ACTS 10:1 Now a Captain of the Italian Regiment, named Cornelius, was quartered at Caesarea.
ACTS 10:2 He was religious and God-fearing--and so was every member of his household. He was also liberal in his charities to the people, and continually offered prayer to God.
ACTS 10:3 About three o'clock one afternoon he had a vision, and distinctly saw an angel of God enter his house, who called him by name, saying, "Cornelius!"
ACTS 10:4 Looking steadily at him, and being much alarmed, he said, "What do you want, Sir?" "Your prayers and charities," he replied, "have gone up and have been recorded before God.
ACTS 10:5 And now send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.
ACTS 10:6 He is staying as a guest with Simon, a tanner, who has a house close to the sea."
ACTS 10:7 So when the angel who had been speaking to him was gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a God-fearing soldier who was in constant attendance on him,
ACTS 10:8 and, after telling them everything, he sent them to Jaffa.
ACTS 10:9 The next day, while they were still on their journey and were getting near the town, about noon Peter went up on the house-top to pray.
ACTS 10:10 He had become unusually hungry and wished for food; but, while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance.
ACTS 10:11 The sky had opened to his view, and what seemed to be an enormous sail was descending, being let down to the earth by ropes at the four corners.
ACTS 10:12 In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles and birds,
ACTS 10:13 and a voice came to him which said, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat."
ACTS 10:14 "On no account, Lord," he replied; "for I have never yet eaten anything unholy and impure."
ACTS 10:15 Again a second time a voice was heard which said, "What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy."
ACTS 10:16 This was said three times, and immediately the sail was drawn up out of sight.
ACTS 10:17 While Peter was greatly perplexed as to the meaning of the vision which he had seen, just then the men sent by Cornelius, having by inquiry found out Simon's house,
ACTS 10:18 had come to the door and had called the servant, and were asking, "Is Simon, surnamed Peter, staying here?"
ACTS 10:19 And Peter was still earnestly thinking over the vision, when the Spirit said to him, "Three men are now inquiring for you.
ACTS 10:20 Rise, go down, and go with them without any misgivings; for it is I who have sent them to you."
ACTS 10:21 So Peter went down and said to the men, "I am the Simon you are inquiring for. What is the reason of your coming?"
ACTS 10:22 Their reply was, "Cornelius, a Captain, an upright and God-fearing man, of whom the whole Jewish nation speaks well, has been divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and listen to what you have to say."
ACTS 10:23 Upon hearing this, Peter invited them in, and gave them a lodging. The next day he set out with them, some of the brethren from Jaffa going with him,
ACTS 10:24 and the day after that they reached Caesarea. There Cornelius was awaiting their arrival, and had invited all his relatives and intimate friends to be present.
ACTS 10:25 When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him, and threw himself at his feet to do him homage.
ACTS 10:26 But Peter lifted him up. "Stand up," he said; "I myself also am but a man."
ACTS 10:27 So Peter went in and conversed with him, and found a large company assembled.
ACTS 10:28 He said to them, "You know better than most that a Jew is strictly forbidden to associate with a Gentile or visit him; but God has taught me to call no one unholy or unclean.
ACTS 10:29 So for this reason, when sent for, I came without raising any objection. I therefore ask why you sent for me."
ACTS 10:30 "Just at this hour, three days ago," replied Cornelius, "I was offering afternoon prayer in my house, when suddenly a man in shining raiment stood in front of me,
ACTS 10:31 who said, "`Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been put on record before God.
ACTS 10:32 Send therefore to Jaffa, and invite Simon, surnamed Peter, to come here. He is staying as a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, close to the sea.'
ACTS 10:33 "Immediately, therefore, I sent to you, and I thank you heartily for having come. That is why all of us are now assembled here in God's presence, to listen to what the Lord has commanded you to say."
ACTS 10:34 Then Peter began to speak. "I clearly see," he said, "that God makes no distinctions between one man and another;
ACTS 10:35 but that in every nation those who fear Him and live good lives are acceptable to Him.
ACTS 10:36 The Message which He sent to the descendants of Israel, when He announced the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--that Message you cannot but know;
ACTS 10:37 the story, I mean, which has spread through the length and breadth of Judaea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism which John proclaimed.
ACTS 10:38 It tells how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, so that He went about everywhere doing acts of kindness, and curing all who were being continually oppressed by the Devil--for God was with Jesus.
ACTS 10:39 "And we are witnesses as to all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. But they even put Him to death, by crucifixion.
ACTS 10:40 That same Jesus God raised to life on the third day, and permitted Him to appear unmistakably,
ACTS 10:41 not to all the people, but to witnesses--men previously chosen by God--namely, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
ACTS 10:42 And He has commanded us to preach to the people and solemnly declare that this is He who has been appointed by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.
ACTS 10:43 To Him all the Prophets bear witness, and testify that through His name all who believe in Him receive the forgiveness of their sins."
ACTS 10:44 While Peter was speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the Message.
ACTS 10:45 And all the Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that on the Gentiles also the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out.
ACTS 10:46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the majesty of God. Then Peter said,
ACTS 10:47 "Can any one forbid the use of water, and object to these persons being baptized--men who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?"
ACTS 10:48 And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them for a time.
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