Cornelius Calls for Peter
1A man named Cornelius lived in Caesarea. He was a Roman commander in the Italian Regiment. 2Cornelius and all his family were faithful and worshiped God. He gave freely to people who were in need. He prayed to God regularly. 3One day about three o’clock in the afternoon he had a vision. He saw clearly an angel of God. The angel came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4Cornelius was afraid. He stared at the angel. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to poor people are like an offering to God. So he has remembered you. 5Now send men to Joppa. Have them bring back a man named Simon. He is also called Peter. 6He is staying with another Simon, a man who works with leather. His house is by the sea.”
7The angel who spoke to him left. Then Cornelius called two of his servants. He also called a godly soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened. Then he sent them to Joppa.
Peter Has a Vision
9It was about noon the next day. The men were on their journey and were approaching the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry. He wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, Peter had a vision. 11He saw heaven open up. There he saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It had all kinds of four-footed animals in it. It also had reptiles and birds in it. 13Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14“No, Lord! I will not!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything that is not pure and ‘clean.’ ”
15The voice spoke to him a second time. It said, “Do not say anything is not pure that God has made ‘clean.’ ”
16This happened three times. Right away the sheet was taken back up to heaven.
17Peter was wondering what the vision meant. At that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. They stopped at the gate 18and called out. They asked if Simon Peter was staying there.
19Peter was still thinking about the vision. The Holy Spirit spoke to him. “Simon,” he said, “three men are looking for you. 20Get up and go downstairs. Don’t let anything keep you from going with them. I have sent them.”
21Peter went down and spoke to the men. “I’m the one you’re looking for,” he said. “Why have you come?”
22The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius, the Roman commander. He is a good man who worships God. All the Jewish people respect him. A holy angel told him to invite you to his house. Then Cornelius can hear what you have to say.” 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius
The next day Peter went with the three men. Some of the believers from Joppa went along. 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them. He had called together his relatives and close friends. 25When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him. As a sign of respect, he fell at Peter’s feet. 26But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said. “I am only a man myself.”
27As he was talking with Cornelius, Peter went inside. There he found a large group of people. 28He said to them, “You know that it is against our law for a Jew to enter a Gentile home. A Jew shouldn’t have any close contact with a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not say anyone is not pure and ‘clean.’ 29So when you sent for me, I came without asking any questions. May I ask why you sent for me?”
30Cornelius answered, “Three days ago at this very hour I was in my house praying. It was three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood in front of me. 31He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer. He has remembered your gifts to poor people. 32Send someone to Joppa to get Simon Peter. He is a guest in the home of another Simon, who works with leather. He lives by the sea.’ 33So I sent for you right away. It was good of you to come. Now we are all here. And God is here with us. We are ready to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
34Then Peter began to speak. “I now realize how true it is that God treats everyone the same,” he said. 35“He accepts people from every nation. He accepts anyone who has respect for him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel. It is the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened all through the area of Judea. It started in Galilee after John preached about baptism. 38You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went around doing good. He healed all who were under the devil’s power. God was with him.
39“We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by nailing him to a cross. 40But on the third day God raised him from the dead. God allowed Jesus to be seen. 41But he wasn’t seen by all the people. He was seen only by us. We are witnesses whom God had already chosen. We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people. He told us to tell people that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43All the prophets tell about him. They say that all who believe in him have their sins forgiven through his name.”
44While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45Some Jewish believers had come with Peter. They were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46They heard them speaking in languages they had not known before. They also heard them praising God.
Then Peter said, 47“Surely no one can keep these people from being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Kenturiyo Korneliyo Ayitana Petro
1Ku Kaisareya kunali munthu wina dzina lake Korneliyo, mkulu wa asilikali 100 wa gulu la Italiya. 2Iye ndi banja lake lonse amapembedza ndi kuopa Mulungu. Iye amathandiza osowa mowolowamanja ndipo amapemphera kwa Mulungu nthawi zonse. 3Tsiku lina, nthawi ili ngati 3 koloko masana, anaona masomphenya. Anaona bwino ndithu mngelo wa Mulungu, amene anabwera kwa iye ndi kuti, “Korneliyo.”
4Korneliyo anamuyangʼanitsitsa mngeloyo mwa mantha. Iye anafunsa kuti, “Nʼchiyani kodi Ambuye?”
Mngelo anayankha kuti, “Mapemphero ako ndi zachifundo zako zafika pamaso pa Mulungu ngati chikumbutso. 5Tsopano tuma anthu apite ku Yopa kuti akayitane munthu dzina lake Simoni Petro. 6Iye akukhala ndi Simoni mmisiri wa zikopa, amene nyumba yake ili mʼmbali mwa nyanja.”
7Mngeloyo anayankhula naye anachoka, Korneliyo anayitana antchito ake awiri ndiponso msilikali mmodzi wa iwo amene ankamutumikira yemwe ankapembedza Mulungu. 8Iye anawafotokozera zonse zimene zinachitika ndipo anawatuma kuti apite ku Yopa.
Masomphenya a Petro
9Mmawa mwake, nthawi ili ngati 12 koloko anthuwo atayandikira mzindawo, Petro anakwera pa denga kukapemphera. 10Iye anamva njala ndipo anafuna chakudya, ndipo akukonza chakudyacho, iye anachita ngati wakomoka. 11Iye anaona kuthambo kutatsekuka, ndi chinthu china chikutsitsidwa pansi chooneka ngati chinsalu chachikulu chomangidwa pa msonga zake zinayi. 12Mʼmenemo munali nyama zonse zamiyendo inayi pamodzinso ndi zokwawa za dziko lapansi ndiponso mbalame zamlengalenga. 13Petro anamva mawu akuti, “Petro, dzuka, ipha nudye.”
14Petro anayankha kuti, “Ayi, Ambuye! Ine sindinadyepo kanthu kosayeretsedwa kapena konyansa.”
15Petro anamvanso kachiwiri mawu akuti, “Usachiyese chonyansa chimene Mulungu wachiyeretsa.”
16Zimenezi zinachitika katatu ndipo nthawi yomweyo chinsalu chija chinatengedwanso kupita kumwamba.
17Petro akuganizira za tanthauzo la masomphenyawo, anthu amene Korneliyo anawatuma anapeza kumene kunali nyumba ya Simoni ndipo anayima pa chipata. 18Iwo anayitana nafunsa ngati Simoni amene amadziwika ndi dzina loti Petro amakhala kumeneko.
19Petro akuganizirabe za masomphenyawo, Mzimu Woyera anati kwa iye, “Simoni, anthu atatu akukufunafuna. 20Dzuka, tsika. Usakayike upite nawo pakuti ndawatuma ndine.”
21Petro anatsika ndipo anati kwa anthuwo, “Amene mukufunayo ndine. Mwabwera kuno chifukwa chiyani?”
22Anthuwo anayankha kuti, “Ife tachokera kwa Korneliyo, mkulu woyangʼanira asilikali 100. Iye ndi munthu wolungama ndiponso woopa Mulungu, amene amalemekezedwa ndi Ayuda onse. Mngelo woyera anamuwuza kuti mupite ku nyumba yake kuti akamve mawu amene inu mukanene.” 23Pamenepo Petro anawalowetsa mʼnyumba ndipo anawasamala ngati alendo ake. Mmawa mwake Petro ananyamuka napita nawo ndipo abale ena a ku Yopa anapita naye pamodzi.
Petro ku Nyumba ya Korneliyo
24Tsiku linalo Petro anafika ku Kaisareya. Korneliyo anawadikirira ndipo anali atawasonkhanitsa pamodzi abale ake ndi abwenzi ake a pamtima. 25Petro akulowa mʼnyumba, Korneliyo anakumana naye ndipo anadzigwetsa pa mapazi ake namulambira. 26Koma Petro anamuyimiritsa nati, “Imirira, inenso ndine munthu ngati iwe.”
27Akuyankhula naye, Petro analowa mʼnyumba ndipo anapeza gulu lalikulu la anthu litasonkhana. 28Iye anawawuza kuti, “Inu mukudziwa bwino kuti ndi kutsutsana ndi lamulo ngati Myuda ayanjana ndi Mkunja kapena kuyendera wina aliyense wa mtundu wina. Koma Mulungu wandionetsa ine kuti ndisatchule munthu aliyense kuti ndi wosayenera kapena wonyansa. 29Nʼchifukwa chake ndabwera mosawiringula pamene munandiyitana. Tsopano ndikufunseni,” Mwandiyitanira chiyani?
30Komeliyo anayankha kuti, “Masiku anayi apitawo, nthawi yonga yomwe ino, 3 koloko masana ndimapemphera mʼnyumba mwanga. Mwadzidzidzi patsogolo panga panayimirira munthu wovala zovala zonyezimira. 31Ndipo anati, ‘Korneliyo, Mulungu wamva mapemphero ako ndipo wakumbukira mphatso zako kwa osauka. 32Tuma anthu ku Yopa akayitane Simoni wotchedwa Petro. Iye akukhala mʼnyumba ya Simoni mmisiri wazikopa amene amakhala mʼmbali mwa nyanja.’ 33Nʼchifukwa chake ndinatumiza anthu nthawi yomweyo ndipo mwachita bwino kuti mwabwera. Tsopano ife tonse tili pano pamaso pa Mulungu kuti timve zonse zimene Ambuye akukulamulani kuti mutiwuze ife.”
34Ndipo Petro anayamba kuyankhula nati, “Zoonadi, tsopano ndazindikira kuti Mulungu sakondera. 35Koma amalandira anthu a mtundu uli wonse amene amaopa Iye ndiponso kuchita chilungamo. 36Uwu ndi uthenga umene Mulungu anatumiza kwa Aisraeli, kulalikira Uthenga Wabwino wamtendere mwa Yesu Khristu amene ndi Ambuye wa onse. 37Inu mukudziwa zimene zinachitika ku Yudeya konse, kuyambira ku Galileya pambuyo pa ubatizo umene Yohane analalikira, 38kuti Mulungu, anamudzoza Yesu, wa ku Nazareti ndi Mzimu Woyera ndi mphamvu ndiponso mmene Iye anapita nachita zabwino ndi kuchiritsa onse amene anali pansi pa mphamvu ya mdierekezi, popeza kuti Mulungu anali naye.
39“Ife ndife mboni za zonse zimene anachita mʼdziko la Ayuda ndiponso ku Yerusalemu. Anamupha Iye pakumupachika pa mtengo, 40koma Mulungu anamuukitsa kwa akufa pa tsiku lachitatu, ndipo analola kuti aonekere poyera. 41Iye sanaonekere kwa anthu onse koma kwa mboni zimene Mulungu anazisankhiratu, kwa ife amene timadya ndi kumwa naye atauka kwa akufa. 42Iye anatilamulira ife kuti tilalikire kwa anthu ndi kuchitira umboni kuti Iye ndiye amene Mulungu anamusankha kukhala woweruza wa amoyo ndi akufa. 43Aneneri onse achitira Iye umboni kuti aliyense amene akhulupirira Iye amakhululukidwa machimo chifukwa cha dzina lake.”
44Petro akuyankhulabe mawu amenewa, Mzimu Woyera unatsikira pa onse amene amamva uthengawo. 45Abale a mdulidwe omwe anabwera ndi Petro anadabwa kuona kuti mphatso ya Mzimu Woyera yapatsidwanso kwa anthu a mitundu ina. 46Pakuti anamva iwo akuyankhula mʼmalilime ndi kuyamika Mulungu. Ndipo Petro anati, 47“Kodi alipo amene angawaletse anthu awa kubatizidwa mʼmadzi? Iwotu alandira Mzimu Woyera monga ifenso.” 48Tsono iye analamula kuti abatizidwe mʼdzina la Yesu Khristu. Ndipo anthu aja anamupempha Petro kuti akhale nawo masiku angapo.
