Acts 10:3-30

3About 1the 2ninth hour of the day he clearly saw 3in a vision 4an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” 4And 5fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and 6alms 7have ascended 8as a memorial before God. 5Now dispatch some men to 9Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6he is staying with a tanner named 10Simon, whose house is by the sea.” 7When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his 11servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to 12Joppa.

9On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, 13Peter went up on 14the housetop about 15the 16sixth hour to pray. 10But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he 17fell into a trance; 11and he saw 18the 19sky opened up, and an 20object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and 21crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the 22air. 13A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, 23kill and eat!” 14But Peter said, “By no means, 24Lord, for 25I have never eaten anything 26unholy and unclean.” 15Again a voice came to him a second time, “27What God has cleansed, no longer consider 28unholy.” 16This happened three times, and immediately the 29object was taken up into the 30sky.

17Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in 31mind as to what 32the vision which he had seen might be, behold, 33the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19While Peter was reflecting on 34the vision, 35the Spirit said to him, “Behold, 36three men are looking for you. 20But get up, go downstairs and 37accompany them 38without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” 21Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” 22They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and 39God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, 40was divinely directed by a 41holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear 4243a message from you.” 23So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and 44some of 45the brethren from 46Joppa accompanied him. 24On the following day he entered 47Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and 4849worshiped him. 26But Peter raised him up, saying, “50Stand up; I too am just a man.” 27As he talked with him, he entered and found 51many people assembled. 28And he said to them, “You yourselves know how 52unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet 53God has shown me that I should not call any man 54unholy or unclean. 29That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

30Cornelius said, “55Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during 56the 57ninth hour; and behold, 58a man stood before me in shining garments,