*Acts 10:1-23
An angel instructs a devout Roman centurion named Cornelius to send for Peter.
- Cornelius’s Vision
- Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Regiment stationed in Caesarea, is described as a devout man who fears God, gives generously to the people, and prays regularly.
- He has a vision about three in the afternoon, in which an angel of God comes to him and calls him by name.
- The angel tells Cornelius that his prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.
- The angel instructs him to send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon, who is also called Peter, staying with a tanner named Simon whose house is by the sea.
- After the angel who spoke to him departs, Cornelius calls two of his servants and a devout soldier from his guards, explains everything to them, and sends them to Joppa.
- Peter’s Vision
- The next day, as Cornelius’s messengers are nearing Joppa, Peter goes up on the roof to pray around noon and becomes hungry.
- While food is being prepared, he falls into a trance and sees heaven opened and an object like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
- Inside the sheet are all kinds of four-footed animals, reptiles, and birds.
- A voice tells him to get up, kill, and eat. Peter refuses, saying he has never eaten anything impure or unclean.
- The voice speaks to him a second time, saying, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
- This happens three times, and then the sheet is taken back to heaven.
- Peter Goes to Cornelius
- While Peter is pondering the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius arrive at the gate of Simon the tanner’s house, asking for Simon Peter.
- The Spirit tells Peter that three men are looking for him and instructs him to go downstairs without hesitating because God has sent them.
- Peter goes down to the men and acknowledges that he is the one they are looking for. They explain why Cornelius sent them.
- The next day, Peter goes with them, accompanied by some of the believers from Joppa.
10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 10:2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
10:4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
10:5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 10:6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
10:7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; 10:8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
10:9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10:10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 10:11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 10:12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
10:16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
10:17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, 10:18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
10:19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
10:20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
10:21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? 10:22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
10:23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.