Add parallel Print Page Options

And on the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, (A)Peter went up on (B)the housetop about (C)the [a]sixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat. And while they were making preparations, he (D)fell into a trance 11 and *saw (E)heaven opened up, and [b]an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the [c]sky. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise up, Peter, [d]slaughter and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, (F)Lord, for (G)I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “(H)What God has cleansed, no longer consider defiled.” 16 And this happened three times and immediately the [e]object was taken up into heaven.

17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in [f]mind as to what (I)the vision which he had seen might be, behold, (J)the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was reflecting on (K)the vision, (L)the Spirit said to him, “Behold, [g]three men are looking for you. 20 But rise up, go down and (M)accompany them without taking issue at all, for I have sent them Myself.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and (N)God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, (O)was directed by a (P)holy angel to summon you to his house and hear [h](Q)a message from you.” 23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

Peter at Caesarea

And on the next day he rose up and went away with them, and (R)some of (S)the brothers from (T)Joppa went with him.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 10:9 Noon
  2. Acts 10:11 Or a vessel
  3. Acts 10:12 Or heaven
  4. Acts 10:13 Or sacrifice
  5. Acts 10:16 Or vessel
  6. Acts 10:17 Lit himself
  7. Acts 10:19 One early ms two
  8. Acts 10:22 Lit words

Peter Visits Cornelius

The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, 10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. 12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”

14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.[a]

15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” 16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.

17 Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. Standing outside the gate, 18 they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there.

19 Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.”

21 So Peter went down and said, “I’m the man you are looking for. Why have you come?”

22 They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.” 23 So Peter invited the men to stay for the night. The next day he went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 10:14 Greek anything common and unclean.