Cornelius
Calls For Peter
At
Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius,
A
Centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.
2
HE AND ALL HIS FAMILY WERE DEVOUT AND GOD FEARING;
HE
GAVE GENEROUSLY TO THEOSE IN NEED
AND
PRAYED TO GOD REGULARLY.
3
One day at about three in the afternoon
HE
HAD A VISION .
HE
DISTINCLY SAW AN ANGEL OF GOD
WHO
CAME TO HIM AND SAID, 'CORNELIUS!'
4
CORNELIUS STARED AT HIM IN FEAR,
'WHAT
IS IT, LORD?' he asked.
The
angel answered,
'YOUR
PRAYERS AND GIFTS TO THE POOR
HAVE
COME UP AS A REMEMBRANCE BEFORE GOD.
5
NOW SEND MEN TO JOPPA
TO
BRING BACK A MAN NAMED SIMON
WHO
IS CALLED PETER.
6
He is staying with Simon the Tanner,
Whose
house is by the sea.'
7
When the Angel who spoke to him had gone,
Cornelius
called two of his Servants
And
one of his Soldiers who was a Devout man.
8
He told them everything that had happened
And
sent them to Joppa.
Peter's
Vision
9
About noon the following day
As
they were approaching the City,
Peter
went up on the roof to pray.
10
He became hungry and wanted something to eat,
And
while the meal was being prepared,
HE
FELL INTO A TRANCE.
11
HE SAW HEAVEN OPENED
AND
SOMETHING LIKE A LARGE SHEET
BEING
LET DOWN TO EARTH BY ITS FOUR CORNERS.
12
IT CONTAINED ALL KINDS OF FOUR-FOOTED ANIMALS,
AS
WELL AS REPTILES OF THE EARTH
AND
BIRDS OF THE AIR.
13
THEN A VOICE TOLD HIM,
'GET
UP, PETER. KILL AND EAT.'
14
'SURELY NOT, LORD!' Peter replied.
'I
HAVE NEVER EATEN ANYTHING IMPURE OR UNCLEAN.'
15
THEN THE VOICE SPOKE TO HIM A SECOND TIME,
'DO
NOT CALL ANYTHING IMPURE
THAT
GOD HAS MADE CLEAN.'
10
THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES,
AND
IMMEDIATELY THE SHEET
WAS
TAKEN BACK TO HEAVEN.
12
While Peter was wondering
About
the meaning of the Vision,
The
men sent by Cornelius
Found
out where Simon's house was
And
stopped at the gate.
18
They called out,
Asking
if Simon who was known as Peter
Was
staying there.
19
While Peter was still thinking about the Vision,
THE
SPIRIT SAID TO HIM,
'SIMON,
THREE MEN ARE LOOKING FOR YOU.
20
SO GET UP AND GO DOWNSTAIRS.
DO
NOT HESITATE TO GO WITH THEM,
FOR
I HAVE SENT THEM.'
21
Peter went down and said to the men,
'I
AM THE ONE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.
WHY
HAVE YOU COME?'
22
The men replied,
'WE
HAVE COME FROM CORNELIUS THE CENTRUION.
HE
IS A RIGHTEOUS MAN,
WHO
IS RESPECTED BY ALL THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
A
HOLY ANGEL TOLD HIM
TO
HAVE YOU COME TO HIS HOUSE
SO
THAT HE COULD HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.'
23
Then Peter Invited the men into the house
To
be his guests.
Peter
At Cornelius' House
The
next day Peter started out with them,
And
some of the brothers from Joppa wen along.
24
The following day he arrived in Caesarea.
Cornelius
was expecting them
And
had called together his relatives and close friends.
25
As Peter entered the house,
Cornelius
met him and fell at his feet in Reverence.
26
But Peter made him get up.
'STAND
UP,' he said
'I
AM ONLY A MAN MYSELF.'
27
Talking with him,
Peter
went inside and found a large gathering of people.
28
He said to them:
'YOU
ARE WELL AWARE THAT IT IS AGAINST OUR LAW
FOR
A JEW TO ASSOCIATE WITH A GENTILE OR VISIT HIM.
BUT
GOD HAS SHOWN ME
THAT
I SHOULD NOT CALL ANY MAN IMPURE OR UNCLEAN.
29
So when I was sent for,
I
came without raising any Objection.
May
I ask why you sent for me?'
30
Cornelius answered:
'FOUR
DAYS AGO
I
WAS IN MY HOUSE PRAYING AT THIS HOUR,
AT
THREE IN THE AFTERNOON.
SUDDENLY
A MAN IN SHINING CLOTES STOOD BEFORE ME
And
said,
31
'CORNELIUS, GOD HAS HEARD YOUR PRAYER
AND
REMEMBERED YOUR GIFTS TO THE POOR.
32
SEND TO JOPPA FOR SIMON
WHO
IS CALLED PETER.
HE
IS A GUEST IN THE HOME OF SIMON THE TANNER,
WHO
LIVES BY THE SEA.'
33
So I sent for you immediately,
And
it was good of you to come.
NOW
WE ARE ALL HERE
IN
THE PRESENCE OF GOD
TO
LISTEN TO EVERYTHING
THE
LORD HAS COMMANDED YOU TO TELL US.'
34
Then Peter began to speak:
'I
NOW REALIZE HOW TRUE IT IS
THAT
GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM
35
BUT ACCEPTS MEN FROM EVERY NATION
WHO
FEAR HIM
AND
DO WHAT IS RIGHT.
36
THIS IS THE MESSAGE
GOD
SENT TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL,
TELLING
THE GOOD NEWS OF PEACE
THROUGH
JESUS CHRIST,
WHO
IS LORD OF ALL.
37
YOUR KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED
THROUGHOUT
JUDEA,
BEGINNING
IN GALILEE
AFTER
THE BAPTISM TAHT JOHN PREACHED--
38
HOW GOD ANOINTED JESUS OF NAZARETH
WITH
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND POWER,
AND
HOW HE WENT AROUND DOING GOOD
AND
HEALING ALL
WHO
WERE UNDER THE POWER OF THE DEVIL,
BECAUSE
GOD WAS WITH HIM.
39
We are Witnesses of everything he did
In
the Country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
THEY
KILLED HIM ON A TREE,
40
BUT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD
ON
THE THIRD DAY
AND
CAUSED HIM TO BE SEEN.
42
HE WAS NOT SEEN BY ALL THE PEOPLE,
BUT
BY WITNESSES
WHOM
GOD HAD ALREADY CHOSEN--
BY
US WHO ATE AND DRANK WITH HIM
AFTER
HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD.
43
ALL THE PROPHETS TESTIFY ABOUT HIM
THAT
EVERYONE WHO BELEIVES IN HIM
RECEIVES
FORGIENESS OF SINS
THROUGH
HIS NAME.'
44
WHILE PETER WAS STILL SPEAKING THESE WORDS,
THE
HOLY SPIRIT CAME ON ALL WHO HEARD THE MESSAGE.
45
THE CIRCUMCISED BELEIVERS
WHO
HAD COME WITH PETER WERE ASTONISHED
THAT
THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
HAD
BEEN POURED OUT EVEN ON THE GENTILES.
46
FOR THEY HEARD THEM SPEAKING IN TONGUES
AND
PRAISING GOD.
Then
Peter said,
47
'CAN ANYONE KEEP THESE PEOPLE
FROM
BEING BAPTIZED WITH WATER?'
THEY
HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT
JUST
AS WE HAVE.'
44
So he order that they be Baptized
IN
THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.
Then
they asked Peter
To
stay with them for a few days.
(Acts
10)
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