1Now there was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of the cohort called the Italian,
2a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave many alms to the people and prayed to God continually.
3He saw clearly in a vision, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him and saying to him, ‘Cornelius!’
4And staring at him and becoming terrified, he said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ And he said to him, ‘Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.’
5And now, send men to Joppa and send for a certain Simon who is called Peter.
6He is lodging with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.
7And when the angel who was speaking to him had departed, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who regularly attended him,
8and after explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9Now on the next day, while they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour.
10And he became very hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came upon him.
11And he saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet descending, being let down to the earth by its four corners.
12In it were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.
13And a voice came to him: ‘Arise, Peter; kill and eat.’
14But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’
15And the voice came to him again a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call common.’
16This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.
17Now while Peter was greatly perplexed within himself as to what the vision he had seen might mean, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius, after asking for Simon’s house, stood at the gate.
18And calling out, they began to ask if Simon who is called Peter was lodging there.
19While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Behold, two men are looking for you.
20But get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation, because I myself have sent them.’
21So Peter went down to the men and said, ‘Behold, I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason you are here?’
22And they said, ‘Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear a message from you.’
23So he invited them in and gave them lodging. And on the next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
24On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25As Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and worshiped him.
26But Peter lifted him up, saying, ‘Stand up; I myself am also a man.’
27And talking with him, he went inside and found many people gathered.
28And he said to them, ‘You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner. But God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.’
29Therefore I came without objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you sent for me.
30And Cornelius said, ‘Four days ago at this very hour, the ninth hour, I was praying in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in shining clothing,
31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.
32Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.
33So I sent for you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore we are all present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.’
34Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
35but in every nation the one who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.
36This is the message he sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.
37You yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached:
38about Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.
39And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also killed him by hanging him on a tree.
40God raised this one on the third day and made him to appear,
41not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God—to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
43To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were hearing the message.
45And the believers from the circumcision who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
46For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter responded,
47‘Can anyone withhold the water to keep these from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’
48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for some days.
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