1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God. 3 At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, "Cornelius!"

4 He, fastening his eyes on him and being frightened, said, "What is it, Lord?"

He said to him, "Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is also called Peter. 6 He is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the seaside.

7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually. 8 Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 Now on the next day as they were on their journey and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon. 10 He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth, 12 in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky. 13 A voice came 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 A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean." 16 This was done three times, and immediately the thing was received up into heaven.

17 Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate, 18 and called and asked whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men seek you. 20 But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."

21 Peter went down to the men, and said, "Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?"

22 They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say." 23 So he called them in and provided a place to stay.

On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up! I myself am also a man." 27 As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together. 28 He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean. 29 Therefore I also came without complaint when I was sent for. I ask therefore, why did you send for me?"

30 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 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is also called Peter. He is staying in the house of a tanner named Simon, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 33 Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God."

34 Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism; 35 but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him. 36 The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all— 37 you yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, hanging him on a tree. 40 God raised him up the third day and gave him to be revealed, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to 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 this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins."

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. 45 They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God.

Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us." 48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days.

1 En daar was in Cesar,a 'n man met die naam van Cornelius, 'n hoofman oor honderd van die sogenaamde Italiaanse leërafdeling.

2 Hy met sy hele huis was vroom en godvresend en het baie aalmoese aan die volk gegee en was altyddeur in die gebed tot God.

3 Hy het duidelik in 'n gesig omtrent die negende uur van die dag 'n engel van God na hom sien inkom en vir hom sê: Cornelius!

4 En hy het die oë op hom gehou en vol vrees gesê: Wat is dit, my heer? Toe antwoord hy hom: Jou gebede en jou aalmoese het voor God in gedagtenis gekom.

5 Stuur dan nou manne na Joppe en laat vir Simon haal wat ook Petrus genoem word.

6 Hy is tuis by 'n sekere Simon, 'n leerlooier, wie se huis by die see is. Hy sal jou sê wat jy moet doen.

7 En toe die engel wat met Cornelius gespreek het, weg was, roep hy twee van sy huisbediendes en 'n vroom soldaat van die wat altyd by hom was,

8 en vertel hulle alles en stuur hulle na Joppe.

9 En die volgende dag, terwyl hulle op pad was en naby die stad kom, het Petrus omtrent die sesde uur op die dak geklim om te bid;

10 en hy het baie honger geword en wou eet; en terwyl hulle besig was om klaar te maak, het daar 'n verrukking van sinne oor hom gekom:

11 hy sien die hemel geopend en 'n voorwerp soos 'n groot laken na hom afdaal, wat aan die vier hoeke vasgebind is en op die aarde neergelaat word.

12 Daarin was al die viervoetige diere van die aarde en die wilde en kruipende diere en die voëls van die hemel.

13 Toe kom daar 'n stem na hom: Staan op, Petrus, slag en eet!

14 En Petrus sê: Nooit nie, Here, want ek het nooit iets onheiligs of onreins geëet nie.

15 En weer het die stem vir die tweede keer na hom gekom: Wat God rein gemaak het, mag jy nie onheilig ag nie.

16 En dit het drie maal gebeur, en die voorwerp is weer in die hemel opgeneem.

17 En terwyl Petrus by homself daaroor verleë was wat die gesig tog kon beteken wat hy gesien het, staan die manne wat deur Cornelius gestuur was, daar by die poort en verneem na die huis van Simon.

18 En hulle roep en vra of Simon, wat ook Petrus genoem word, daar tuis is.

19 En terwyl Petrus nadink oor die gesig, sê die Gees vir hom: Daar is drie manne wat jou soek.

20 Staan dan op, klim af en gaan saam met hulle sonder om te twyfel, want Ek het hulle gestuur.

21 En Petrus het afgeklim na die manne wat deur Cornelius na hom gestuur was, en gesê: Kyk, dit is ek wat julle soek. Wat is die rede waarom julle hier is?

22 En hulle sê: Cornelius, 'n hoofman oor honderd, 'n regverdige en godvresende man, wat 'n goeie naam het by die hele Joodse nasie, het 'n goddelike openbaring ontvang deur 'n heilige engel, om u te laat haal na sy huis om te hoor wat u sal sê.

23 En hy het hulle binnegenooi en geherberg. En die volgende dag het Petrus saam met hulle afgereis, en enkele van die broeders uit Joppe het met hom saamgegaan.

24 Die dag daarop het hulle in Cesar,a aangekom. En Cornelius was hulle te wagte, en hy het alreeds sy familie en besondere vriende bymekaargeroep.

25 Toe Petrus dan binnekom, het Cornelius hom tegemoetgegaan en aan sy voete neergeval en hom hulde bewys.

26 Maar Petrus het hom opgerig en gesê: Staan op, ek is self ook maar 'n mens.

27 En onderwyl hy met hom spreek, gaan hy binne en vind baie wat vergader het;

28 en hy sê vir hulle: Julle weet dat dit ongeoorloof is vir 'n Joodse man om met iemand van 'n ander volk omgang te hê of hom te besoek; maar God het my getoon dat ek geen mens onheilig of onrein mag noem nie.

29 Daarom het ek, toe ek gehaal is, gekom sonder om teë te spreek. Ek vra dan om watter rede julle my laat haal het.

30 En Cornelius sê: Vier dae gelede was ek besig om te vas tot op hierdie uur, en die negende uur het ek in my huis gebid,

31 en meteens staan daar 'n man voor my in 'n blink kleed en sê: Cornelius, jou gebed is verhoor en jou aalmoese is voor God in herinnering gebring.

32 Stuur dan na Joppe en laat Simon haal wat ook Petrus genoem word. Hy vertoef in die huis van Simon, 'n leerlooier, by die see; as hy kom, sal hy met jou spreek.

33 Ek het toe op die daad na u gestuur, en u het goed gedoen om te kom. Ons is dan nou almal voor die aangesig van God aanwesig om alles te hoor wat deur God aan u opgedra is.

34 En Petrus het sy mond geopen en gesê: Ek sien waarlik dat God geen aannemer van die persoon is nie,

35 maar dat in elke nasie die een wat Hom vrees en geregtigheid doen, Hom welgevallig is.

36 Dit is die woord wat Hy gestuur het aan die kinders van Israel toe Hy die evangelie van vrede verkondig het deur Jesus Christus -- Hy is die Here van almal.

37 Julle weet van die saak wat deur die hele Judiagebeur het en van Galil,a af begin het, n die doop wat Johannes gepreek het,

38 met betrekking tot Jesus van N saret, hoe God Hom gesalf het met die Heilige Gees en met krag. Hy het die land deurgegaan, goed gedoen en almal genees wat onder die mag van die duiwel was, omdat God met Hom was.

39 En ons is getuies van alles wat Hy gedoen het in die Joodse land en in Jerusalem. En hulle het Hom omgebring deur Hom aan 'n kruishout op te hang.

40 Hom het God op die derde dag opgewek en beskik dat Hy sou verskyn

41 nie aan die hele volk nie, maar aan getuies wat deur God vantevore verkies was, aan ons wat met Hom saam geëet en gedrink het nadat Hy uit die dode opgestaan het.

42 En Hy het ons bevel gegee om aan die volk te verkondig en met krag te betuig dat dit Hy is wat deur God bestem is as Regter van lewende en dode.

43 Aangaande Hom getuig al die profete dat elkeen wat in Hom glo, vergifnis van sondes deur sy Naam ontvang.

44 En toe Petrus nog besig was om hierdie woorde te spreek, het die Heilige Gees op almal geval wat die woord gehoor het.

45 En die gelowiges uit die besnydenis, almal wat saam met Petrus gekom het, was verbaas dat die gawe van die Heilige Gees ook op die heidene uitgestort is.

46 Want hulle het gehoor hoe hulle in tale spreek en God groot maak. Toe het Petrus begin spreek:

47 Niemand kan tog die water weer, dat hierdie mense, wat net soos ons die Heilige Gees ontvang het, nie gedoop word nie?

48 En hy het beveel dat hulle gedoop moet word in die Naam van die Here. Toe het hulle hom gevra om nog 'n paar dae te bly.