哥尼流邀請彼得

10 在凱撒利亞有一位隸屬義大利營的百夫長名叫哥尼流。 他和全家都是虔誠敬畏上帝的人,他慷慨賙濟窮人,常常禱告。 一天,大約下午三點,他在異象中清楚地看見一位上帝的天使進來呼喚他:「哥尼流!」

哥尼流驚恐地注視著他,問:「主啊,什麼事?」

天使回答說:「你的禱告和賙濟窮人的善行已經在上帝面前蒙悅納。 如今你要派人去約帕,請一個叫西門·彼得的人來。 他住在一個叫西門的皮革匠家裡,房子在海邊。」

向他說話的天使離開後,哥尼流叫來兩個家僕和自己的一個敬虔侍衛, 把剛才的事告訴他們,然後差他們去約帕。

彼得見異象

第二天中午,他們快要到達約帕時,彼得上屋頂去禱告。 10 他覺得肚子餓了,想吃東西。那家人正在預備午飯的時候,彼得進入異象, 11 看見天開了,有一樣東西好像一大塊布,四角吊著降到地上, 12 裡面有各種天上的飛禽、地上的爬蟲和四足的走獸。 13 然後有聲音對他說:「彼得,起來,宰了吃!」

14 彼得卻說:「主啊!這可不行!我從未吃過任何污穢不潔之物。」

15 那聲音又一次對他說:「上帝已經潔淨的,你不可再稱之為不潔淨。」 16 這樣一連三次之後,那塊布就被收回天上去了。

17 彼得不知所措,正在猜測這異象到底是什麼意思,哥尼流的僕人們剛好找來了, 18 正站在門口大聲問西門·彼得是否住在這裡。

19 彼得還在苦苦思索的時候,聖靈又對他說:「彼得,外面有三個人來找你, 20 快下樓跟他們去,不必多慮,他們是我差來的。」 21 彼得就下去見他們,說:「我就是你們要找的人,有什麼事?」

22 他們說:「哥尼流百夫長是個又正直又敬畏上帝的人,連猶太人都稱讚他。上帝的天使指示他請你到他家裡去,好聽你的指教。」

23 彼得就留他們住了一夜。第二天,彼得和他們以及幾個約帕的弟兄一同出發了。 24 又過了一天,他們到達凱撒利亞。哥尼流已經請來親朋好友,在等候他們。 25 他一看見彼得,就迎上去俯伏在他腳前拜他。 26 彼得連忙把他扶起來,說:「快起來,我只不過是人。」

27 彼得和他邊走邊談,進屋後,見聚集了許多人, 28 就對他們說:「你們都知道,按照猶太人的傳統,我們不可以和外族人來往。但上帝已經指示我不可把任何人視為污穢不潔。 29 所以,我受到邀請後,毫不猶豫地來了。請問你們為什麼請我來?」

30 哥尼流說:「四天前,大約也是下午三點這個時候,我在家裡禱告,忽然有一個身穿明亮衣服的人站在我面前, 31 說,『哥尼流,上帝已經垂聽了你的禱告,也悅納你賙濟窮人的善行。 32 你派人去約帕把那位叫西門·彼得的人請來,他住在海邊一個叫西門的皮革匠家。』 33 於是我立刻派人去請你。你能來,真是榮幸,現在我們都在上帝面前,想聆聽主吩咐你傳給我們的話。」

福音臨到外族人

34 彼得說:「現在我深深地明白,上帝不偏待人。 35 無論哪一個民族,只要敬畏祂,秉公行義,都會蒙祂接納。 36 上帝藉著萬物的主宰——耶穌基督把平安的福音傳給以色列人。 37 你們都知道,自從約翰宣講洗禮以來,從加利利開始,整個猶太地區發生了什麼事。 38 你們也知道,拿撒勒人耶穌是上帝用聖靈和大能膏立的。祂周遊四方,廣行善事,醫好被魔鬼壓制的人,因為上帝與祂同在。 39 我們親眼目睹了耶穌在猶太全境和耶路撒冷所做的一切。可是,世人卻把祂釘死在十字架上。 40 但第三天,上帝使祂從死裡復活,並且向人顯現, 41 不是向所有的人顯現,而是向被上帝預先揀選為祂做見證的人顯現,就是我們這些在祂復活以後與祂一同吃喝過的人。 42 祂命令我們向世人傳道,見證祂就是上帝指派來審判活人和死人的那位。 43 所有先知也都為祂做見證說,『誰信祂,誰的罪就能藉著祂的名得到赦免。』」

44 彼得還在說話的時候,聖靈就降臨在每一個聽道的人身上。 45 跟彼得一起來的那些嚴守割禮的信徒,看見聖靈的恩賜也澆灌到外族人身上,都很驚奇。 46 因為他們聽見這些人又說方言又讚美上帝。於是彼得說: 47 「既然這些人已經和我們一樣領受了聖靈,誰能阻止他們接受洗禮呢?」 48 彼得吩咐他們奉耶穌基督的名受洗。之後,他們又請彼得住了幾天。

While Peter is in Joppa, another story is developing a day’s journey to the north along the Mediterranean coast.

10 Cornelius, a Roman Centurion and a member of a unit called the Italian Cohort, lived in Caesarea. Cornelius was an outsider, but he was a devout man—a God-fearing fellow with a God-fearing family. He consistently and generously gave to the poor, and he practiced constant prayer to God. About three o’clock one afternoon, he had a vision of a messenger of God.

Messenger of God: Cornelius!

Cornelius (terrified): What is it, sir?

Messenger of God: God has heard your prayers, and He has seen your kindness to the poor. God has taken notice of you. 5-6 Send men south to Joppa, to the house of a tanner named Simon. Ask to speak to a guest of his named Simon, but also called Peter. You’ll find this house near the waterfront.

After the messenger departed, Cornelius immediately called two of his slaves and a soldier under his command—an especially devout soldier. He told them the whole story and sent them to Joppa.

Just as these men were nearing Joppa about noon the next day, Peter went up on the flat rooftop of Simon the tanner’s house. He planned to pray, 10 but he soon grew hungry. While his lunch was being prepared, Peter had a vision of his own—a vision that linked his present hunger with what was about to happen: 11 A rift opened in the sky, and a wide container—something like a huge sheet suspended by its four corners—descended through the torn opening toward the ground. 12 This container teemed with four-footed animals, creatures that crawl, and birds—pigs, bats, lizards, snakes, frogs, toads, and vultures.

A Voice: 13 Get up, Peter! Kill! Eat!

Peter: 14 No way, Lord! These animals are forbidden in the dietary laws of the Hebrew Scriptures! I’ve never eaten nonkosher foods like these before—not once in my life!

A Voice: 15 If God calls something permissible and clean, you must not call it forbidden and dirty!

16 Peter saw this vision three times; but the third time, the container of animals flew up through the rift in the sky, the rift healed, 17 and Peter was confused and unsettled as he tried to make sense of this strange vision.

At that very moment, Peter heard the voices of Cornelius’s delegation, who had asked for directions to Simon’s house, coming from the front gate.

Delegation: 18 Is there a man named Simon, also called Peter, staying at this house?

19-20 Peter’s mind was still racing about the vision when the voice of the Holy Spirit broke through his churning thoughts.

Holy Spirit: The three men who are searching for you have been sent by Me. So get up! Go with them. Don’t hesitate or argue.

21 Peter rushed downstairs to the men.

Peter: I’m the one you’re seeking. Can you tell me why you’ve come?

Delegation: 22 We’ve been sent by our commander and master, Cornelius. He is a Centurion, and he is a good, honest man who worships your God. All the Jewish people speak well of him. A holy messenger told him to send for you, so you would come to his home and he could hear your message.

23 Peter extended hospitality to them and gave them lodging overnight. When they departed together the next morning, Peter brought some believers from Joppa.

24 They arrived in Caesarea the next afternoon just before three o’clock. Cornelius had anticipated their arrival and had assembled his relatives and close friends to welcome them. 25 When Peter and Cornelius met, Cornelius fell at Peter’s feet in worship, 26 but Peter helped him up.

Peter: Stand up, man! I am just a human being!

27 They talked and entered the house to meet the whole crowd inside.

Peter: 28 You know I am a Jew. We Jews consider it a breach of divine law to associate, much less share hospitality, with outsiders. But God has shown me something in recent days: I should no longer consider any human beneath me or unclean. 29 That’s why I made no objection when you invited me; rather, I came willingly. Now let me hear the story of why you invited me here.

Cornelius: 30 It was about this time of day four days ago when I was here, in my house, praying the customary midafternoon prayer. Suddenly a man appeared out of nowhere. His clothes were dazzling white, and he stood directly in front of me 31 and addressed me: “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your kindness to the poor has been noticed by God. 32 God wants you to find a man in Joppa, Simon who is also called Peter, who is staying at the home of a tanner named Simon, near the seaside.” 33 I wasted no time, did just as I was told, and you have generously accepted my invitation. So here we are, in the presence of God, ready to take in all that the Lord has told you to tell us.

Peter: 34 It is clear to me now that God plays no favorites, 35 that God accepts every person whatever his or her culture or ethnic background, that God welcomes all who revere Him and do right. 36 You already know that God sent a message to the people of Israel; it was a message of peace, peace through Jesus the Anointed—who is King of all people. 37 You know this message spread through Judea, beginning in Galilee where John called people to be ritually cleansed through baptism.[a] 38 You know God identified Jesus as the uniquely chosen One by pouring out the Holy Spirit on Him, by empowering Him. You know Jesus went through the land doing good for all and healing all who were suffering under the oppression of the evil one, for God was with Him. 39 My friends and I stand as witnesses to all Jesus did in the region of Judea and the city of Jerusalem. The people of our capital city killed Him by hanging Him on a tree, 40 but God raised Him up on the third day and made it possible for us to see Him. 41 Not everyone was granted this privilege, only those of us whom God chose as witnesses. We actually ate and drank with Him after His resurrection. 42 He told us to spread His message to everyone and to tell them that He is the One whom God has chosen to be Judge, to make a just assessment of all people—both living and dead. 43 All the prophets tell us about Him and assert that every person who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name.

The true gospel is becoming increasingly clear as the church spreads and develops. What happens that day in Caesarea changes the face of Christianity forever. It builds a bridge from Jews to Gentiles, from insiders to outsiders, and sends the community of Jesus on a journey beyond the kind of religious and cultural barriers that all people erect. Through Peter’s short trip, the church makes an important journey toward reaching the ends of the earth because the message of Jesus is not for the Jews alone but for all people of all time. This is a hard lesson, and not everyone is eager to learn it.

44 Peter wasn’t planning to stop at this point, but the Holy Spirit suddenly interrupted and came upon all the people who were listening. 45-46 They began speaking in foreign languages (just as the Jewish disciples did on the Day of Pentecost), and their hearts overflowed in joyful praises to God. Peter’s friends from Joppa—all of them Jewish, all circumcised—were stunned to see that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on outsiders.

Peter: 47 Can anyone give any good reason not to ceremonially wash these people through baptism[b] as fellow disciples? After all, it’s obvious they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did on the Day of Pentecost.

48 So he had them baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. The new disciples asked him to stay for several more days.

Footnotes

  1. 10:37 Literally, immersed, to show repentance
  2. 10:47 Literally, immerse, in a rite of initiation and purification