Acts, 10

1. One of the centurions of the Italica cohort stationed in Caesarea was called Cornelius.

1. At Caesare'a there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,

2. He and the whole of his household were devout and God-fearing, and he gave generously to Jewish causes and prayed constantly to God.

2. a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms liberally to the people, and prayed constantly to God.

3. One day at about the ninth hour he had a vision in which he distinctly saw the angel of God come into his house and call out to him, 'Cornelius!'

3. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius."

4. He stared at the vision in terror and exclaimed, 'What is it, Lord?' The angel answered, 'Your prayers and charitable gifts have been accepted by God.

4. And he stared at him in terror, and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

5. Now you must send some men to Jaffa and fetch a man called Simon, known as Peter,

5. And now send men to Joppa, and bring one Simon who is called Peter;

6. who is lodging with Simon the tanner whose house is by the sea.'

6. he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside."

7. When the angel who said this had gone, Cornelius called two of the slaves and a devout soldier of his staff,

7. When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those that waited on him,

8. told them all that had happened, and sent them off to Jaffa.

8. and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9. Next day, while they were still on their journey and had only a short distance to go before reaching the town, Peter went to the housetop at about the sixth hour to say his prayers.

9. The next day, as they were on their journey and coming near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.

10. He felt hungry and was looking forward to his meal, but before it was ready he fell into a trance

10. And he became hungry and desired something to eat; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance

11. and saw heaven thrown open and something like a big sheet being let down to earth by its four corners;

11. and saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth.

12. it contained every kind of animal, reptile and bird.

12. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air.

13. A voice then said to him, 'Now, Peter, kill and eat!'

13. And there came a voice to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."

14. But Peter answered, 'Certainly not, Lord; I have never yet eaten anything profane or unclean.'

14. But Peter said, "No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

15. Again, a second time, the voice spoke to him, 'What God has made clean, you have no right to call profane.'

15. And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call common."

16. This was repeated three times, and then suddenly the container was drawn up to heaven again.

16. This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

17. Peter was still at a loss over the meaning of the vision he had seen, when the men sent by Cornelius arrived. They had asked where Simon's house was and they were now standing at the door,

17. Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate

18. calling out to know if the Simon known as Peter was lodging there.

18. and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there.

19. While Peter's mind was still on the vision, the Spirit told him, 'Look! Some men have come to see you.

19. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you.

20. Hurry down, and do not hesitate to return with them; it was I who told them to come.'

20. Rise and go down, and accompany them without hesitation; for I have sent them."

21. Peter went down and said to them, 'I am the man you are looking for; why have you come?'

21. And Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?"

22. They said, 'The centurion Cornelius, who is an upright and God-fearing man, highly regarded by the entire Jewish people, was told by God through a holy angel to send for you and bring you to his house and to listen to what you have to say.'

22. And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to hear what you have to say."

23. So Peter asked them in and gave them lodging. Next day, he was ready to go off with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Jaffa.

23. So he called them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went off with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

24. They reached Caesarea the following day, and Cornelius was waiting for them. He had asked his relations and close friends to be there,

24. And on the following day they entered Caesare'a. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his kinsmen and close friends.

25. and as Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, fell at his feet and did him reverence.

25. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

26. But Peter helped him up. 'Stand up,' he said, ' after all, I am only a man!'

26. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man."

27. Talking together they went in to meet all the people assembled there,

27. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered;

28. and Peter said to them, 'You know it is forbidden for Jews to mix with people of another race and visit them; but God has made it clear to me that I must not call anyone profane or unclean.

28. and he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit any one of another nation; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

29. That is why I made no objection to coming when I was sent for; but I should like to know exactly why you sent for me.'

29. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me."

30. Cornelius replied, 'At this time three days ago I was in my house saying the prayers for the ninth hour, when I suddenly saw a man in front of me in shining robes.

30. And Cornelius said, "Four days ago, about this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel,

31. He said, "Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your charitable gifts have not been forgotten by God;

31. saying, `Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.

32. so now you must send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter who is lodging in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea."

32. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the seaside.'

33. So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Here we all are, assembled in front of you to hear all the instructions God has given you.'

33. So I sent to you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord."

34. Then Peter addressed them, 'I now really understand', he said, 'that God has no favourites,

34. And Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality,

35. but that anybody of any nationality who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

35. but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

36. 'God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ -- he is the Lord of all.

36. You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),

37. You know what happened all over Judaea, how Jesus of Nazareth began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism.

37. the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:

38. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.

38. how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

39. Now we are witnesses to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and they killed him by hanging him on a tree,

39. And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;

40. yet on the third day God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen,

40. but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest;

41. not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses that God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses -- we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead-

41. not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

42. and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to bear witness that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead.

42. And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

43. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.'

43. To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

44. While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit came down on all the listeners.

44. While Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

45. Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were all astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit should be poured out on gentiles too,

45. And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

46. since they could hear them speaking strange languages and proclaiming the greatness of God. Peter himself then said,

46. For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared,

47. 'Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?'

47. "Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

48. He then gave orders for them to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterwards they begged him to stay on for some days.

48. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.