Cornelius Sends for Peter
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment. Act 27:1Act 8:40Mat 27:27Act 27:43Mat 8:5-13Act 25:1Jhn 18:3Mat 27:54 He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly. Mat 7:7-8Act 10:4Act 10:22Act 10:35Act 13:16Act 10:7Act 8:2Isa 58:7-8 One day at about the ninth hour, 1 he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” Dan 9:20-21Act 3:1Act 5:19Act 10:17Act 10:19Act 10:30Act 9:10Act 9:4
Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” Php 4:6Heb 6:10Act 10:31Mal 3:16Psa 141:2Rev 8:4Heb 13:16Luk 1:12-13
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter. Act 10:32Act 15:7Act 16:9Act 9:36Act 9:38Jhn 1:42Mrk 3:16 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea. 2” Act 9:43Act 11:13-14Act 9:6Eph 4:8-12Jhn 7:17Rom 10:14-17
When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among his attendants. 1Sa 14:6-7Jdg 7:10Luk 3:14Mat 8:9-10Phm 1:161Ti 6:2Act 10:1-2Gen 24:1-10 He explained what had happened and sent them to Joppa. Act 10:33Act 26:19Act 9:36Ecc 9:10Gal 1:16Psa 119:59-60
Peter’s Vision
(Leviticus 11:1–47; Deuteronomy 14:1–21)
The next day at about the sixth hour, 3 as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray. Zep 1:5Psa 55:171Sa 9:25Act 10:8-32Act 11:5-14Act 6:4Dan 6:10Jer 19:13 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. Act 22:172Co 12:2-4Ezk 11:24Ezk 40:2Ezk 8:1-3Mat 12:1-3Mat 21:18Mat 4:2
He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. Eph 3:6Jhn 1:51Rom 16:25-26Act 7:56Col 3:11Eph 1:10Ezk 1:1Gal 2:15 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. Gen 7:8-91Co 6:9-11Isa 11:6-9Isa 65:25Jhn 7:37 Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” Jhn 4:31-34Jer 35:2-5Act 10:10
“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure 4or unclean.” Lev 20:25Ezk 4:14Dan 1:8Deu 14:1-29Lev 11:1-25Act 10:28Act 9:5Exo 10:11
The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 1Co 10:25Mat 15:11Tit 1:15Mrk 7:191Ti 4:3-5Rom 14:14Act 10:28Act 11:9
This happened three times, and all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven. Gen 41:32Jhn 21:172Co 13:1
Peter Called to Caesarea
While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate. 1Pe 1:11Act 10:3Act 10:7-19Act 2:12Act 25:20Act 5:24Act 9:43Jhn 13:12 They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there. Act 10:5-6Act 11:11
As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 5 Act 8:29Act 11:12Act 13:2Act 21:41Co 12:111Ti 4:1Jhn 16:13Act 16:6-7 So get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.” Act 15:7-9Zec 2:9-11Act 13:4Act 8:26Act 9:15Act 9:17Isa 48:16Mrk 16:15
So Peter went down to the men 6and said, “Here am I, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?” Act 10:29Jhn 1:38-39Mrk 10:51Jhn 18:4-8
“Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in his home so he could hear a message from you.” Act 11:143Jn 1:12Act 10:2Act 22:121Ti 3:72Co 5:182Pe 3:2Act 10:33
So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa. Act 10:45Act 11:121Pe 4:9Heb 13:22Co 8:21Act 10:29Act 10:33Act 9:38
Peter Visits Cornelius
The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. Act 8:40Isa 2:3Jhn 1:1-3Jhn 1:41-49Jhn 4:28-29Luk 5:29Mat 9:9-10Mic 4:2 As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. Rev 19:10Rev 22:8-9Dan 2:46Mat 8:2Act 14:11-13Dan 2:30Mat 14:33 But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” Rev 19:10Rev 22:8-9Act 14:14-15Mat 4:10Isa 42:8Isa 48:132Th 2:3-4Rev 13:8
As Peter talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together. 2Co 2:12Act 10:24Jhn 4:351Co 16:9Act 14:27Col 4:3 He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. Jhn 4:9Eph 3:6-7Gal 2:12-14Act 11:9Isa 65:5Jhn 18:28Jhn 4:27Act 10:34-35 So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have you sent for me?” Psa 119:601Pe 3:15Act 10:19-20
Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. 7 Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me Act 10:3Dan 9:20-21Neh 9:1-3Ezr 9:4-5Act 1:10Act 10:23-24Luk 24:4Mat 28:3 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God. Act 10:4Dan 9:23Luk 1:13Dan 10:12Isa 38:5Rev 8:3-4Lev 2:9Rev 5:8 Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.” Gal 4:14Jas 1:191Co 3:181Pe 2:1-21Th 2:132Ch 30:12Act 17:11-12Act 28:28
Good News for the Gentiles
Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, Rom 2:112Ch 19:7Deu 10:17Col 3:25Job 34:191Pe 1:17Eph 6:9Luk 20:21 but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right. 1Jn 2:29Act 10:2Rom 10:12-13Act 15:9Col 3:112Co 7:1Ecc 12:13Isa 56:3-8 He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. Act 2:36Mat 28:18Rev 17:141Co 15:271Pe 3:22Rev 1:182Co 5:18-21Eph 1:20-23
You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed: Luk 4:14Act 2:22Act 28:22Act 1:22Act 13:24-25Act 26:26Jhn 4:1-3Luk 23:5 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. Luk 4:18Isa 61:1-3Act 2:22Isa 11:2Jhn 3:34Heb 1:9Psa 45:7Jhn 3:2
We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, Luk 24:48Act 1:8Act 10:411Pe 2:24Act 2:32Act 1:22Act 13:27-29Act 13:31 God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen— 1Pe 1:21Act 13:30-311Co 15:3-42Co 4:14Act 2:241Co 15:12-20Act 17:31Heb 13:20 not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. Jhn 14:22Act 10:39Act 1:2-3Act 13:31Jhn 14:17Jhn 21:13Act 1:22Jhn 15:16 And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 2Co 5:101Pe 4:52Ti 4:1Rom 14:9-10Act 17:31Mat 28:19-20Rev 20:11-15Rev 22:12 All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” Zec 13:1Act 2:38Isa 53:11Jer 31:34Rom 10:11Act 13:38-39Jhn 3:14-171Pe 1:11
The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit
(Acts 19:1–7)
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message. Act 11:15Act 19:6Act 15:8Act 4:31Act 2:2-4Act 8:15-17 All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. Act 10:23Act 2:38Gal 3:13-14Col 2:13-14Act 11:15-18Act 2:33Eph 2:11Gal 2:15 For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Act 19:6Act 2:4Mrk 16:171Co 14:20-25Act 2:11
Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!” Act 8:36Act 11:15-17Rom 10:12Act 15:8-9Gen 17:24-26Act 2:4Act 8:12Rom 4:11 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days. Act 2:38Act 8:16Gal 3:271Co 1:13-17Act 19:5Act 8:12Jhn 4:2Jhn 4:40