Acts 10

¹ Now a certain man in Caesarea, named Cornelius, a centurion of a squadron called 'Italian', ² devout and fearing God with his entire house, doing many alms to the people and beseeching God continually, ³ perceived in a vision manifestly, as if about the ninth hour of the day, a messenger of God entering to him and saying to him, "Cornelius!" ⁴ Now he, looking intently at him, and becoming affrighted, said, "What is it, lord?" Now he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms ascended for a memorial in front of God. ⁵ And now send men to Joppa, and send after a certain Simon, who is surnamed Peter. ⁶ This man is lodging with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is beside the sea." ⁷ Now as the messenger who is speaking to him came away, summoning two of the domestics and a devout soldier of those who waited on him, ⁸ and unfolding it all to them, he dispatches them to Joppa. ⁹ Now, on the morrow, as they are journeying and drawing near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour of the day. ¹⁰ Now he became ravenous and wanted to taste food. Now, while they are preparing it, an ecstasy came on him, ¹¹ and he is beholding heaven open and a certain utensil descending, as a large sheet, with four edges, being let down on the earth, ¹² in which belonged all the quadrupeds and reptiles of the earth and the flying creatures of heaven. ¹³ And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter! Sacrifice and eat!" ¹⁴ Yet Peter said, "Far be it from me, Lord, for I never ate anything contaminating and unclean!" ¹⁵ And again, a second time, a voice came to him, "What God cleanses, do not you count contaminating!" ¹⁶ Now this occurred thrice, and straightway the utensil was taken up into heaven. ¹⁷ Now, as Peter was bewildered in himself as to what the vision which he perceived should be, lo! the men who have been dispatched by Cornelius, asking the way through to the house of Simon, stand by at the portal. ¹⁸ And, shouting, they inquired to ascertain if Simon, surnamed Peter, is lodging in this place. ¹⁹ Now, as Peter is engrossed, concerned with the vision, the spirit said to him, "Lo! three men are seeking you!" ²⁰ But, rising, descend and go with them, nothing doubting, for I have commissioned them. ²¹ Now Peter, descending to the men, said, "Lo! I am he whom you are seeking. What is the cause for which you are present?" ²² Now they say, "Cornelius, a centurion, a man just and God-fearing, besides being attested by the whole nation of the Jews, is apprized by a holy messenger to send after you to come into his house, and to hear declarations from you." ²³ Calling them in, then, he lodges them. Now on the morrow, on rising, he came away together with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa came with him. ²⁴ Now on the morrow he entered into Caesarea. Now Cornelius was hoping for them, calling together his relatives and intimate friends. ²⁵ Now as Peter came to enter, Cornelius, meeting with him, falling at his feet, worships. ²⁶ Yet Peter raises him, saying, "Rise! I myself also am a man." ²⁷ And, conversing with him, he entered, and is finding many come together. ²⁸ Besides, he averred to them, "You are versed in the fact how illicit it is for a man who is a Jew to join or come to another tribe, and God shows me not to say that any man is contaminating or unclean. ²⁹ Wherefore, without gainsaying, also, being sent after, I came. I am inquiring to ascertain, then, on what account you send after me." ³⁰ And Cornelius averred, "Four days ago unto this hour was I fasting, and at the ninth, praying in my house, and lo! a man stood before me in splendid attire, ³¹ and is averring, 'Cornelius, your prayer is hearkened to, and your alms are brought to remembrance in God's sight. ³² Send, then, into Joppa, and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, beside the sea.' ³³ Forthwith, then I send to you. Besides you do ideally in coming along. Now, then, we are all present in God's sight to hear all that you have been bidden by the Lord." ³⁴ Now Peter, opening his mouth, said, "Of a truth I am grasping that God is not partial, ³⁵ but in every nation he who is fearing Him and acting righteously is acceptable to Him. ³⁶ Of the word He dispatches to the sons of Israel, bringing the evangel of peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all), ³⁷ you are aware, the declaration coming to be down the whole of Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John heralds: ³⁸ Jesus from Nazareth, as God anoints Him with holy spirit and power, Who passed through as a benefactor and healer of all those who are tyrannized over by the Adversary, for God was with Him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all that He does, both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; Whom they assassinate also, hanging Him on a pole. ⁴⁰ This One God rouses the third day, and gives Him to become disclosed, ⁴¹ not to the entire people, but to witnesses who have been selected before by God, to us who ate and drank together with Him after His rising from among the dead. ⁴² And He charges us to herald to the people and to certify that this One is He Who is specified by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ To this One are all the prophets testifying: Everyone who is believing in Him is to obtain the pardon of sins through His name." ⁴⁴ While Peter is still speaking these declarations, the holy spirit falls on all those hearing the word. ⁴⁵ And amazed were the believers of the Circumcision, whoever come together with Peter, seeing that on the nations also the gratuity of the holy spirit has been poured out. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in languages and magnifying God. ⁴⁷ Then Peter answered, "There can not be anyone to forbid water, so that these are not to be baptized, who obtained the holy spirit even as we." ⁴⁸ Now he bids them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they ask him to stay some days.