Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
Peter Visits Cornelius
10 Now there was a man in Caesarea[a] named Cornelius, a centurion[b] of what was known as the Italian Cohort.[c] 2 He[d] was a devout, God-fearing man,[e] as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people[f] and prayed to God regularly. 3 About three o’clock one afternoon[g] he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God[h] who came in[i] and said to him, “Cornelius.” 4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius[j] replied,[k] “What is it, Lord?” The angel[l] said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity[m] have gone up as a memorial[n] before God. 5 Now[o] send men to Joppa[p] and summon a man named Simon,[q] who is called Peter. 6 This man is staying as a guest with a man named Simon, a tanner,[r] whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who had spoken to him departed, Cornelius[s] called two of his personal servants[t] and a devout soldier from among those who served him,[u] 8 and when he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 About noon[v] the next day, while they were on their way and approaching[w] the city, Peter went up on the roof[x] to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came over him.[y] 11 He[z] saw heaven[aa] opened[ab] and an object something like a large sheet[ac] descending,[ad] being let down to earth[ae] by its four corners. 12 In it[af] were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles[ag] of the earth and wild birds.[ah] 13 Then[ai] a voice said[aj] to him, “Get up, Peter; slaughter[ak] and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!”[al] 15 The voice[am] spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not consider[an] ritually unclean!”[ao] 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.[ap]
17 Now while Peter was puzzling over[aq] what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was[ar] and approached[as] the gate. 18 They[at] called out to ask if Simon, known as Peter,[au] was staying there as a guest. 19 While Peter was still thinking seriously about[av] the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look! Three men are looking for you. 20 But get up,[aw] go down, and accompany them without hesitation,[ax] because I have sent them.” 21 So Peter went down[ay] to the men and said, “Here I am,[az] the person you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 22 They said, “Cornelius the centurion,[ba] a righteous[bb] and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation,[bc] was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message[bd] from you.” 23 So Peter[be] invited them in and entertained them as guests.
On the next day he got up and set out[bf] with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa[bg] accompanied him. 24 The following day[bh] he entered Caesarea.[bi] Now Cornelius was waiting anxiously[bj] for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 So when[bk] Peter came in, Cornelius met[bl] him, fell[bm] at his feet, and worshiped[bn] him. 26 But Peter helped him up,[bo] saying, “Stand up. I too am a mere mortal.”[bp] 27 Peter[bq] continued talking with him as he went in, and he found many people gathered together.[br] 28 He said to them, “You know that[bs] it is unlawful[bt] for a Jew[bu] to associate with or visit a Gentile,[bv] yet God has shown me that I should call no person[bw] defiled or ritually unclean.[bx] 29 Therefore when you sent for me,[by] I came without any objection. Now may I ask why[bz] you sent for me?” 30 Cornelius[ca] replied,[cb] “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon,[cc] I was praying in my house, and suddenly[cd] a man in shining clothing stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity[ce] have been remembered before God.[cf] 32 Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner,[cg] by the sea.’ 33 Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come.[ch] So now we are all here in the presence of God[ci] to listen[cj] to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.”[ck]
34 Then Peter started speaking:[cl] “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people,[cm] 35 but in every nation[cn] the person who fears him[co] and does what is right[cp] is welcomed before him. 36 You know[cq] the message[cr] he sent to the people[cs] of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace[ct] through[cu] Jesus Christ[cv] (he is Lord[cw] of all)— 37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced:[cx] 38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth,[cy] that[cz] God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He[da] went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,[db] because God was with him.[dc] 39 We[dd] are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea[de] and in Jerusalem. They[df] killed him by hanging him on a tree,[dg] 40 but[dh] God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen,[di] 41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen,[dj] who ate and drank[dk] with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He[dl] commanded us to preach to the people and to warn[dm] them[dn] that he is the one[do] appointed[dp] by God as judge[dq] of the living and the dead. 43 About him all the prophets testify,[dr] that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins[ds] through his name.”
The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on[dt] all those who heard the message.[du] 45 The[dv] circumcised believers[dw] who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished[dx] that[dy] the gift of the Holy Spirit[dz] had been poured out[ea] even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising[eb] God. Then Peter said, 47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did,[ec] can he?”[ed] 48 So he gave orders to have them baptized[ee] in the name of Jesus Christ.[ef] Then they asked him to stay for several days.
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