Acts of the Apostles

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.

He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.

He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,

in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.

A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat!"

But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not make unholy."

This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.

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,

and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.

While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men seek you.

But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."

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

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.

So he called them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends.

When it happened that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him.

But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up! I myself am also a man."

As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together.

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.