Acts 10–11

10Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, ²a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. ³He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius. ⁴And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God. ⁵And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter: ⁶he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. ⁷And when the angel that spake unto him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; ⁸and having rehearsed all things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour: ¹⁰and he became hungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance; ¹¹and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth: ¹²wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven. ¹³And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. ¹⁴But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean. ¹⁵And a voice came unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. ¹⁶And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven.

¹⁷Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate, ¹⁸and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, were lodging there. ¹⁹And while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. ²⁰But arise, and get thee down, and go with them, nothing doubting: for I have sent them. ²¹And Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? ²²And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee. ²³So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

²⁴And on the morrow they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends. ²⁵And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. ²⁶But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in, and findeth many come together: ²⁸and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean: ²⁹wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for. I ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me. ³⁰And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, ³¹and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side. ³³Forthwith therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord. ³⁴And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: ³⁵but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. ³⁶The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)— ³⁷that saying ye yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; ³⁸even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. ³⁹And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on a tree. ⁴⁰Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest, ⁴¹not to all the people, but unto witnesses that were chosen before of God, even to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²And he charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he who is ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.

⁴⁴While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word. ⁴⁵And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. ⁴⁶For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, ⁴⁷Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? ⁴⁸And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

11Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ²And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, ³saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. ⁴But Peter began, and expounded the matter unto them in order, saying, ⁵I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even unto me: ⁶upon which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the fourfooted beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and birds of the heaven. ⁷And I heard also a voice saying unto me, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. ⁸But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth. ⁹But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. ¹⁰And this was done thrice: and all were drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹And behold, forthwith three men stood before the house in which we were, having been sent from Caesarea unto me. ¹²And the Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these six brethren also accompanied me; and we entered into the man’s house: ¹³and he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter; ¹⁴who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house. ¹⁵And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God? ¹⁸And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then to the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life.

¹⁹They therefore that were scattered abroad upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none save only to Jews. ²⁰But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord. ²²And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch: ²³who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad; and he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord: ²⁴for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. ²⁵And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul; ²⁶and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

²⁷Now in these days there came down prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. ²⁸And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius. ²⁹And the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judaea: ³⁰which also they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.