Acts 10:9–32

⁹About noon the next day as they came near Joppa, Peter was going up to the roof ⁿ to pray. ¹⁰He was hungry and wanted to eat, but while the food was being prepared, he had a vision. ¹¹He saw heaven opened and something coming down that looked like a big sheet being lowered to earth by its four corners. ¹²In it were all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds. ¹³Then a voice said to Peter, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”

¹⁴But Peter said, “No, Lord! I have never eaten food that is unholy or unclean.”

¹⁵But the voice said to him again, “God has made these things clean, so don’t call them unholy!” ¹⁶This happened three times, and at once the sheet was taken back to heaven.

¹⁷While Peter was wondering what this vision meant, the men Cornelius sent had found Simon’s house and were standing at the gate. ¹⁸They asked, “Is Simon Peter staying here?”

¹⁹While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Listen, three men are looking for you. ²⁰Get up and go downstairs. Go with them without doubting, because I have sent them to you.”

²¹So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. Why did you come here?”

²²They said, “A holy angel spoke to Cornelius, an army officer and a good man; he worships God. All the people respect him. The angel told Cornelius to ask you to come to his house so that he can hear what you have to say.” ²³So Peter asked the men to come in and spend the night.

The next day Peter got ready and went with them, and some of the followers from Joppa joined him. ²⁴On the following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him. ²⁶But Peter helped him up, saying, “Stand up. I too am only a human.” ²⁷As he talked with Cornelius, Peter went inside where he saw many people gathered. ²⁸He said, “You people understand that it is against our law for Jewish people to associate with or visit anyone who is not Jewish. But God has shown me that I should not call any person ‘unholy’ or ‘unclean.’ ²⁹That is why I did not argue when I was asked to come here. Now, please tell me why you sent for me.”

³⁰Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was praying in my house at this same time—three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, there was a man standing before me wearing shining clothes. ³¹He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and has seen that you give to the poor and remembers you. ³²So send some men to Joppa and ask Simon Peter to come. Peter is staying in the house of a man, also named Simon, who is a tanner and has a house beside the sea.’