Acts 10
1 [There was] a man [who lived] in Caesarea [city] whose name was Cornelius. He was an officer who commanded 100 men in a large group of [Roman] soldiers from Italy.
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in the regiment known as the “Italian Regiment,”
2 He always tried to do what would please God; he and his entire household [MTY] [were non-Jews who] habitually worshipped God. He sometimes gave money to help poor [Jewish] people, and he prayed to God regularly.
A religious man and one who reverenced God, with all his household. He was liberal in his charities to the people, and prayed to God constantly.
3 [One day] at about three o’clock in the afternoon [Cornelius saw] a vision. He clearly saw an angel whom God [had sent]. The angel came into [his room] and said to him, “Cornelius!”
One afternoon, about three o’clock, he distinctly saw in a vision an angel from God come to him, and call him by name.
4 Cornelius stared at the angel and became terrified. Then he asked [fearfully], “Sir, what do you [(sg)] want?” The angel answered him, “You [(sg)] have pleased God because you have been praying [regularly to him] and you often give money to [help] poor people. [Those things have been] like a sacrifice [to God].
Cornelius fixed his eyes on him and, in great alarm, said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ ‘Your prayers and your charities,’ the angel answered, ‘have been an acceptable offering to God.
5 So, now command some men to go to Joppa and [tell them to] bring back a man named Simon whose other name is Peter.
And now, send messengers to Joppa and fetch a man called Simon, who is also known as Peter.
6 He is staying with a man, [also] named Simon, who makes leather. His house is near the ocean.”
He is lodging with a tanner named Simon, who has a house near the sea.’
7 When the angel who spoke to Cornelius had gone, Cornelius summoned two of his household servants and a soldier who served him, one who also worshipped God.
When the angel, who had spoken to him, had gone, Cornelius called two servants and a religious soldier, who was one of his constant attendants,
8 He explained to them everything [that the angel had said. Then] he told them to go to Joppa [to ask Peter to come to Caesarea].
and, after telling them the whole story, sent them to Joppa.
9 About noon the next day those [three men] were traveling [along the road] and were coming near [Joppa. As they were approaching Joppa], Peter went up on the [flat] housetop to pray.
On the next day, while these men were on their way, just as they were nearing the town, Peter went up on the housetop about midday to pray.
10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat. While someone was preparing the food, [Peter] saw [this] vision:
He became hungry and wanted something to eat; but while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance,
11 (He saw heaven open/He saw an opening in the sky) and something like a large sheet was being lowered [to the ground]. [It was tied at] its four corners [with ropes].
and saw that the heavens were open, and that something like a great sail was descending, let down by its four corners towards the earth.
12 Inside the sheet were all kinds of creatures. [These included animals and birds that the Mosaic laws forbade Jews to eat]. Some had four feet, others scurried across the ground, and others were wild birds.
In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles, and birds.
13 Then [he heard] God [SYN] say to him, “Peter, stand up, kill [and cook some of these] and eat [their meat]!”
Then he was aware of a voice which said – ‘Stand up, Peter, kill something, and eat.’
14 But Peter replied, “Lord, surely you [(sg)] do not [really want me to do that]! I have never eaten any [meat] that [our Jewish law says] is unacceptable to God or [something that we(exc)] must not eat!”
‘No, Lord, I cannot,’ answered Peter, ‘for I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.’
15 [Then Peter heard] [MTY] God talk to him a second time. He said, “[I am] God, [so] if I have made something acceptable [to eat], do not say that it is not acceptable [to eat]!”
Again he was aware of a voice which said – ‘What God has pronounced clean, do not regard as defiled.’
16 [This happened] three [times, so Peter knew that he had to think carefully about what it might mean]. Immediately [after God had said that the third time], ([the] sheet [with the animals and birds] was the pulled back into heaven/[someone] pulled the sheet [with the animals and birds] up into the sky again).
This happened three times, and then suddenly it was all taken up into the heavens.
17 While Peter was trying to understand what that vision meant, the men who had been sent by Cornelius {whom Cornelius had sent} [arrived in Joppa. They asked people how to get to] Simon’s house. [So they found his house] and were standing outside the gate.
While Peter was still perplexed as to the meaning of the vision that he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius, having enquired the way to Simon’s house, came up to the gate,
18 They called and were asking if a man named Simon, whose other name was Peter, was staying there.
and called out and asked if the Simon, who was also known as Peter, was lodging there.
19 While Peter was still trying to understand [what] the vision [meant], [God’s] Spirit said to him, “Three men [are here who] want to see you.
Peter was still pondering over the vision, when the Spirit said to him, ‘There are two men looking for you at this moment.
20 So get up and go downstairs and go with them! Do not think that you [(sg)] should not go with them [because of their being non-Jews], because I have sent them [here]!”
Go down at once and do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.’
21 So Peter went down to the men and said to them, “[Greetings!] I am [the man] you are looking for. Why have you come?”
Peter went down to the men and said, ‘I am the person you are looking for. What is your reason for coming?’
22 One of them replied, “Cornelius, who is a [Roman] army officer, [sent us here]. He is a righteous man who worships God, and all of the Jewish people [HYP] [who know about him] say that he is a very good man. An angel (who was sent from God/whom God sent) said to him, ‘Tell some men to [go to Joppa to see Simon Peter and] bring him here, so that you [(sg)] can hear what he has to say.’”
The men replied, ‘Our centurion, Cornelius, a pious man who reverences God and is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, has been instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to listen to what you have to say.’
23 So Peter [said that he would go with them, and then he] invited them into [the house] and told them that they could stay [there that night]. Acts 10:23b-26 The next day Peter got ready and went with the men. Several of the believers from Joppa went with him.
So Peter invited them in and entertained them. The next day he lost no time in setting out with them, accompanied by some of the Lord’s followers from Joppa;
24 The day after that, they arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them. He had also invited his relatives and close friends [to come to his house, so they were there, too].
and the day following he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them, and had invited his relatives and intimate friends to meet them.
25 When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and bowed low in front of him to worship him.
So, when Peter entered the city, Cornelius met him, and, throwing himself at Peter’s feet, bowed to the ground.
26 But Peter [grasped Cornelius by the hand and] lifted him to his feet. He said, “Stand up! [Do not revere/worship me] I myself am only human, [like you]!”
Peter, however, lifted him up, saying as he did so, ‘Stand up, I am only human like yourself.’
27 While he was talking to Cornelius, Peter [and the others] entered [a large room inside the house]. Peter saw that many people had gathered together [there].
Talking with him as he went, Peter entered the house, where he found a large gathering of people, to whom he said,
28 Then Peter said to them, “You all know that any [of us] Jews think we are disobeying [our Jewish] laws if we [(exc)] associate with a non-Jewish person or [if we even] visit him. However, God has shown me [in a vision] that I should not say about anyone that God will not accept him.
‘You are doubtless aware that it is forbidden for a Jew to be intimate with a foreigner, or even to enter his house; and yet God has shown me that I ought not to call anyone defiled or unclean.
29 So when you sent [some men] to ask me to come [here], I came [right away. I] did not say that I could not go [with non-Jewish people. So, please tell me], why have you asked me to come [here]?”
That was why I came, when I was sent for, without raising any objection. And now I ask your reason for sending for me.’
30 Cornelius replied, “About this time four days ago I was praying [to God] in my house, [as I regularly do] at three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man whose clothes [shone] brightly stood in front of me,
‘Just three days ago this very hour,’ Cornelius said, ‘I was in my house, saying the Afternoon Prayers, when a man in dazzling clothing suddenly stood before me.
31 and said, ‘Cornelius, when you [(sg)] have prayed, you have been heard by God {God has heard [when] you [(sg)] have prayed [to him]}. He has also noticed that you have [often] given money to [help] poor people, [and he is pleased with that].
“Cornelius,” he said, “your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been accepted, by God.
32 So now, send [messengers to go] to Joppa, [in order] to ask Simon whose other name is Peter to come [here]. He is staying near the ocean in a house that belongs to [another] man named Simon, who makes leather. [When Simon Peter comes, he will tell you a message from God].’
Therefore send to Joppa, and invite the Simon, who is also known as Peter, to come here. He is lodging in the house of Simon the tanner, near the sea.”
33 So I immediately sent [some men who asked] you [(sg) to come here], and I [certainly] thank you for coming. Now we [(exc)] all are gathered [here, knowing that] God is with us, in order to hear all the things that the Lord [God] has commanded you [to say. So please speak to us].”
Accordingly I sent to you at once, and you have been so good as to come. And now we are all here in the presence of God, to listen to all that you have been instructed by the Lord to say.’
34 So Peter began to speak [MTY] to them. He said, “[Now] I understand that it is true that God does not favor only certain groups [of people].
Then Peter began. ‘I see, beyond all doubt,’ he said, ‘that God does not show partiality,
35 Instead, from every group of people he accepts [everyone who] honors him and who does what pleases him.
but that in every nation he who reverences him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
36 [You know] the message that God sent to [us] Israelis. [He] proclaimed [to us the good news that he] would cause [people] to have peace [with him] because of what Jesus Christ [has done]. This [Jesus is Lord not only over us Israelis. He] is [also the] Lord [who rules] over all [people].
God has sent his message to the Israelites and told them, through Jesus Christ, the good news of peace – and Jesus is Lord of all!
37 You know what [he] did throughout the land of Judea, beginning in Galilee. He began [to do those things] after John had been proclaiming [to people that they should turn away from their sinful behavior before] he baptized them.
You yourselves know the story which spread through all Judea, how, beginning form Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed –
38 You know that God gave [MTY] his Holy Spirit to Jesus, [the Man] from Nazareth [town], and gave him the power [to do miracles. You also know] how Jesus went to many places, always doing good deeds and healing [people. Specifically], he was continually healing all the people whom the devil was causing to suffer. [Jesus was able to do those things] because God was always helping him.”
the story, I mean, of Jesus of Nazareth, and how God consecrated him his Christ by enduing him with the Holy Spirit and with power; and how he went about doing good and curing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39 “We [apostles] tell people about all the things that [we saw Jesus] do in Jerusalem and in the [rest of] Israel. [The leaders in Jerusalem] had him killed by being nailed to a cross.
We are ourselves, too, witnesses to all that he did in Judea and in Jerusalem; yet they put him to death by hanging him on a cross!
40 However, God caused him to become alive again on the third day [after he had died]. God [also] enabled [some of us(exc)] to see him [so that we would know that he was alive again].
This Jesus God raised on the third day, and enabled him to appear,
41 God [did] not [let] all the [Jewish] people see him. Instead, he had chosen us [apostles] beforehand to see [Jesus after he became alive again], and to tell others [about him]. We [apostles are the people] who ate meals with him (after he had become alive [again]/after he had risen from the dead).
not indeed to everyone, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God – to us, who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead.
42 God commanded us to preach to the people and tell them that Jesus is the one whom he has appointed to judge [everyone some day. He will judge all] those who will [still] be living and all those who will have died [by that time].
Further, God charged us to proclaim to the people, and solemnly affirm, that it is Jesus who has been appointed by God judge of the living and the dead.
43 All of the prophets [who wrote about the Messiah long ago] told [people] about him. [They wrote] that if people believe in the Messiah [MTY], God would forgive [them for] their sins, because of what [the Messiah would do] for them.”
To him it is that all the prophets bear witness, when they say that everyone who believes in him receives through his name forgiveness of sins.’
44 While Peter was still speaking those words, suddenly the Holy Spirit (came down on/began to control) all [those non-Jewish people] who were listening to the message.
Before Peter had finished saying these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message.
45 The Jewish believers who had come with Peter [from Joppa] were amazed that [God] had generously given the Holy Spirit to the non-Jewish people, too.
Those converts from Judaism, who had come with Peter, were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed even on the Gentiles;
46 [The Jewish believers knew that God had done that] because they were hearing those people speaking languages [MTY] [that they had not learned] and telling how great God is.
for they heard them speaking in different languages and extolling God. At this Peter asked,
47 Then Peter said [to the other Jewish believers who were there], “[God] has given them the Holy Spirit just like [he gave him] to us [Jewish believers], so (surely all of you would agree that [we(exc)] should baptize these people!/would any of you forbid that these people should be baptized?) [RHQ]”
‘Can anyone refuse the water for the baptism of these people, now that they have received the Holy Spirit as we did ourselves?’
48 Then Peter told those [non-Jewish] people that they should be baptized [to show that they had believed] [MTY] in the [Lord] Jesus Christ. [So they baptized all of them. After they were baptized], they requested that Peter stay [with them] several days. [So Peter and the other Jewish believers did that].
And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; after which they asked him to stay there a few days longer.
