CHAPTER 10
He and
all
his
household
were devout
and
God-fearing.
He gave generously
to the
people
and
prayed
to
God
regularly.
One
day
at about
the ninth
hour,
he had a clear vision
of an angel
of God
who came
to
him
and
said,
“Cornelius!”
Cornelius stared
at him
in fear
and
asked,
“What
is it,
Lord?”
The angel answered,
“Your
prayers
and
gifts to the poor
have ascended
as
a memorial offering
before
God.
When
the
angel
who
spoke
to him
had gone,
Cornelius called
two
of his
servants
and
a devout
soldier
from among
his personal attendants.
The
next day
at about
the sixth
hour,
as
the men were approaching
the
city
on their journey,
Peter
went up
on
the
roof
to pray.
He became
hungry
and
wanted something
to eat,
but
while
the meal was being prepared,
he
fell
into
a trance.
It contained
all kinds of
four-footed animals
and
reptiles
of the
earth,
as well as
birds
of
the air.
While
Peter
was puzzling over
the meaning
of the
vision,
the
men
sent
by
Cornelius
found
Simon’s
house
and approached
the
gate.
As
Peter
continued to reflect
on
the
vision,
the
Spirit
told
him,
“Three
men
are here
looking for
you.
So
Peter
went down
to
the
men
and said,
“Here
am
I,
the one
you are looking for.
Why
have you come?”
“Cornelius
the centurion has sent us ,”
they said.
“He is a righteous
and
God-fearing
man
with
a good reputation
among
the
whole
Jewish
nation.
A holy
angel
instructed him
to request your presence
in
his
home,
so that he could
hear
a message
from
you.”
So
Peter invited them in
as his guests.
And
the
next day
he got ready
and went
with
them,
accompanied by
some
of the
brothers
from
Joppa.
The
following day
he arrived
in
Caesarea,
where
Cornelius
was
expecting
them
and had called together
his
relatives
and
close
friends.
He said
to
them,
“You
know
how
unlawful
it is
for a Jew
to associate with
a foreigner
or
visit him.
But
God
has shown
me that
I should not call
any man
impure
or
unclean.
Cornelius
answered:
“Four
days
ago,
I was
in
my
house
praying
at
this,
the
ninth
hour.
Suddenly
a man
in
radiant
clothing
stood
before
me
and
said,
‘Cornelius,
your
prayer
has been heard,
and
your
gifts to the poor
have been remembered
before
God.
Therefore
send
to
Joppa
for
Simon,
who
is called
Peter.
He
is a guest
in
the home
of Simon
the tanner,
by
the sea.’
So
I sent
for
you
immediately,
and
you
were
kind enough
to come.
Now
then,
we
are all
here
in the presence
of God
to listen to
everything
the
Lord
has instructed
you to tell us."
He has sent
this
message
to the
people
of Israel,
proclaiming the gospel
of peace
through
Jesus
Christ,
who
is
Lord
of all.
You yourselves
know
what has happened
throughout
Judea,
beginning
in
Galilee
with
the
baptism
that
John
proclaimed:
how
God
anointed
Jesus
of
Nazareth
with the Holy
Spirit
and
with power,
and how Jesus
went around
doing good
and
healing
all
who
were oppressed
by
the
devil,
because
God
was
with
Him.
We
are witnesses
of all
that
He did,
both
in
the
land
of the
Jews
and
in
Jerusalem.
And although
they put Him to death
by hanging Him
on
a tree,
not
by all
the
people,
but
by the witnesses
God
had chosen beforehand,
by us
who
ate
and
drank with
Him
after
He
rose
from
the dead.
And
He commanded
us
to preach
to the
people
and
to testify
that
He
is
the One
appointed
by
God
to judge
the living
and
the dead.
All
the
prophets
testify
about Him
that everyone
who
believes
in
Him
receives
forgiveness
of sins
through
His
name.”
All
the
circumcised
believers
who had accompanied
Peter
were amazed
that
the
gift
of the
Holy
Spirit
had been poured out
even
on
the
Gentiles.
“Can
anyone
withhold
the
water
to baptize
these people?
They
have received
the
Holy
Spirit
just as
we
have!”
So
he ordered that
they be baptized
in
the
name
of Jesus
Christ.
Then
they asked
him
to stay
for a few
days.