New Living Translation | NET Bible |
1In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. | 1Now there was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort. |
2He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. | 2He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people and prayed to God regularly. |
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. | 3About three o'clock one afternoon he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to 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! | 4Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius replied, "What is it, Lord?" The angel said to him, "Your prayers and your acts of charity have gone up as a memorial before God. |
5Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. | 5Now send men to Joppa and summon a man named Simon, who is called Peter. |
6He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.” | 6This man is staying as a guest with a man named Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea." |
7As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. | 7When the angel who had spoken to him departed, Cornelius called two of his personal servants and a devout soldier from among those who served him, |
8He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa. Peter Visits Cornelius | 8and when he had explained everything to 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, | 9About noon the next day, while they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. |
10and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. | 10He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came over him. |
11He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. | 11He saw heaven opened and an object something like a large sheet descending, being let down to earth by its four corners. |
12In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. | 12In it were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and wild birds. |
13Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” | 13Then a voice said to him, "Get up, Peter; slaughter and eat!" |
14“No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean. ” | 14But Peter said, "Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!" |
15But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” | 15The voice spoke to him again, a second time, "What God has made clean, you must not consider ritually unclean!" |
16The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. | 16This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up 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 was puzzling over what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon's house was and approached the gate. |
18they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there. | 18They called out to ask if Simon, known as Peter, was staying there as a guest. |
19Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you. | 19While Peter was still thinking seriously about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look! Three men are looking for you. |
20Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.” | 20But get up, go down, and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them." |
21So Peter went down and said, “I’m the man you are looking for. Why have you come?” | 21So Peter went down to the men and said, "Here I am, the person you're looking for. Why have you 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.” | 22They said, "Cornelius the centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message from you." |
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. | 23So Peter invited them in and entertained them as guests. On the next day he got up and set out with them, and some of the brothers 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. | 24The following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting anxiously for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. |
25As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. | 25So when Peter came in, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him. |
26But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” | 26But Peter helped him up, saying, "Stand up. I too am a mere mortal." |
27So they talked together and went inside, where many others were assembled. | 27Peter continued talking with him as he went in, and he found many people gathered 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. | 28He said to them, "You know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile, yet God has shown me that I should call no person defiled or ritually unclean. |
29So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.” | 29Therefore when you sent for me, I came without any objection. Now may I ask why you 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. | 30Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this very hour, at three o'clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, and suddenly a man in shining clothing stood before me |
31He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God! | 31and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity have been remembered before 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.’ | 32Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.' |
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 | 33Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. So now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us." |
34Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. | 34Then Peter started speaking: "I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, |
35In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. | 35but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before 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. | 36You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)-- |
37You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. | 37you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: |
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. | 38with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because 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, | 39We are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, |
40but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, | 40but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, |
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 by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, who ate and drank 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. | 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the 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 | 43About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." |
44Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. | 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the message. |
45The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. | 45The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, |
46For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, | 46for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, |
47“Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” | 47"No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?" |
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. | 48So he gave orders to have them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for several days. |
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