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1 Now there was a certain man in the city of Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment.
2 He was devout and feared God with all his household; he gave much money to people in need and he constantly prayed to God.
3 About the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 But Cornelius stared at the angel and becoming frightened he said, “What is it, sir?” Then the angel said to him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the poor have gone up as a memorial offering into God’ s presence.
5 So now send men to Joppa and summon a certain Simon who is called Peter.
6 He is staying with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had left, Cornelius called two of his house servants, and a devout soldier from among those who served him.
8 So having told them all that had happened, Cornelius sent them to Joppa.
9 Now on the next day at about the sixth hour, as they were on their journey and were approaching the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray.
10 He then became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the people were cooking some food, a vision came upon him,
11 and he saw the sky open and a certain container descending, something like a large sheet, being let down by its four corners to the earth.
12 In it were all kinds of four- footed animals and things that crawled on the earth, and birds of the sky.
13 Then a voice spoke to him: “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.”
14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that was defiled and unclean.”
15 But the voice came to him again a second time: “What God has cleansed, do not call it defiled.”
16 Now this happened three times; then the container was immediately taken back up into the sky.
17 Now while Peter was very confused in his mind about what the vision that he had seen could mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius stood before the gate, after they had asked their way to the house of Simon.
18 Then they called out, asking if Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, men are looking for you.
20 But arise and go down and go with them. Do not hesitate, because I have sent them.”
21 So Peter went down to the men and said, “Look, I am he whom you are seeking. What is the reason for which you have come?”
22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a man who is righteous and fears God, who is also well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, so he could hear a message from you.”
23 So Peter invited them to come in and stay with him. Then on the next morning he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers who were from Joppa accompanied him.
24 Then on the following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them; he had called together his relatives and his close friends.
25 It came about that when Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet to worship him.
26 But Peter helped him up, saying, “Stand up! I too am a man myself.”
27 While Peter was talking with him, he went in and found many people gathered together.
28 He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to associate with or to visit a person from another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man defiled or unclean.
29 That is why I came without arguing, when I was sent for. So I ask you for what reason did you send for me?”
30 Then Cornelius said, “Four days ago at this very hour, I was praying at the ninth hour in my house; and see, a man stood before me in bright clothing.
31 He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered in the presence of God.
32 So send someone to Joppa, and summon Simon who is called Peter. He is staying in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the seaside.’
33 So at once I sent for you. You did well to have come. Now therefore, we are all here present before God, to hear everything that you have been instructed by the Lord to say.”
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly, I perceive that God is not one who shows partiality.
35 Instead, in every nation anyone who fears him and does righteous deeds is acceptable to him.
36 The message that he sent to the sons of Israel, announcing the gospel about peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all—
37 you yourselves know the message which came and spread throughout all Judea, beginning in Galilee, after the baptism that John announced;
38 the events concerning 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, for God was with him.
39 We are witnesses of all the things that Jesus did, both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also killed him by hanging him on a tree,
40 but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen,
41 not by all the people, but to the witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God— by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42 He commanded us to proclaim to the people and to testify fully that it is he who has been chosen by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.
43 It is to him that all the prophets bear witness, so that everyone who believes in him shall receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all of those who were listening to his message.
45 The believers who belonged to the circumcision— all of those who had come with Peter— were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out also on the Gentiles.
46 For they heard these Gentiles speaking in other languages and praising God. Then Peter answered,
47 “Can anyone keep water from these people so they should not be baptized, these people who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?”
48 Then he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay with them for several days.
The Acts of the Apostles