Acts 10:9–32

⁹About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.^{* 10}He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while it was being prepared he fell into a trance.^{* 11}He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners.^{* 12}In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. ¹³Then he heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.”^{* 15}The voice said to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”^{* 16}This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven.

¹⁷Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon’s house and were standing by the gate.^{* 18}They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there. ¹⁹While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look, three^v men are searching for you.^{* 20}Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” ²¹So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?” ²²They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous^w and God-fearing man who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish people, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.”^{* 23}So Peter^x invited them in and gave them lodging.

The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers and sisters from Joppa accompanied him.^{* 24}The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵On Peter’s arrival, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, worshiped him. ²⁶But Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up; I am only a mortal.”^{* 27}And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled, ²⁸and he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is improper for a Jew to associate with or to visit an outsider, but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean.^{* 29}So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. ³¹He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms have been remembered before God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’