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¹Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,

²a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave alms generously to the people, and always prayed to God.

³At 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!"

⁴He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, "What is it, Lord?" He said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have gone up for a memorial before God.

⁵Now send men to Joppa, and get one Simon, who is surnamed Peter.

⁶He lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside."

⁷When 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.

⁸Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹Now 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.

¹⁰He became hungry, and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.

¹¹He saw heaven opened, and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet, let down by four corners on the earth,

¹²in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.

¹³A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat!"

¹⁴But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

¹⁵A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not make unholy."

¹⁶This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.

¹⁷Now 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,

¹⁸and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.

¹⁹While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men seek you.

²⁰But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."