Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁹ They went the next day. They were coming near to the city. About midday, Peter went up on the flat roof of the house to talk with God.

¹⁰ He became very hungry and wanted to eat. While food was being made ready, something like a dream came over him.

¹¹ He saw the sky open. A bundle like a big blanket was tied by the corners. It was let down to earth.

¹² In the bundle were all kinds of animals and snakes and birds.

¹³ Then Peter heard a voice saying to him, `Get up, Peter. Kill some and eat.'

¹⁴ But Peter said, `No, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is not holy or not clean.'

¹⁵ Then the voice spoke to him again, saying, `What God has made clean you must not call unholy.'

¹⁶ This happened three times. Then the thing was taken up right away into the sky.

¹⁷ `I have seen a strange thing,' Peter said to himself. `I wonder what it all means.' He was thinking about all this. And the men whom Cornelius sent had asked the way to Simon's house. Now they stood at the gate.

¹⁸ `Is this where Simon Peter is staying?' they called.

¹⁹ Peter was still thinking about what he had seen. Then the Spirit of God said to him, `Three men are looking for you.

²⁰ Get up. Go down and go with them. Do not fear to go, because I have sent them.'

²¹ Then Peter went down to the men whom Cornelius had sent to him. He said, `Here I am. You are looking for me. Why have you come?'

²² They answered, `God sent a holy angel to Cornelius. He told him to call you to his house and hear what you have to say. Cornelius is a captain in the army. He is a good man. He does what is right and obeys God. All the Jews speak well of him.'

²³ Peter said, `Come in.' He had them stay as his guests. The next day he and some of the Christian brothers from Joppa went with the men.