Acts
10:9-29 - '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
of the earth and birds of the air. 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 have you 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 brothers 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 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
a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call
any man impure or unclean. 29
So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May
I ask why you sent for me?" '
Acts
10:34-35 - '34 Then Peter
began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not
show favoritism 35 but accepts
men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.'
Acts
10:44-48 - '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 the Gentiles. 46
For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.Then Peter
said, 47 "Can anyone keep
these people from 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.'
Galatians
2:11-14 - '11 When Peter
came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly
in the wrong. 12 Before certain
men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they
arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles
because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
13 The other Jews joined him
in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led
astray.14 When I saw that they
were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter
in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile
and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow
Jewish customs?'