Apostelgeschichte 10 | Bibelen på hverdagsdansk

Kornelius får besøg af en engel

1 I Cæsarea boede der en mand, som hed Kornelius. Han var officer ved det romerske regiment, der kaldtes „Det italienske”. 2 Han var en religiøs mand, der sammen med hele sin husstand var gået over til jødedommen. Han hjalp de fattige i den jødiske menighed og bad regelmæssigt til Gud. 3 En eftermiddag ved tretiden* så han ganske tydeligt i et syn en engel, der kom hen til ham og sagde: „Kornelius!” 4 Han stirrede skrækslagen på englen og udbrød: „Hvad er der, Herre?” Englen fortsatte: „Dine bønner og barmhjertighedsgaver har Gud taget imod som et vellugtende offer.* 5 Nu skal du sende nogle mænd til Joppe for at hente en mand, som hedder Simon Peter. 6 Han bor nede ved stranden hos en garver, der også hedder Simon.” 7 Så snart englen var forsvundet, kaldte Kornelius på to af sine tjenere og en gudfrygtig soldat blandt sine betroede folk. 8 Han fortalte dem, hvad der var sket, og sendte dem derpå af sted til Joppe.

Peters syn om, hvad der er rent og urent

9 Den følgende dag ved tolvtiden ankom de tre mænd til byen. Peter var gået op på husets flade tag for at bede. 10 Han var godt sulten og ville gerne snart have noget at spise. Mens maden blev tilberedt, fik han et syn: 11 Himlen var åben, og noget kom dalende ned mod jorden. Det lignede en stor dug, der blev holdt oppe i de fire hjørner. 12 I dugen var der mange forskellige dyrearter, som jøderne regner for urene og derfor ikke må spise, både pattedyr, krybdyr og fugle. 13 I det samme hørte han en stemme sige: „Rejs dig, Peter, slagt og spis!” 14 „Ikke tale om, Herre!” erklærede Peter. „Jeg har jo aldrig spist noget urent eller vanhelligt.” 15 Stemmen talte igen: „Det, som Gud har erklæret for rent, må du ikke kalde urent.” 16 Det hele skete tre gange, hvorefter dugen blev løftet op til himlen igen.

Peter får besked på at tage til et ikke-jødisk hjem

17 Peter var forvirret. Hvad kunne det syn betyde? Hvad skulle han gøre? Men netop på det tidspunkt havde de mænd, som Kornelius havde sendt af sted, spurgt sig frem til huset. De stod nu uden for porten 18 og spurgte, om der i huset var en gæst, der hed Simon Peter. 19 Mens Peter stadig spekulerede over det syn, han lige havde haft, sagde Helligånden: „Der er kommet tre mænd for at tale med dig. 20 Gå ned og tag imod dem. Derefter skal du gå med dem uden betænkeligheder, for det er mig, der har sendt dem.” 21 Peter gik så ned ad trappen fra taget og hen til porten og sagde til dem: „Det er mig, I leder efter. Hvad vil I mig?” 22 Så fortalte de ham om den romerske officer, Kornelius: „Han er en god og gudfrygtig mand, som jøderne sætter stor pris på, og han har af en engel fået besked på at hente dig til sit hjem, for at han kan høre, hvad du har at fortælle.” 23 Så indbød Peter dem til at komme indenfor, og de blev godt beværtet. Næste dag tog Peter af sted sammen med de tre udsendinge, og nogle af menighedens ledere fra Joppe tog også med. 24 Dagen efter ankom de til Cæsarea. Kornelius ventede på ham og havde sammenkaldt sin familie og nærmeste venner. 25 Da Peter var nået hen til huset, kom Kornelius ud til ham, faldt på knæ foran ham og bøjede hovedet mod jorden i dyb ærbødighed. 26 Men Peter sagde til ham: „Rejs dig op! Jeg er bare et almindeligt menneske.” 27 Mens de fortsatte med at tale sammen, gik de ind i huset, og dér opdagede Peter, at en stor forsamling ventede på ham. 28 „I ved, at vi jøder ikke har lov til at have fællesskab med eller besøge ikke-jøder, for så bliver vi urene,” forklarede han. „Men Gud har vist mig, at jeg ikke må betragte noget menneske som urent eller uværdigt. 29 Derfor gik jeg med uden indvendinger, da der blev sendt bud efter mig. Men nu vil jeg så gerne vide, hvorfor jeg skulle komme.” 30 Kornelius svarede: „For nøjagtig tre dage siden* lige ved den her tid, klokken tre, var jeg ved at bede min sædvanlige eftermiddagsbøn her i mit hjem. Pludselig stod en mand i en skinnende hvid dragt foran mig. 31 Han sagde: ‚Kornelius, Gud har hørt din bøn, og han har lagt mærke til dine barmhjertighedsgerninger. 32 Nu skal du sende nogle mænd til Joppe for at hente Simon Peter, som bor hos garveren Simon nede ved stranden.’ 33 Jeg sendte derfor straks bud efter dig, og det var godt, du kom med det samme. Vi er alle samlet her for Guds ansigt for at høre alt, hvad Herren har befalet dig at sige til os.”

Kornelius med flere kommer til tro og modtager Helligånden

34 „Nu forstår jeg virkelig, at alle mennesker er lige for Gud,” begyndte Peter. 35 „Han accepterer alle, der ærer ham og handler efter hans vilje, uanset hvilket folk de tilhører. 36 Og det er det budskab, som Gud sendte til Israels folk, idet han forkyndte fred gennem Jesus, Messias: Han er Herre for alle folkeslag. 37 I ved, hvad der er sket i jødernes land, og at det hele startede i Galilæa, efter at Johannes begyndte at døbe. 38 I har hørt om nazaræeren Jesus, hvordan Gud udrustede ham med Helligånd og kraft. Han gik omkring og befriede alle, der lå under for Djævelens herredømme. Det kunne han gøre, fordi Gud var med ham. 39 Vi apostle er vidner om alt det, han gjorde ud over jødernes land, inklusive Jerusalem, hvor han til sidst blev henrettet på et kors. 40 Men Gud oprejste ham fra døden på den tredje dag og lod ham træde synligt frem. 41 Han blev ikke set af alle, men kun af os, som Gud i forvejen havde udpeget til at være vidner. Vi både spiste og drak sammen med ham, efter at han var genopstået fra de døde. 42 Han pålagde os at bevidne hans opstandelse og fortælle det jødiske folk, at det er Jesus og ingen anden, som Gud har indsat til at være dommer over både de levende og de døde. 43 Det er ham, alle profeterne har skrevet om. Han tilgiver mennesker deres synder, hvis bare de tror på ham.” 44 Mens Peter endnu talte, faldt Helligånden på alle dem, der lyttede. 45 De Jesus-troende jøder, der var kommet dertil sammen med Peter, var forbløffede over, at Helligåndens gave nu også var blevet givet til andre end jøderne, 46 men de kunne jo høre dem tale i tunger og prise Gud. 47 Da sagde Peter: „Er der noget i vejen for, at de mennesker her kan blive døbt, siden de har modtaget Helligåndens kraft, akkurat som vi gjorde?” 48 Så gav han besked om, at de skulle døbes til at tilhøre Jesus, Messias. Derefter bad de ham om at blive nogle dage hos dem.

English Standard Version

Peter and Cornelius

1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day* he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Peter’s Vision

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour* to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. 17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation,* for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” 30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour,* and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Gentiles Hear the Good News

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Apostelgeschichte 10 | Bibelen på hverdagsdansk English Standard Version