Acts 10 — Read & Listen Online | Father's Heart Bible™

A Devout Soldier Hears From Heaven

Chapter 10.

There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort. He was devout and feared our Father along with all his household, giving generous gifts to the people and praying to our Father continually. About three o'clock in the afternoon he saw clearly in a vision an angel of our Father coming to him and saying, "Cornelius." ^a

And he stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, sir?" And the angel said to him, "Your prayers and your gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial before our Father."

Now send men to Joppa and bring a man named Simon, who is called Peter. He is lodging with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.

When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him, and after explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

The Father Opens Peter's Heart

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the rooftop to pray, about noon. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. And a voice came to him: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." ^b

But Peter said, "Absolutely not, Lord; for I have never eaten anything common or unclean."

And the voice came to him again a second time: "What our Father has made clean, do not call common." This happened three times, and at once the sheet was taken up to heaven.

Peter was still puzzling over what the vision meant when suddenly the men sent by Cornelius, who had asked their way to Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there.

And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Three men are looking for you." "Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them."

And Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?"

And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright man who fears our Father and is well respected by all the Jewish people, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear what you have to say." So he invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he rose and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along with him.

On the following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up! I'm a man too." And as he talked with him, he went in and found many people gathered. And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or visit anyone of another nation. But our Father has shown me that I should call no person common or unclean." So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now tell me why you sent for me.

And Cornelius said, "Four days ago, about this same time — it was around three in the afternoon — I was praying at home, and suddenly a man stood before me in bright clothing" and said, "Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before our Father." 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." So I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of our Father to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.

So Peter spoke up and said: "Truly I understand that our Father shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to the children of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all ^c —you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how our Father anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for our Father was with him. ^d 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, but our Father raised him on the third day and made him appear, not by all the people but by us who had been chosen beforehand by our Father as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by our Father to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising our Father. Then Peter declared,

"Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for some days.

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