1V Cézarey žil rímsky stotník Kornélius, ktorý slúžil v takzvanom Italskom pluku.2Tento dôstojník uveril s celou svojou rodinou v jediného Boha. Štedro podporoval chudobných3a pravidelne sa modlieval. Raz popoludní okolo tretej, keď sa modlil, zjavil sa mu Boží posol a oslovil ho: „Kornélius!“4Vystrašene sa naň pozrel a spýtal sa: „Čo si želáš, Pane?“ Anjel mu odpovedal: „Boh vypočul tvoje modlitby a vie o tvojej dobročinnosti.5Pošli teraz do Joppy svojich sluhov a pozvi k sebe Šimona zvaného Peter.6Býva v dome garbiara Šimona pri mori. Peter ti povie, čo máš robiť.“7Potom anjel odišiel. Kornélius si hneď zavolal dvoch sluhov a zbožného vojaka zo svojej osobnej stráže.8Vyrozprával im, čo sa mu prihodilo, a poslal ich do Joppy.9Na druhý deň okolo poludnia, keď sa Kornéliovi poslovia približovali k mestu, vyšiel Peter na plochú strechu domu a modlil sa tam.10Bolo práve poludnie a cítil, že je veľmi hladný. Kým mu pripravovali jedlo, upadol do vytrženia.11Videl otvorené nebo a z neho akoby niekto spúšťal plachtu uviazanú za štyri rohy.12V tej plachte boli všelijaké zvieratá, štvornohé, plazy i vtáci.13Vtom začul hlas: „Vstaň, Peter, zabíjaj a jedz!“ –14„Za nič na svete, Pane, jakživ som nevzal do úst nič, čo poškvrňuje a znečisťuje.“15Ale hlas sa ozval znovu: „Nepohŕdaj tým, čo Boh pokladá za čisté!“16To sa opakovalo tri razy a napokon to všetko bolo znova vynesené hore do neba.17Peter bol zarazený, a kým rozmýšľal, čo má to videnie znamenať, Kornéliovi poslovia našli dom garbiara Šimona a práve stáli pred bránou.18Spytovali sa, či tu býva Šimon, ktorého inak volajú Peter.19Peter si ešte vždy lámal hlavu, čo asi znamená to videnie. Tu mu vnukol Svätý Duch: „Tí muži, čo ťa hľadajú, sú síce pohania,20ale zíď dolu a bez váhania sa pober s nimi. Ja som ich k tebe poslal.“21A tak Peter zišiel dolu a povedal im: „Ja som ten, koho hľadáte. Prečo ste za mnou prišli?“22Odpovedali: „Posiela nás rímsky stotník Kornélius, spravodlivý človek, ktorý verí v jediného Boha a má dobrú povesť medzi všetkými Izraelitmi. Zjavil sa mu totiž anjel a dal mu pokyn, aby ťa pozval do svojho domu a vypočul, čo mu máš povedať.23Peter pozval hostí dnu a ponúkol im, aby prenocovali uňho.24Na druhý deň sa Peter aj s niekoľkými veriacimi z Joppy pobral s nimi. Ďalší deň došli do Cézarey, kde ich už Kornélius čakal. Na stretnutie s Petrom pozval svojich príbuzných a dobrých priateľov.25Keď Peter vchádzal do jeho domu, kľakol si pred ním a hlboko sa mu poklonil.26Ale Peter mu kázal vstať a povedal: „Vstaň, veď i ja som iba človek.“27V družnom rozhovore vošli do domu, kde na Petra už čakalo veľa ľudí.28Peter ich oslovil: „Vy iste viete, že ako Žid by som sem nemal chodiť a že máme zakázané priateliť sa s ľuďmi iného pôvodu. Ale Boh mi ukázal, že nemám nijakého človeka pokladať za menejcenného.29Preto som bez váhania prijal vaše pozvanie, a tak som tu. Ale rád by som vedel, prečo ste ma vlastne zavolali.“30Kornélius mu vysvetlil: „Pred štyrmi dňami som sa postil a modlil vo svojom dome. Boli asi tri hodiny popoludní tak ako teraz. A tu sa zrazu zjavil predo mnou muž v bieloskvúcom rúchu31a oslovil ma:‚Kornélius, Boh počuje tvoje modlitby a vie o tvojej dobročinnosti.32Pošli poslov do Joppy a pozvi k sebe Šimona prezývaného Peter. Býva pri mori v dome garbiara Šimona. Vypočuj ho, čo ti oznámi.‘33Nuž som hneď po teba poslal a som rád, že si ochotne prišiel. A tak sme sa všetci tu zišli a stojíme pred Bohom a tvoje slová prijmeme ako jeho odkaz.“
Boh miluje každého človeka
34Tu sa Peter ujal slova: „Až teraz som správne pochopil, že Boh nerobí rozdiel medzi ľuďmi,35ale že mu je milý každý človek z ktoréhokoľvek národa, ak v neho verí a žije podľa jeho prikázaní.36Izraelitom zveril svoje posolstvo, radostnú správu, že nastáva obdobie zmierenia v mene Ježiša Krista, ktorý je Pánom všetkých.37Azda už viete, aké udalosti sa stali v Galilei a potom sa rozšírili aj do Judska. Najprv Ján hlásal pokánie a krstil.38Potom Boh obdaril Ježiša z Nazareta zvláštnou mocou a Svätým Duchom. Všade, kam len prišiel, pomáhal ľuďom a uzdravoval všetkých, ktorí boli ovládaní diablom, lebo Boh bol s ním.39A my sme očitými svedkami všetkého, čo robil v Judskej krajine i v Jeruzaleme. Napriek tomu ho tam popravili na kríži.40Ale Boh ho na tretí deň vzkriesil a my sme sa s ním opäť stretli.41Neukázal sa všetkým, len svojim vyvoleným učeníkom. A my sme s ním po jeho zmŕtvychvstaní dokonca jedli a pili.42Nás poveril, aby sme hlásali a svedčili, že je to on, ktorého Boh ustanovil za sudcu živých aj mŕtvych.43Už proroci predpovedali o ňom, že každému, kto uverí v neho, Boh odpustí hriechy.“
Svätý Duch prvý raz zostúpi na veriacich spomedzi pohanov
44Peter ešte ani nedohovoril a Duch Svätý už zostúpil na všetkých poslucháčov.45Obrátení Židia zo zboru v Joppe žasli, že dar Svätého Ducha dostávajú aj ľudia pohanského pôvodu. Ale nepochybovali o tom,46lebo počuli, ako hovoria inými jazykmi a chvália Boha. Peter im povedal:47„Môžeme azda zabrániť, aby boli pokrstení vodou tí, ktorým Boh dal Svätého Ducha tak ako aj nám?“48A dal pokyn, aby všetci noví veriaci boli pokrstení v mene Ježiša Krista. Na ich prosbu zostal u nich ešte niekoľko dní.
English Standard Version
Peter and Cornelius
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,2a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.3About the ninth hour of the day* he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.”4And 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.5And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter.6He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”7When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him,8and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision
9The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour* to pray.10And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance11and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth.12In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air.13And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”15And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”16This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.17Now 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 gate18and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there.19And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.20Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation,* for I have sent them.”21And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?”22And 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.”23So 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.24And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.26But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”27And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered.28And 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.29So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”30And 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 clothing31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.32Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’33So 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
34So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.36As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),37you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:38how 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.39And 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,40but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear,41not 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.42And 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.43To 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
44While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.45And 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.46For 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?”48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
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