Cornelius Sends for Peter 3 UDB One day, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, Cornelius saw a vision. He clearly saw an angel whom God had sent. He saw the angel coming into his room and saying to him, "Cornelius!" BSB BSB: One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4 UDB Cornelius stared at the angel and became terrified. Then he asked fearfully, "Sir, what do you want?" The angel who was sent from God answered him, "You have pleased God because you have been praying regularly to him and you often give money to help poor people. Those things have been like a memorial offering to God. BSB BSB: Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
5 UDB So now command some men to go to Joppa and tell them to bring back a man named Simon, whose other name is Peter. BSB BSB: Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter.
6 UDB He is staying with a man, also named Simon, who makes leather. His house is near the ocean." BSB BSB: He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7 UDB When the angel who spoke to Cornelius had gone, he summoned two of his household servants and a soldier who served him, one who also worshiped God. BSB BSB: When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among his attendants.
8 UDB He explained to them everything that the angel had said. Then he told them to go to the city of Joppa to ask Peter to come to Caesarea. BSB BSB: He explained what had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision (Leviticus 11:1–47; Deuteronomy 14:1–21)
10 UDB He became hungry and wanted something to eat. While some people were preparing the food, Peter saw a vision. BSB BSB: He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
11 UDB He saw the sky open and something like a large sheet being lowered to the ground with its four corners raised up. BSB BSB: He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
12 UDB Inside the sheet were all kinds of four-legged animals and reptiles and birds of the air that the law of Moses said we must not eat. BSB BSB: It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air.
13 UDB Then he heard God say to him, "Peter, stand up, kill some of these and eat them!" BSB BSB: Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
14 UDB But Peter replied, "I cannot do this, Lord! I have never eaten anything that is unacceptable to you or that would make me unacceptable to you!" BSB BSB: “No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 UDB Then Peter heard God talk to him a second time. He said, "I am God, so if I have made something acceptable to eat, do not say that it is not acceptable to eat!" BSB BSB: The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16 UDB This happened three times. Immediately after that, the sheet with the animals and birds was pulled back into the sky. BSB BSB: This happened three times, and all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven.
Peter Called to Caesarea 17 UDB While Peter was trying to understand what that vision meant, the men who had been sent by Cornelius arrived. They asked people how to get to Simon's house. So they found his house and were standing outside the gate. BSB BSB: While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate.
18 UDB They called and asked if a man named Simon, whose other name was Peter, was staying there. BSB BSB: They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there.
19 UDB While Peter was still trying to understand what the vision meant, God's Spirit said to him, "Listen! Three men are here who want to see you. BSB BSB: As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
20 UDB So get up, go downstairs, and go with them! Do not think that you should not go with them, because I have sent them here!" BSB BSB: So get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.”
21 UDB So Peter went down to the men and said to them, "Greetings! I am the man you are looking for. Why have you come?" BSB BSB: So Peter went down to the men and said, “Here am I, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”
22 UDB They replied, "Cornelius, who is a Roman army officer, sent us here. He is a good man who worships God, and all of the Jewish people who know about him say that he is a very good man. An angel said to him, 'Tell some men to go to Joppa to see Simon Peter and bring him here, so that you can hear what he has to say.'" BSB BSB: “Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in his home so he could hear a message from you.”
23 UDB So Peter invited them into the house and told them that they should stay there that night. The next day Peter got ready and went with the men. Several of the believers from Joppa also went with him. BSB BSB: So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.
Peter Visits Cornelius 24 UDB The day after that, they arrived in the city of Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them. He had also invited his relatives and close friends to come, so they were there in his house too. BSB BSB: The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25 UDB When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and bowed low in front of him to worship him. BSB BSB: As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.
26 UDB But Peter grasped Cornelius by the hand and lifted him to his feet. He said, "Stand up! Do not bow down and worship me! I myself am only human, like you!" BSB BSB: But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
27 UDB While he was talking to Cornelius, Peter and the others entered the house and saw that many people had gathered together there. BSB BSB: As Peter talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together.
29 UDB So when you sent some men to ask me to come here, I came right away without objection. So, please tell me, why have you asked me to come here?" BSB BSB: So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have you sent for me?”
30 UDB Cornelius replied, "About this time three days ago, I was praying to God in my house, as I regularly do at three o'clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man whose clothes shone brightly stood in front of me BSB BSB: Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me
31 UDB and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer. He has also noticed that you have often given money to help poor people, and he is pleased with that. BSB BSB: and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.
32 UDB So now, send messengers to go to the city of Joppa in order to ask Simon, whose other name is Peter, to come here. He is staying near the ocean in a house that belongs to another man named Simon, who makes leather.' BSB BSB: Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
33 UDB So I immediately sent some men who asked you to come here, and I certainly thank you for coming. Now we all are gathered here, knowing that God is with us, in order to hear all the things that the Lord has commanded you to say. So please speak to us." BSB BSB: So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.”
Good News for the Gentiles 35 UDB Instead, from every people he accepts everyone who honors him and who does what pleases him. BSB BSB: but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
36 UDB You know the message that God sent to Israel. He proclaimed to us the good news that brings peace because of Jesus Christ, and he is Lord over all! BSB BSB: He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37 UDB You know what he did throughout the land of Judea, beginning in Galilee. He began to do those things after John had been proclaiming to people that they should turn away from their sinful behavior before he baptized them. BSB BSB: You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed:
38 UDB You know that God gave his Holy Spirit to Jesus, the man from the town of Nazareth, and gave him the power to do miracles. You also know how Jesus went to many places, always doing good deeds and healing people. He was healing all the people whom the devil was causing to suffer. Jesus was able to do those things because God was always helping him. BSB BSB: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
39 UDB "We all saw the things Jesus did in Jerusalem and around every part of the country of Israel where he lived. His enemies killed him by nailing him to a wooden cross. BSB BSB: We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree,
40 UDB Then God raised him back to life on the third day after he died, and he made sure that many people would see him alive after he was brought back to life. People were sure it was him who had died, and now they saw with their own eyes and were fully convinced that he was alive again. BSB BSB: God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen—
41 UDB At that time God did not let everyone see him, only those he selected to spend time with him and to eat a meal together in those first days just after God raised him back to life. BSB BSB: not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
42 UDB God commanded us to preach to the people and he told us to tell them that he appointed Jesus to be the judge of everyone one day, a day that is sure to come. He will judge all those who will still be living and all those who have died before that time. BSB BSB: And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.
43 UDB All the prophets who wrote about him long ago told the people about him. They wrote that if anyone believed in him, God could forgive whatever sins they have done because of what this man Jesus had done for them." BSB BSB: All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1–7)
44 UDB While Peter was still speaking those words, suddenly the Holy Spirit came down on all those people from other nations who were listening to the message. BSB BSB: While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message.
45 UDB The believers who had come with Peter from Joppa were amazed that God had generously given the Holy Spirit to the Gentile people as well. BSB BSB: All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
46 UDB The believers knew God had done that because they were hearing those people speaking languages that they had not learned and telling how great God is. Then Peter said BSB BSB: For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said,
47 UDB to the other believers who were there, "God has given them the Holy Spirit, just like he gave him to us believers, so surely all of you would agree that we should baptize these people!" BSB BSB: “Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!”
48 UDB Then Peter told them that they should be baptized as believers in Jesus Christ. So they baptized all of them. After they were baptized, they requested that Peter stay with them several days. So Peter and the other believers did that. BSB BSB: So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.