CORNELIUS CALLS FOR PETER

 

ACTS Chapter 10

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 THOSE IN NEED

AND PRAYED TO GOD REGULARLY.

3 One day at about three in the afternoon

HE HAD A VISION .

HE DISTINCTLY 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.'

16 THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES,

AND IMMEDIATELY THE SHEET

WAS TAKEN BACK TO HEAVEN.

17 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 CENTURION.

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 CLOTHES

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 THAT 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 BELIEVES IN HIM

RECEIVES FORGIVENESS 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 BELIEVERS

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)