4Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

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

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

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

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

14“No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.10:14 Greek anything common and unclean.”

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

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

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

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

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

21So Peter went down and said, “I’m the man you are 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.”

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.”

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,10:39 Greek on a tree.

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

41not to the general public,10:41 Greek the people. 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.

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.

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

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

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.