Acts 10
Common English Bible
Peter, Cornelius, and the Gentiles
10 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Company.[a] 2 He and his whole household were pious, Gentile God-worshippers. He gave generously to those in need among the Jewish people and prayed to God constantly. 3 One day at nearly three o’clock in the afternoon, he clearly saw an angel from God in a vision. The angel came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4 Startled, he stared at the angel and replied, “What is it, Lord?”
The angel said, “Your prayers and your compassionate acts are like a memorial offering to God. 5 Send messengers to Joppa at once and summon a certain Simon, the one known as Peter. 6 He is a guest of Simon the tanner, whose house is near the seacoast.” 7 When the angel who was speaking to him had gone, Cornelius summoned two of his household servants along with a pious soldier from his personal staff. 8 He explained everything to them, then sent them to Joppa.
9 At noon on the following day, as their journey brought them close to the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted to eat. While others were preparing the meal, he had a visionary experience. 11 He saw heaven opened up and something like a large linen sheet being lowered to the earth by its four corners. 12 Inside the sheet were all kinds of four-legged animals, reptiles, and wild birds.[b] 13 A voice told him, “Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!”
14 Peter exclaimed, “Absolutely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 The voice spoke a second time, “Never consider unclean what God has made pure.” 16 This happened three times, then the object was suddenly pulled back into heaven.
17 Peter was bewildered about the meaning of the vision. Just then, the messengers sent by Cornelius discovered the whereabouts of Simon’s house and arrived at the gate. 18 Calling out, they inquired whether the Simon known as Peter was a guest there.
19 While Peter was brooding over the vision, the Spirit interrupted him, “Look! Three people are looking for you. 20 Go downstairs. Don’t ask questions; just go with them because I have sent them.”
21 So Peter went downstairs and told them, “I’m the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”
22 They replied, “We’ve come on behalf of Cornelius, a centurion and righteous man, a God-worshipper who is well-respected by all Jewish people. A holy angel directed him to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 Peter invited them into the house as his guests.
The next day he got up and went with them, together with some of the believers from Joppa. 24 They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Anticipating their arrival, Cornelius had gathered his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in order to honor him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Get up! Like you, I’m just a human.” 27 As they continued to talk, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them, “You all realize that it is forbidden for a Jew to associate or visit with outsiders. However, God has shown me that I should never call a person impure or unclean. 29 For this reason, when you sent for me, I came without objection. I want to know, then, why you sent for me.”
30 Cornelius answered, “Four days ago at this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon, I was praying at home. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayers, and your compassionate acts are like a memorial offering to him. 32 Therefore, send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is known as Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, located near the seacoast.’ 33 I sent for you right away, and you were kind enough to come. Now, here we are, gathered in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has directed you to say.”
34 Peter said, “I really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another. 35 Rather, in every nation, whoever worships him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 This is the message of peace he sent to the Israelites by proclaiming the good news through Jesus Christ: He is Lord of all! 37 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism John preached. 38 You know about Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and endowed with power. Jesus traveled around doing good and healing everyone oppressed by the devil because God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of everything he did, both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him up on the third day and allowed him to be seen, 41 not by everyone but by us. We are witnesses whom God chose beforehand, who ate and drank with him after God raised him from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on everyone who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 They heard them speaking in other languages and praising God. Peter asked, 47 “These people have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. Surely no one can stop them from being baptized with water, can they?” 48 He directed that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited Peter to stay for several days.
Footnotes
- Acts 10:1 Or cohort (approximately six hundred soldiers)
- Acts 10:12 Or birds in the sky
Acts 10
New King James Version
Cornelius Sends a Delegation
10 There was a certain man in (A)Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian [a]Regiment, 2 (B)a devout man and one who (C)feared God with all his household, who gave [b]alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About [c]the ninth hour of the day (D)he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”
So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now (E)send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with (F)Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. (G)He[d] will tell you what you must do.” 7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision
9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, (H)Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about [e]the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and (I)saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! (J)For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, (K)“What God has [f]cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
Summoned to Caesarea
17 Now while Peter [g]wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. 18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.
19 While Peter thought about the vision, (L)the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 (M)Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”
21 Then Peter went down to the men [h]who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”
22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and (N)has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” 23 Then he invited them in and lodged them.
On the next day Peter went away with them, (O)and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Peter Meets Cornelius
24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, (P)“Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how (Q)unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But (R)God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”
30 So Cornelius said, [i]“Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, (S)a man stood before me (T)in bright clothing, 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, (U)your prayer has been heard, and (V)your [j]alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. [k]When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”
Preaching to Cornelius’ Household
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: (W)“In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But (X)in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is (Y)accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the [l]children of Israel, (Z)preaching peace through Jesus Christ—(AA)He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and (AB)began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how (AC)God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who (AD)went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, (AE)for God was with Him. 39 And we are (AF)witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom [m]they (AG)killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him (AH)God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 (AI)not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us (AJ)who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And (AK)He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify (AL)that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge (AM)of the living and the dead. 43 (AN)To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, (AO)whoever believes in Him will receive (AP)remission[n] of sins.”
The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, (AQ)the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 (AR)And [o]those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, (AS)because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit (AT)just as we have?” 48 (AU)And he commanded them to be baptized (AV)in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Footnotes
- Acts 10:1 Cohort
- Acts 10:2 charitable gifts
- Acts 10:3 3 p.m.
- Acts 10:6 NU, M omit the rest of v. 6.
- Acts 10:9 Noon
- Acts 10:15 Declared clean
- Acts 10:17 was perplexed
- Acts 10:21 NU, M omit who had been sent to him from Cornelius
- Acts 10:30 NU Four days ago to this hour, at the ninth hour
- Acts 10:31 charitable gifts
- Acts 10:32 NU omits the rest of v. 32.
- Acts 10:36 Lit. sons
- Acts 10:39 NU, M they also
- Acts 10:43 forgiveness
- Acts 10:45 The Jews
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
