1A man named Cornelius lived in Caesarea. He was a Roman commander in the Italian Regiment.2Cornelius and all his family were faithful and worshipped God. He gave freely to people who were in need. He prayed to God regularly.3One day about three o’clock in the afternoon he had a vision. He saw clearly an angel of God. The angel came to him and said, ‘Cornelius!’4Cornelius was afraid. He stared at the angel. ‘What is it, Lord?’ he asked. The angel answered, ‘Your prayers and gifts to poor people are like an offering to God. So he has remembered you.5Now send men to Joppa. Let them bring back a man named Simon. He is also called Peter.6He is staying with another Simon, a man who works with leather. His house is by the sea.’7The angel who spoke to him left. Then Cornelius called two of his servants. He also called a godly soldier who was one of his attendants.8He told them everything that had happened. Then he sent them to Joppa.
Peter has a vision
9It was about noon the next day. The men were on their journey and were approaching the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray.10He became hungry. He wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, Peter had a vision.11He saw heaven open up. There he saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down to earth by its four corners.12It had all kinds of four-footed animals in it. It also had reptiles and birds in it.13Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’14‘No, Lord! I will not!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything that is not pure and “clean”. ’15The voice spoke to him a second time. It said, ‘Do not say anything is not pure that God has made “clean”. ’16This happened three times. Right away the sheet was taken back up to heaven.17Peter was wondering what the vision meant. At that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. They stopped at the gate18and called out. They asked if Simon Peter was staying there.19Peter was still thinking about the vision. The Holy Spirit spoke to him. ‘Simon’, he said, ‘three men are looking for you.20Get up and go downstairs. Don’t let anything keep you from going with them. I have sent them.’21Peter went down and spoke to the men. ‘I’m the one you’re looking for,’ he said. ‘Why have you come?’22The men replied, ‘We have come from Cornelius, the Roman commander. He is a good man who worships God. All the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to invite you to his house. Then Cornelius can hear what you have to say.’
Peter goes to the house of Cornelius
23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter went with the three men. Some of the believers from Joppa went along.24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them. He had called together his relatives and close friends.25When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him. As a sign of respect, he fell at Peter’s feet.26But Peter made him get up. ‘Stand up’, he said. ‘I am only a man myself.’27As he was talking with Cornelius, Peter went inside. There he found a large group of people.28He said to them, ‘You know that it is against our law for a Jew to enter a Gentile home. A Jew shouldn’t have any close contact with a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not say anyone is not pure and “clean”.29So when you sent for me, I came without asking any questions. May I ask why you sent for me?’30Cornelius answered, ‘Three days ago at this very hour I was in my house praying. It was three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood in front of me.31He said, “Cornelius, God has heard your prayer. He has remembered your gifts to poor people.32Send someone to Joppa to get Simon Peter. He is a guest in the home of another Simon, who works with leather. He lives by the sea.”33So I sent for you right away. It was good of you to come. Now we are all here. And God is here with us. We are ready to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.’34Then Peter began to speak. ‘I now realise how true it is that God treats everyone the same,’ he said.35‘He accepts people from every nation. He accepts anyone who has respect for him and does what is right.36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel. It is the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all.37You know what has happened all through the area of Judea. It started in Galilee after John preached about baptism.38You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went around doing good. He healed all who were under the devil’s power. God was with him.39‘We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by nailing him to a cross.40But on the third day God raised him from the dead. God allowed Jesus to be seen.41But he wasn’t seen by all the people. He was seen only by us. We are witnesses whom God had already chosen. We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.42He commanded us to preach to the people. He told us to tell people that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.43All the prophets tell about him. They say that all who believe in him have their sins forgiven through his name.’44While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.45Some Jewish believers had come with Peter. They were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.46They heard them speaking in languages they had not known before. They also heard them praising God. Then Peter said,47‘Surely no one can keep these people from being baptised with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.’48So he ordered that they be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
1Имаше в Цезарея един човек на име Корнилий, стотник от така наречения Италийски полк.2Той беше благочестив и се боеше от Бога с целия си дом, раздаваше много милостини на хората и непрестанно се молеше на Бога. (Ac 8:2; Ac 10:22; Ac 10:35; Ac 22:12)3Около деветия час през деня той видя ясно във видение един ангел от Бога, който влезе при него и му каза: Корнилий! (Ac 10:30; Ac 11:13)4А Той, като се взря в него, уплашен каза: Какво има, Господи? И ангелът му каза: Твоите молитви и твоите милостини се издигнаха пред Бога за спомен.5И сега изпрати човеци в Йопия да повикат Симон, когото наричат още Петър.6Той гостува у един кожар Симон, чиято къща е край морето, той ще ти каже какво трябва да правиш. (Ac 9:43; Ac 11:14)7И като си отиде ангелът, който му говореше, той повика двама от слугите си и един благочестив войник от тези, които редовно му служеха;8и като им разказа всичко, прати ги в Йопия.9А на следващия ден, когато те пътуваха и наближаваха града, около шестия час Петър се качи на покрива на къщата да се помоли. (Ac 11:5)10И като огладня, поиска да яде; но докато приготвяха, той се отнесе духом11и видя небето отворено и някакъв съд да слиза като голямо платнище, спускано за четирите краища към земята. (Ac 7:56; Re 19:11)12В него имаше всякакви земни четирикраки, зверове и небесни птици. (Le 11:23; Le 20:25)13И дойде глас към него: Стани, Петре, заколи и яж.14А Петър каза: В никакъв случай, Господи, защото никога не съм ял нищо мръсно и нечисто. (Le 11:4; Le 20:25; De 14:3; De 14:7; Eze 4:14)15И пак дойде към него втори път глас: Което Бог е очистил, ти не го смятай за мръсно. (Mt 15:11; Ac 10:28; Ro 14:14; 1Co 10:25; 1Ti 4:4; Tit 1:15)16И това стана три пъти, след което съдът се вдигна веднага на небето.17А докато Петър беше в недоумение какво значеше видението, което бе видял, ето, изпратените от Корнилий човеци, като бяха разпитали за Симоновата къща, застанаха пред вратата18и като повикаха отвън, попитаха: Тук ли гостува Симон, когото наричат Петър?19И докато Петър още размишляваше за видението, Духът му каза: Ето, трима човека те търсят. (Ac 11:12)20Стани, слез и иди с тях; и никак не се съмнявай, защото Аз съм ги изпратил. (Ac 15:7)21И така, Петър слезе при човеците и каза: Ето, аз съм онзи, когото търсите. Защо дойдохте?22А те казаха: Стотникът Корнилий, човек праведен и който се бои от Бога и е с добро име между целия юдейски народ, бе уведомен от Бога чрез един свят ангел да те повика в своя дом и да чуе думи от тебе. (Ac 10:1; Ac 10:2; Ac 22:12)23Тогава той ги покани вътре и ги нагости. И на сутринта той стана и излезе с тях; а някои от братята от Йопия го придружиха. (Ac 10:45; Ac 11:12)24И на другия ден влязоха в Цезарея; а Корнилий ги чакаше, като беше свикал роднините си и близките си приятели.25И когато Петър влезе, Корнилий го посрещна, падна пред него и се поклони.26А Петър го вдигна, като каза: Стани; и аз самият съм човек. (Ac 14:14; Ac 14:15; Re 19:10; Re 22:9)27И като разговаряше с него, той влезе и намери мнозина събрани.28И им каза: Вие знаете колко е незаконно за юдеин да се събира или да дружи с другоплеменник; Бог обаче ми показа, че не бива да наричам никого мръсен или нечист. (Mt 9:11; Joh 4:9; Joh 18:28; Ac 11:3; Ac 15:8; Ac 15:9; Ga 2:12; Ga 2:14; Eph 3:6)29Затова, щом ме повикахте, дойдох, без да възразявам; и така, питам ви, защо ме повикахте?30И Корнилий каза: Преди четири дни прекарвах деветия час в молитва у дома; и ето, пред мене застана човек със светло облекло, който каза: (Mt 28:3; Mr 16:5; Lu 24:4; Ac 1:10)31Корнилий, твоята молитва е чута и твоите милостини се помнят пред Бога. (Da 10:12; Ac 10:4; Heb 6:10)32А сега, прати в Йопия да повикат Симон, когото наричат Петър; той гостува в дома на един кожар Симон край морето, той, като дойде, ще ти говори.33И така, начаса пратих до теб и ти си направил добре, че дойде. И така, ние всички присъстваме тук пред Бога, за да чуем всичко, което ти е заповядано от Господа.
44Докато Петър още говореше тези думи, Святият Дух слезе на всички, които слушаха словото. (Ac 4:31; Ac 8:15; Ac 11:15)45И обрязаните вярващи, които бяха дошли с Петър, се смаяха, че дарът на Святия Дух се изля и на езичниците, (Ac 11:18; Ga 3:14)46защото ги чуваха да говорят чужди езици и да величаят Бога. Тогава Петър проговори: (Mr 16:17)47Може ли някой да забрани водата, за да не се кръстят тези, които приеха Святия Дух, както и ние? (Ac 11:17; Ac 15:8; Ac 15:9; Ro 10:12)48И заповяда да бъдат кръстени в името на Исус Христос. Тогава му се примолиха да остане няколко дни у тях. (Ac 2:38; Ac 8:16; 1Co 1:17)