1: There
was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius a centurion of the band called
the Italian band 2: A devout man and one that feared Ton
Theon with all his house who gave much alms to the people and supplicating
Ton
Theon always 3: He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth
hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him and saying to him Cornelius 4:
And when he looked on him he was afraid and said What is it Lord And he said to
him your prayers and your alms are come up for a memorial before Ton
Theon 5: And now send men to Joppa and call for one Simon whose
surname is Peter 6: He lodges with one Simon a tanner whose house is by
the sea side he shall tell you what you ought to do 7: And when the
angel which spoke to Cornelius was departed he called two of his household
servants and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually 8:
And when he had declared all these things to them he sent them to Joppa 9:
On the morrow as they went on their journey and drew near to the city Peter
went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour 10: And he became
very hungry and would have eaten but while they made ready he fell into a
trance 11: And saw Heaven opened and a certain vessel descending to him
as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners and let down to the earth
12: Wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild
beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air 13: And there came a
voice to him Rise Peter kill and eat 14: But Peter said Not so Lord for
I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean 15: And the voice [spoke]
to him again the second time What Ho Theos has cleansed that call not
thou common 16: This was done thrice and the vessel was received up
again into Heaven 17: Now while Peter doubted in himself what this
vision which he had seen should mean behold the men which were sent from
Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house and stood before the gate 18:
And called and asked whether Simon which was surnamed Peter were lodged there 19:
While Peter thought on the vision the Spirit said to him Behold three men seek
thee 20: Arise therefore and get thee down and go with them doubting
nothing for I have sent them 21: Then Peter went down to the men which
were sent to him from Cornelius and said Behold I am he whom you seek what is
the cause why have you come 22: And they said Cornelius the centurion a
just man and one fearing Ton Theon and of good report among
all the nation of the Jews was instructed by a holy angel to send for you into
his house and to hear words of you 23: Then called he them in and lodged
them And on the morrow Peter went away with them and certain brethren from
Joppa accompanied him 24: And the morrow after they entered into
Caesarea And Cornelius waited for them and had called together his kinsmen and
near friends 25: And as Peter was coming in Cornelius met him and fell
down at his feet and worshipped him 26: But Peter took him up saying
Stand up I myself also am a man 27: And as he talked with him he went in
and found many that were come together 28: And he said to them You know
how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or
come unto one of another nation[1]
but God has showed me that I should not call any one common or unclean [2]29:
Because of this I came without argument
as soon as I was sent for I ask therefore for what intent you have sent for me 30:
And Cornelius said Four days ago I was fasting until this hour[3]
and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house and behold a man stood before me in
bright clothing 31: And said Cornelius your prayer is heard and your
alms are had in remembrance before Ton Theon 32: Send therefore
to Joppa and call here Simon whose surname is Peter he is lodged in the house
of one Simon a tanner by the sea side who when he comes shall speak to you 33:
Immediately therefore I sent to you and you have well done that you are come
Now therefore are we all here present before Ton Theon to hear all
things that are commanded you of Ton Theon 34: Then Peter
opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that Ho Theos is no respecter
of persons 35: But in every nation they that fear him and work
righteousness is accepted with him[4] 36:
The word which God sent to the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus
Christ he is Lord of all 37: That word you know which was published
throughout all Judaea and began from Galilee after the baptism which John
preached 38: How Ho Theos anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all
that were oppressed of Ho Diabolos[5]
for Ho
Theos was with him 39: And we are witnesses of all things which
he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged
on a tree 40: This one Ho Theos raised up the third day and
showed him openly 41: Not to all the people but to witnesses chosen
before by Ton Theon even to us who did eat and drink with him after he
rose from the dead 42: And he commanded us to preach to the people and
to testify that it is he which was ordained by Ton Theon the Judge of the
living and the dead[6]
43: To him give all the prophets witness that through his name whoever
believes in him shall receive remission of sins[7] 44:
While Peter yet spoke these words the Holy Spirit fell on all them who heard
the word 45: And they of the circumcision who believed were astonished
as many as came with Peter because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the
gift of the Holy Spirit 46: For they heard them speak with tongues and
magnify Ton Theon Then answered Peter 47: Can anyone forbid
water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit as
well as we 48: And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord
Then they asked him to tarry certain days
[1]
What law says that? The Law said do not inter-marry, we see exceptions even to
the marriage prohibition in the examples of Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba who was
married to Uriah the Hitite before she became David’s wife. God sent Elijah to
a Canaanite (Phoenician) widow and gave her the miracle of the oil and the meal
barrel that never went empty until the end of the drought. God sent Jonah to
Nineveh, an Assyrian city.
[2]
It came as a revelation to Peter that all people were intrinsically equal and
shared the same value in the eyes of their creator. It took a vision from God
to shake Peter loose from a racial prejudice that he believed was based on the
Word of God, when, in fact, it was not. This was a prejudice so strong that he
would have refused to go with the servants of Cornelius, effectively
with-holding the gospel from them. Peter did go with them, but this would not
be the last of his struggles with breaking free from life-stealing tradition,
prejudice, respecter of persons, and racial duplicity. Paul would call him on
it publicly, later on, in Galatia.
[3]
This could have been a partial fast beginning from sun-up until just after the
9th hour
[4]
This should not have been a revelation to Peter. The scriptures of the Old
Covenant commanded the Jews to welcome immigrants who wished to embrace their
God, and to treat them well—not ostracize them with walls of prejudice.
[5]
Speaking with authority under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter
identified sickness as being an oppression of The diabolos
[6]
Those alive in Christ both before and after the First Resurrection at the
Judgement Seat of Christ, and those dead to Christ both before and after the
Second Death which occurs after the sea, death, and Hades surrender their dead
to be judged at the White Throne Judgement.
[7]
Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, but the whole world (that is all
the people in the world) will not be saved by that sacrifice, for it is faith in the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ that brings remission from sins.
Additional commentary pending for this
chapter. Questions and comments are welcome.
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