1There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 5And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. 7And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; 8And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
9¶ On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. 17Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, 18And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
19¶ While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. 21Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? 22And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. 23Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. 25And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. 27And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. 28And he said unto them, Ye 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; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? 30And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 32Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. 33Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
34¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 36The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 37That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39And 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: 40Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 41Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
44¶ While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
哥尼流邀請彼得
1在凱撒利亞有一位隸屬義大利營的百夫長名叫哥尼流。 2他和全家都是虔誠敬畏上帝的人，他慷慨賙濟窮人，常常禱告。 3一天，大約下午三點，他在異象中清楚地看見一位上帝的天使進來呼喚他：「哥尼流！」
4哥尼流驚恐地注視著他，問：「主啊，什麼事？」
天使回答說：「你的禱告和賙濟窮人的善行已經在上帝面前蒙悅納。 5如今你要派人去約帕，請一個叫西門·彼得的人來。 6他住在一個叫西門的皮革匠家裡，房子在海邊。」
7向他說話的天使離開後，哥尼流叫來兩個家僕和自己的一個敬虔侍衛， 8把剛才的事告訴他們，然後差他們去約帕。
彼得見異象
9第二天中午，他們快要到達約帕時，彼得上屋頂去禱告。 10他覺得肚子餓了，想吃東西。那家人正在預備午飯的時候，彼得進入異象， 11看見天開了，有一樣東西好像一大塊布，四角吊著降到地上， 12裡面有各種天上的飛禽、地上的爬蟲和四足的走獸。 13然後有聲音對他說：「彼得，起來，宰了吃！」
14彼得卻說：「主啊！這可不行！我從未吃過任何污穢不潔之物。」
15那聲音又一次對他說：「上帝已經潔淨的，你不可再稱之為不潔淨。」 16這樣一連三次之後，那塊布就被收回天上去了。
17彼得不知所措，正在猜測這異象到底是什麼意思，哥尼流的僕人們剛好找來了， 18正站在門口大聲問西門·彼得是否住在這裡。
19彼得還在苦苦思索的時候，聖靈又對他說：「彼得，外面有三個人來找你， 20快下樓跟他們去，不必多慮，他們是我差來的。」 21彼得就下去見他們，說：「我就是你們要找的人，有什麼事？」
22他們說：「哥尼流百夫長是個又正直又敬畏上帝的人，連猶太人都稱讚他。上帝的天使指示他請你到他家裡去，好聽你的指教。」
23彼得就留他們住了一夜。第二天，彼得和他們以及幾個約帕的弟兄一同出發了。 24又過了一天，他們到達凱撒利亞。哥尼流已經請來親朋好友，在等候他們。 25他一看見彼得，就迎上去俯伏在他腳前拜他。 26彼得連忙把他扶起來，說：「快起來，我只不過是人。」
27彼得和他邊走邊談，進屋後，見聚集了許多人， 28就對他們說：「你們都知道，按照猶太人的傳統，我們不可以和外族人來往。但上帝已經指示我不可把任何人視為污穢不潔。 29所以，我受到邀請後，毫不猶豫地來了。請問你們為什麼請我來？」
30哥尼流說：「四天前，大約也是下午三點這個時候，我在家裡禱告，忽然有一個身穿明亮衣服的人站在我面前， 31說，『哥尼流，上帝已經垂聽了你的禱告，也悅納你賙濟窮人的善行。 32你派人去約帕把那位叫西門·彼得的人請來，他住在海邊一個叫西門的皮革匠家。』 33於是我立刻派人去請你。你能來，真是榮幸，現在我們都在上帝面前，想聆聽主吩咐你傳給我們的話。」
福音臨到外族人
34彼得說：「現在我深深地明白，上帝不偏待人。 35無論哪一個民族，只要敬畏祂，秉公行義，都會蒙祂接納。 36上帝藉著萬物的主宰——耶穌基督把平安的福音傳給以色列人。 37你們都知道，自從約翰宣講洗禮以來，從加利利開始，整個猶太地區發生了什麼事。 38你們也知道，拿撒勒人耶穌是上帝用聖靈和大能膏立的。祂周遊四方，廣行善事，醫好被魔鬼壓制的人，因為上帝與祂同在。 39我們親眼目睹了耶穌在猶太全境和耶路撒冷所做的一切。可是，世人卻把祂釘死在十字架上。 40但第三天，上帝使祂從死裡復活，並且向人顯現， 41不是向所有的人顯現，而是向被上帝預先揀選為祂做見證的人顯現，就是我們這些在祂復活以後與祂一同吃喝過的人。 42祂命令我們向世人傳道，見證祂就是上帝指派來審判活人和死人的那位。 43所有先知也都為祂做見證說，『誰信祂，誰的罪就能藉著祂的名得到赦免。』」
44彼得還在說話的時候，聖靈就降臨在每一個聽道的人身上。 45跟彼得一起來的那些嚴守割禮的信徒，看見聖靈的恩賜也澆灌到外族人身上，都很驚奇。 46因為他們聽見這些人又說方言又讚美上帝。於是彼得說： 47「既然這些人已經和我們一樣領受了聖靈，誰能阻止他們接受洗禮呢？」 48彼得吩咐他們奉耶穌基督的名受洗。之後，他們又請彼得住了幾天。
