1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.13 Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."14 "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."15 The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate.18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three "men are looking for you.20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."21 Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?"22 The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say."23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along.24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.26 But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.28 He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"30 Cornelius answered: "Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me31 and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.'33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached —38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.39 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross,40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen —by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.46 For they heard them speaking in tongues "and praising God. Then Peter said,47 "Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

1 وكان في قيصرية رجل اسمه كرنيليوس قائد مئة من الكتيبة التي تدعى الايطالية‎.2 ‎وهو تقي وخائف الله مع جميع بيته يصنع حسنات كثيرة للشعب ويصلّي الى الله في كل حين‎.3 ‎فرأى ظاهرا في رؤيا نحو الساعة التاسعة من النهار ملاكا من الله داخلا اليه وقائلا له يا كرنيليوس‎.4 ‎فلما شخص اليه ودخله الخوف قال ماذا يا سيد. فقال له. صلواتك وصدقاتك صعدت تذكارا امام الله‎.5 ‎والآن ارسل الى يافا رجالا واستدع سمعان الملقب بطرس‎.6 ‎انه نازل عند سمعان رجل دباغ بيته عند البحر. هو يقول لك ماذا ينبغي ان تفعل‎.7 ‎فلما انطلق الملاك الذي كان يكلم كرنيليوس نادى اثنين من خدامه وعسكريا تقيا من الذين كانوا يلازمونه8 واخبرهم بكل شيء وارسلهم الى يافا9 ثم في الغد فيما هم يسافرون ويقتربون الى المدينة صعد بطرس على السطح ليصلّي نحو الساعة السادسة‎.10 ‎فجاع كثيرا واشتهى ان يأكل. وبينما هم يهيئون له وقعت عليه غيبة‎.11 ‎فرأى السماء مفتوحة واناء نازلا عليه مثل ملاءة عظيمة مربوطة باربعة اطراف ومدلاة على الارض‎.12 ‎وكان فيها كل دواب الارض والوحوش والزحافات وطيور السماء‎.13 ‎وصار اليه صوت قم يا بطرس اذبح وكل‎.14 ‎فقال بطرس كلا يا رب لاني لم آكل قط شيئا دنسا او نجسا‎.15 ‎فصار اليه ايضا صوت ثانية ما طهره الله لا تدنسه انت‎.16 ‎وكان هذا على ثلاث مرات ثم ارتفع الاناء ايضا الى السماء17 واذ كان بطرس يرتاب في نفسه ماذا عسى ان تكون الرؤيا التي رآها اذا الرجال الذين ارسلوا من قبل كرنيليوس. وكانوا قد سألوا عن بيت سمعان وقد وقفوا على الباب18 ونادوا يستخبرون هل سمعان الملقب بطرس نازل هناك‎.19 ‎وبينما بطرس متفكر في الرؤيا قال له الروح هوذا ثلاثة رجال يطلبونك‎.20 ‎لكن قم وانزل واذهب معهم غير مرتاب في شيء لاني انا قد ارسلتهم.21 فنزل بطرس الى الرجال الذين أرسلوا اليه من قبل كرنيليوس وقال ها انا الذي تطلبونه. ما هو السبب الذي حضرتم لاجله‎.22 ‎فقالوا ان كرنيليوس قائد مئة رجلا بارا وخائف الله ومشهودا له من كل امة اليهود أوحي اليه بملاك مقدس ان يستدعيك الى بيته ويسمع منك كلاما‎.23 ‎فدعاهم الى داخل واضافهم. ثم في الغد خرج بطرس معهم واناس من الاخوة الذين من يافا رافقوه24 وفي الغد دخلوا قيصرية. واما كرنيليوس فكان ينتظرهم وقد دعا انسباءه واصدقاءه الاقربين‎.25 ‎ولما دخل بطرس استقبله كرنيليوس وسجد واقعا على قدميه‎.26 ‎فاقامه بطرس قائلا قم انا ايضا انسان‎.27 ‎ثم دخل وهو يتكلم معه ووجد كثيرين مجتمعين‎.28 ‎فقال لهم انتم تعلمون كيف هو محرم على رجل يهودي ان يلتصق باحد اجنبي او يأتي اليه. واما انا فقد أراني الله ان لا اقول عن انسان ما انه دنس او نجس‎.29 ‎فلذلك جئت من دون مناقضة اذ استدعيتموني. فاستخبركم لاي سبب استدعيتموني‎.30 ‎فقال كرنيليوس منذ اربعة ايام الى هذه الساعة كنت صائما. وفي الساعة التاسعة كنت اصلّي في بيتي واذا رجل قد وقف امامي بلباس لامع31 وقال يا كرنيليوس سمعت صلاتك وذكرت صدقاتك امام الله‎.32 ‎فارسل الى يافا واستدعي سمعان الملقب بطرس. انه نازل في بيت سمعان رجل دباغ عند البحر. فهو متى جاء يكلمك‎.33 ‎فارسلت اليك حالا. وانت فعلت حسنا اذ جئت. والآن نحن جميعا حاضرون امام الله لنسمع جميع ما امرك به الله34 ففتح بطرس فاه وقال. بالحق انا اجد ان الله لا يقبل الوجوه‎.35 ‎بل في كل امة الذي يتقيه ويصنع البر مقبول عنده36 الكلمة التي ارسلها الى بني اسرائيل يبشر بالسلام بيسوع المسيح. هذا هو رب الكل‎.37 ‎انتم تعلمون الامر الذي صار في كل اليهودية مبتدئا من الجليل بعد المعمودية التي كرز بها يوحنا‎.38 ‎يسوع الذي من الناصرة كيف مسحه الله بالروح القدس والقوة الذي جال يصنع خيرا ويشفي جميع المتسلط عليهم ابليس لان الله كان معه‎.39 ‎ونحن شهود بكل ما فعل في كورة اليهودية وفي اورشليم. الذي ايضا قتلوه معلقين اياه على خشبة‎.40 ‎هذا اقامه الله في اليوم الثالث واعطى ان يصير ظاهرا41 ليس لجميع الشعب بل لشهود سبق الله فانتخبهم. لنا نحن الذين اكلنا وشربنا معه بعد قيامته من الاموات‎.42 ‎واوصانا ان نكرز للشعب ونشهد بان هذا هو المعين من الله ديانا للاحياء والاموات‎.43 ‎له يشهد جميع الانبياء ان كل من يؤمن به ينال باسمه غفران الخطايا44 فبينما بطرس يتكلم بهذه الامور حل الروح القدس على جميع الذين كانوا يسمعون الكلمة‎.45 ‎فاندهش المؤمنون الذين من اهل الختان كل من جاء مع بطرس لان موهبة الروح القدس قد انسكبت على الامم ايضا‎.46 ‎لانهم كانوا يسمعونهم يتكلمون بألسنة ويعظمون الله. حينئذ اجاب بطرس47 أترى يستطيع احد ان يمنع الماء حتى لا يعتمد هؤلاء الذين قبلوا الروح القدس كما نحن ايضا‎.48 ‎وامر ان يعتمدوا باسم الرب. حينئذ سألوه ان يمكث اياما