New Living Translation

King James Bible

1In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment.

1There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

2He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God.

2A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

3One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

3He 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.

4Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel. And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering!

4And 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.

5Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter.

5And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

6He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”

6He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

7As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants.

7And 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;

8He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa. Peter Visits Cornelius

8And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

9The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon,

9On 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:

10and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.

10And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

11He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners.

11And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

12In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds.

12Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

13Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”

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

14“No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean. ”

14But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

15But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.”

15And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

16The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.

16This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

17Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. Standing outside the gate,

17Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,

18they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there.

18And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

19Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you.

19While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

20Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.”

20Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

21So Peter went down and said, “I’m the man you are looking for. Why have you come?”

21Then 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?

22They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.”

22And 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.

23So Peter invited the men to stay for the night. The next day he went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.

23Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

24They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

24And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

25As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him.

25And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

26But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!”

26But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

27So they talked together and went inside, where many others were assembled.

27And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.

28Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.

28And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

29So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.”

29Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?

30Cornelius replied, “Four days ago I was praying in my house about this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me.

30And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

31He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God!

31And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

32Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’

32Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

33So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.” The Gentiles Hear the Good News

33Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

34Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.

34Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

35In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.

35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

36This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

36The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

37You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism.

37That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

38And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

39“And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross,

39And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

40but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear,

40Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

41not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

41Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

42And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.

42And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

43He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

43To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

44Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.

44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

45The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too.

45And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked,

46For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

47“Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”

47Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

48So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.

48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.