The Koine Bible

Now there was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of the cohort called the Italian.

A devout man who feared God with all his household, doing many acts of mercy for the people and praying to God continually,

He saw clearly in a vision about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, Cornelius.

But he looked intently at him and became afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

And now send men to Joppa and summon a certain Simon who is called Peter.

He is staying as a guest with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.

As the angel who was speaking to him went away, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was attending him.

And having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

The next day, as they were traveling and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray around the sixth hour.

And he became very hungry and wanted to eat; while they were preparing, a trance came upon him,

And he sees the heaven opened and something like a large sheet being lowered by its four corners and set down on the earth,

in which there were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky.

And a voice came to him, Get up, Peter, kill and eat.

But Peter said, By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common or unclean.

And a voice came to him a second time, Do not call common what God has cleansed.

And this happened three times, and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven.

Now while Peter was pondering in himself what the vision he had seen might mean, behold, the men sent by Cornelius, having inquired for the house of Simon, stood at the gate.

And they called out and inquired whether Simon, who is called Peter, is staying here.

While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, Look, men are seeking you.

But get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation, because I have sent them.

Then Peter went down to the men and said, I am the one you are seeking; what is the reason you have come?

But they said, Cornelius the centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house and to hear words from you.

So after calling them in, he lodged them. And on the next day, having risen, he went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa joined him.

But on the next day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

And when Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; for I myself am also a man.

And as he was speaking with him, he entered and found many gathered together.

He said to them, You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with or come near a foreigner. But God has shown me that no person is common or unclean.

Therefore I came without objection, having been sent for. So I ask, by what word did you send for me?

And Cornelius said, From the fourth hour of the day until this hour I have been praying in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing.

And he said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.

Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon who is called Peter; he is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.

Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have done well to come. So now we are all present before God to hear all the things commanded to you by the Lord.

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

But in every nation the one who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

The message he sent to the children of Israel, proclaiming peace through Jesus Christ; he is Lord of all.

You know the word that happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed,

Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.

And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed by hanging on a tree.

God raised him on the third day and gave him to become visible,

Not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God, to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.

All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.

And the believers from the circumcision who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.

For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

Can anyone withhold water to prevent these from being baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?

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