Acts 10:9-23

New Century Version

⁹ About noon the next day as they came near Joppa, Peter was going up to the roof^[a] to pray. ¹⁰ He was hungry and wanted to eat, but while the food was being prepared, he had a vision. ¹¹ He saw heaven opened and something coming down that looked like a big sheet being lowered to earth by its four corners. ¹² In it were all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds. ¹³ Then a voice said to Peter, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”

¹⁴ But Peter said, “No, Lord! I have never eaten food that is unholy or unclean.”

¹⁵ But the voice said to him again, “God has made these things clean, so don’t call them ‘unholy’!” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and at once the sheet was taken back to heaven.

¹⁷ While Peter was wondering what this vision meant, the men Cornelius sent had found Simon’s house and were standing at the gate. ¹⁸ They asked, “Is Simon Peter staying here?”

¹⁹ While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Listen, three men are looking for you. ²⁰ Get up and go downstairs. Go with them without doubting, because I have sent them to you.”

²¹ So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. Why did you come here?”

²² They said, “A holy angel spoke to Cornelius, an army officer and a good man; he worships God. All the people respect him. The angel told Cornelius to ask you to come to his house so that he can hear what you have to say.” ²³ So Peter asked the men to come in and spend the night.

The next day Peter got ready and went with them, and some of the followers from Joppa joined him.