Acts 10:1-16 (Epistle)
- 1
- There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
- 2
- a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
- 3
- About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
- 4
- And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
- 5
- Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.
- 6
- He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
- 7
- And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.
- 8
- So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
- 9
- The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
- 10
- Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance
- 11
- and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.
- 12
- In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
- 13
- And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
- 14
- But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
- 15
- And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”
- 16
- This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.