IV. The Inauguration of the Gentile Mission

Chapter 10

The Vision of Cornelius.^{(A) 1 [a]}Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Cohort called the Italica,^{[b] 2} devout and God-fearing along with his whole household, who used to give alms generously^[c] to the Jewish people and pray to God constantly. ³ One afternoon about three o’clock,^[d] he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say to him, “Cornelius.” ⁴ He looked intently at him and, seized with fear, said, “What is it, sir?” He said to him, “Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God. ⁵ Now send some men to Joppa and summon one Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is staying with another Simon, a tanner, who has a house by the sea.”^{(B) 7} When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier^[e] from his staff, ⁸ explained everything to them, and sent them to Joppa.

The Vision of Peter. ^9 [f]The next day, while they were on their way and nearing the city, Peter went up to the roof terrace to pray at about noontime.^{[g] 10} He was hungry and wished to eat, and while they were making preparations he fell into a trance. ^11 (C)He saw heaven opened and something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered to the ground by its four corners. ¹² In it were all the earth’s four-legged animals and reptiles and the birds of the sky. ¹³ A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “Certainly not, sir. For never have I eaten anything profane and unclean.”^{(D) 15} The voice spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.”^{(E) 16} This happened three times, and then the object was taken up into the sky.

^17 [h]While Peter was in doubt about the meaning of the vision he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius asked for Simon’s house and arrived at the entrance. ¹⁸ They called out inquiring whether Simon, who is called Peter, was staying there. ¹⁹ As Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said [to him], “There are three men here looking for you.^{(F) 20} So get up, go downstairs, and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.” ²¹ Then Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your being here?” ²² They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say.”^{(G) 23} So he invited them in and showed them hospitality.

The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him. ^24 [i]On the following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ^25 (H)When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. ²⁶ Peter, however, raised him up, saying, “Get up. I myself am also a human being.” ²⁷ While he conversed with him, he went in and found many people gathered together ^28 (I)and said to them, “You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with, or visit, a Gentile, but God has shown me that I should not call any person profane or unclean.^{[j] 29} And that is why I came without objection when sent for. May I ask, then, why you summoned me?”

³⁰ Cornelius replied, “Four days ago^[k] at this hour, three o’clock in the afternoon, I was at prayer in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling robes stood before me and said, ³¹ ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your almsgiving remembered before God. ³² Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to listen to all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Peter’s Speech.^{[l] 34} Then Peter proceeded to speak and said,^[m] “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.^{(J) 35} Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. ^36 [n]You know the word [that] he sent to the Israelites^[o] as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,^{(K) 37} what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached,^{(L) 38} how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth^[p] with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.^{(M) 39} We are witnesses^[q] of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and [in] Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. ⁴⁰ This man God raised [on] the third day and granted that he be visible, ⁴¹ not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.^{(N) 42} He commissioned us^(O) to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.^{[r] 43} To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

The Baptism of Cornelius. ^44 (P)While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.^{[s] 45} The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, ⁴⁶ for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?”^{(Q) 48} He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. ⁴⁹ Then they invited him to stay for a few days.

Chapter 12

Herod’s Persecution of the Christians.^{[a] 1} About that time King Herod laid hands upon some members of the church to harm them. ² He had James, the brother of John,^[b] killed by the sword, ^3 [c]and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (It was [the] feast of Unleavened Bread.) ⁴ He had him taken into custody and put in prison under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. He intended to bring him before the people after Passover. ⁵ Peter thus was being kept in prison, but prayer by the church was fervently being made to God on his behalf.^(A)

⁶ On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter, secured by double chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison. ⁷ Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains fell from his wrists. ⁸ The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.” ⁹ So he followed him out, not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ They passed the first guard, then the second, and came to the iron gate leading out to the city, which opened for them by itself. They emerged and made their way down an alley, and suddenly the angel left him. ¹¹ Then Peter recovered his senses and said, “Now I know for certain that [the] Lord sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.” ¹² When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who is called Mark, where there were many people gathered in prayer.^{(B) 13} When he knocked on the gateway door, a maid named Rhoda came to answer it. ¹⁴ She was so overjoyed when she recognized Peter’s voice that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. ¹⁵ They told her, “You are out of your mind,” but she insisted that it was so. But they kept saying, “It is his angel.” ¹⁶ But Peter continued to knock, and when they opened it, they saw him and were astounded. ¹⁷ He motioned to them with his hand to be quiet and explained [to them] how the Lord had led him out of the prison, and said, “Report this to James^[d] and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place. ¹⁸ At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.^{(C) 19} Herod, after instituting a search but not finding him, ordered the guards tried and executed. Then he left Judea to spend some time in Caesarea.

Herod’s Death. ^20 [e]He had long been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, who now came to him in a body. After winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they sued for peace because their country was supplied with food from the king’s territory. ²¹ On an appointed day, Herod, attired in royal robes, [and] seated on the rostrum, addressed them publicly. ²² The assembled crowd cried out, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” ²³ At once the angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not ascribe the honor to God, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. ²⁴ But the word of God continued to spread and grow.^(D)

Mission of Barnabas and Saul. ²⁵ After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission, they returned to Jerusalem,^[f] taking with them John, who is called Mark.^(E)