Jews, was divinely warned by a holy messenger to send for thee, to his house, and to hear sayings from thee.' 23Having called them in, therefore, he lodged them, and on the morrow Peter went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa went with him,

Peter at Caesarea

24and on the morrow they did enter into Caesarea; and Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kindred and near friends, 25and as it came that Peter entered in, Cornelius having met him, having fallen at his feet, did bow before him; 26and Peter raised him, saying, 'Stand up; I also myself am a man;' 27and talking with him he went in, and doth find many having come together. 28And he said unto them, 'Ye know how it is unlawful for a man, a Jew, to keep company with, or to come unto, one of another race, but to me God did shew to call no man common or unclean; 29therefore also without gainsaying I came, having been sent for; I ask, therefore, for what matter ye did send for me?'

30And Cornelius said, 'Four days ago till this hour, I was fasting, and at the ninth hour praying in my house, and, lo, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31and he said, Cornelius, thy prayer was heard, and thy kind acts were remembered before God; 32send, therefore, to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter; this one doth lodge in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea, who having come, shall speak to thee; 33at once, therefore, I sent to thee; thou also didst do well, having come; now, therefore, are we all before God present to hear all things that have been commanded thee by God.'

The Gentiles Hear the Good News

34And Peter having opened his mouth, said, 'Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, 35but in every nation he who is fearing Him, and is working righteousness, is acceptable to Him; 36the word that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming good news -- peace through Jesus Christ (this one is Lord of all,) 37ye -- ye have known; -- the word that came throughout all Judea, having begun from Galilee, after the baptism that John preached; 38Jesus who is from Nazareth -- how God did anoint him with the Holy Spirit and power; who went through, doing good, and healing all those oppressed by the devil, because God was with him; 39and we -- we are witnesses of all things that he did, both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, -- whom they did slay, having hanged upon a tree. 40'This one God did raise up the third day, and gave him to become manifest, 41not to all the people, but to witnesses, to those having been chosen before by God -- to us who did eat with him, and did drink with him, after his rising out of the dead; 42and he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify fully that it is he who hath been ordained by God judge of living and dead -- 43to this one do all the prophets testify, that through his name every one that is believing in him doth receive remission of sins.'

The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

(Joel 2:28-32; John 14:15-26; John 16:5-16; Acts 2:1-13; Acts 19:1-7)

44While Peter is yet speaking these sayings, the Holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word, 45and those of the circumcision believing were astonished -- as many as came with Peter -- because also upon the nations the gift of the Holy Spirit hath been poured out, 46for they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God. 47Then answered Peter, 'The water is any one able to forbid, that these may not be baptized, who the Holy Spirit did receive -- even as also we?' 48he commanded them also to be baptized in the name of the Lord; then they besought him to remain certain days.