1 And there was a certain man in Caesarea, named Cornelius, a centurion of that which is called the Italian band; 2 A religious man, and fearing God with all his house, giving much alms to the people, and always praying to God. 3 This man saw in a vision manifestly, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him: Cornelius. 4 And he, beholding him, being seized with fear, said: What is it, Lord? And he said to him: Thy prayers and thy alms are ascended for a memorial in the sight of God. 5 And now send men to Joppe, and call hither one Simon, who is surnamed Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. He will tell thee what thou must do. 7 And when the angel who spoke to him was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a soldier who feared the Lord, of them that were under him. 8 To whom when he had related all, he sent them to Joppe. 9 And on the next day, whilst they were going on their journey, and drawing nigh to the city, Peter went up to the higher parts of the house to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 And being hungry, he was desirous to taste somewhat. And as they were preparing, there came upon him an ecstasy of mind. 11 And he saw the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great linen sheet let down by the four corners from heaven to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: Arise, Peter; kill and eat. 14 But Peter said: Far be it from me; for I never did eat any thing that is common and unclean. 15 And the voice spoke to him again the second time: That which God hath cleansed, do not thou call common. 16 And this was done thrice; and presently the vessel was taken up into heaven. 17 Now, whilst Peter was doubting within himself, what the vision that he had seen should mean, behold the men who were sent from Cornelius, inquiring for Simon’s house, stood at the gate. 18 And when they had called, they asked, if Simon, who is surnamed Peter, were lodged there. 19 And as Peter was thinking of the vision, the Spirit said to him: Behold three men seek thee. 20 Arise, therefore, get thee down and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. 21 Then Peter, going down to the men, said: Behold, I am he whom you seek; what is the cause for which you are come? 22 Who said: Cornelius, a centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and having good testimony from all the nation of the Jews, received an answer of an holy angel, to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. 23 Then bringing them in, he lodged them. And the day following he arose, and went with them: and some of the brethren from Joppe accompanied him. 24 And the morrow after, he entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, having called together his kinsmen and special friends. 25 And it came to pass, that when Peter was come in, Cornelius came to meet him, Cornelius came to meet him, and falling at his feet adored. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying: Arise, I myself also am a man. 27 And talking with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. 28 And he said to them: You know how abominable it is for a man that is a Jew, to keep company or to come unto one of another nation: but God hath shewed to me, to call no man common or unclean. 29 For which cause, making no doubt, I came when I was sent for. I ask, therefore, for what cause you have sent for me? 30 And Cornelius said: Four days ago, unto this hour, I was praying in my house, at the ninth hour, and behold a man stood before me in white apparel, and said: 31 Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thy alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppe, and call hither Simon, who is surnamed Peter: he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side. 33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee: and thou hast done well in coming. Now therefore all we are present in thy sight, to hear all things whatsoever are commanded thee by the Lord. 34 And Peter opening his mouth, said: In very deed I perceive, that God is not a respecter of persons. 35 But in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh justice, is acceptable to him. 36 God sent the word to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all.) 37 You know the word which hath been published through all Judea: for it began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached, 38 Jesus of Nazareth: how God anointed him with the Holy Ghost, and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things that he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed, hanging him upon a tree. 40 Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest, 41 Not to all the people, but to witnesses preordained by God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he arose again from the dead; 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who was appointed by God, to be judge of the living and of the dead. 43 To him all the prophets give testimony, that by his name all receive remission of sins, who believe in him. 44 While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word. 45 And the faithful of the circumcision, who came with Peter, were astonished, for that the grace of the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God. 47 Then Peter answered: Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then they desired him to tarry with them some days.
Acts · Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
Acts 10 Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Cornelius
A devout God-fearing centurion of the Italian Cohort at Caesarea; after an angelic vision he sent for Peter and he and his household received the Holy Spirit and were baptized.
Cited in the guide: Acts 10:1; Acts 10:25
Simon
A tanner at Joppa whose house by the sea hosted Peter during his stay.
Cited in the guide: Acts 9:43; Acts 10:6; Acts 10:32
Places
Caesarea Maritima
The Roman administrative capital of Judea. Peter brought the gospel to the Gentile Cornelius here, and Paul was imprisoned before appealing his case to Caesar.
Cited in the guide: Acts 10:1; Acts 23:23; Acts 25:11
Cross references (47)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 27:1; Acts 8:40; Matthew 27:27; Acts 27:43; Matthew 8:5–13
- 2 Matthew 7:7–8; Acts 10:4; Acts 10:22; Acts 13:16; Acts 10:35
- 3 Daniel 9:20–21; Acts 3:1; Acts 5:19; Acts 10:30; Acts 9:10
- 4 Philippians 4:6; Hebrews 6:10; Acts 10:31; Malachi 3:16; Psalm 141:2
- 5 Acts 9:38; Mark 3:16; Acts 9:36; John 1:42; Acts 16:9
- 6 Acts 9:43; Acts 9:6; Acts 11:13–14; John 7:17; Ephesians 4:8–12
- 7 Philemon 16; Luke 3:14; 1 Samuel 14:6–7; Judges 7:10; Matthew 8:9–10
- 8 Galatians 1:16; Acts 26:19; Acts 9:36; Psalm 119:59–60; Acts 10:33
- 9 Zephaniah 1:5; Psalm 55:17; Jeremiah 32:29; Acts 6:4; Acts 10:8–32
- 10 Acts 22:17; Ezekiel 11:24; 2 Corinthians 12:2–4; Numbers 24:4; Ezekiel 8:1–3
- 11 Ephesians 3:6; John 1:51; Romans 16:25–26; Isaiah 11:6–14; Revelation 4:1
- 12 Genesis 7:8–9; Isaiah 65:25; Isaiah 11:6–9; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; John 7:37
- 13 John 4:31–34; Jeremiah 35:2–5; Acts 10:10
- 14 Leviticus 20:25; Ezekiel 4:14; Deuteronomy 14:1–29; Daniel 1:8; Leviticus 11:1–25
- 15 1 Corinthians 10:25; Matthew 15:11; Titus 1:15; Mark 7:19; 1 Timothy 4:3–5
- 16 Genesis 41:32; John 21:17; 2 Corinthians 13:1
- 17 Acts 25:20; Acts 10:3; 1 Peter 1:11; Acts 5:24; Acts 9:43
- 18 Acts 10:5–6; Acts 11:11
- 19 Acts 8:29; Acts 13:2; Acts 21:4; Acts 11:12; 1 Corinthians 12:11
- 20 Acts 15:7–9; Zechariah 2:9–11; Acts 9:17; Acts 9:15; Isaiah 48:16
- 21 Acts 10:29; John 1:38–39; Mark 10:51; John 18:4–8
- 22 Acts 11:14; Acts 22:12; Acts 10:2; 3 John 12; Acts 24:15
- 23 Acts 11:12; Acts 10:45; 1 Peter 4:9; Hebrews 13:2; Genesis 24:31–32
- 24 Isaiah 2:3; Luke 5:29; Acts 8:40; Matthew 9:9–10; John 4:28–29
- 25 Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8–9; Matthew 8:2; Daniel 2:46; Acts 14:11–13
- 26 Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8–9; Matthew 4:10; Acts 14:14–15; Isaiah 42:8
- 27 2 Corinthians 2:12; John 4:35; Acts 10:24; 1 Corinthians 16:9; Acts 14:27
- 28 John 4:9; Ephesians 3:6–7; Galatians 2:12–14; John 4:27; John 18:28
- 29 Psalm 119:60; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 10:19–20
- 30 Acts 10:3; Daniel 9:20–21; Nehemiah 9:1–3; Ezra 9:4–5; Acts 10:23–24
- 31 Luke 1:13; Acts 10:4; Daniel 9:23; Isaiah 38:5; Daniel 10:12
- 33 Galatians 4:14; James 1:19; Proverbs 9:9–10; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Acts 17:11–12
- 34 Romans 2:11; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Deuteronomy 10:17; Colossians 3:25; Job 34:19
- 35 1 John 2:29; Acts 10:2; Romans 10:12–13; Acts 15:9; Colossians 3:11
- 36 Acts 2:36; Matthew 28:18; Revelation 17:14; Revelation 1:18; 1 Peter 3:22
- 37 Luke 4:14; Acts 2:22; Acts 28:22; John 4:1–3; Acts 26:26
- 38 Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1–3; Acts 2:22; Isaiah 11:2; John 3:34
- 39 Luke 24:48; Acts 10:41; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:32; 1 Peter 2:24
- 40 1 Peter 1:21; Acts 13:30–31; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Acts 2:24; 2 Corinthians 4:14
- 41 John 14:22; Acts 10:39; Acts 13:31; Acts 1:2–3; John 21:13
- 42 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Peter 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:1; Romans 14:9–10; Acts 17:31
- 43 Zechariah 13:1; Acts 2:38; Isaiah 53:11; Jeremiah 31:34; Romans 10:11
- 44 Acts 11:15; Acts 19:6; Acts 15:8; Acts 4:31; Acts 2:2–4
- 45 Acts 10:23; Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:13–14; Colossians 2:13–14; Acts 11:15–18
- 46 Acts 2:4; Acts 19:6; Mark 16:17; 1 Corinthians 14:20–25; Acts 2:11
- 47 Acts 8:36; Romans 10:12; Acts 11:15–17; Acts 15:8–9; Genesis 17:24–26
- 48 Acts 2:38; Acts 8:16; Galatians 3:27; Acts 8:12; John 4:2
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
This man is not a Jew, nor of those under the Law, but he had already forestalled our manner of life. Observe, thus far, two persons, both of high rank, receiving the faith, the eunuch at Gaza and this man; and the pains taken on behalf of these men.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
He saw therefore, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying, Thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. Wherefore send to Simon, who is called Peter." But when Peter saw the vision, in which the voice from heaven said to him, "What God hath cleansed, that call not …
… and hath thundered: He shall judge the ends of the earth, for He is righteous." Throughout she holds to the order of the creed of Christians: For the Lord Christ has ascended into heaven, and is to come thence to judge the quick and dead. For, as saith the apostle, "Who hath ascended but He who hath also descended into …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For "thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." This is more indispensable than virginity: for thus were those virgins cast out of the bridechamber; thus were the others brought in.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Peter came, and the Spirit was poured out upon them that believed, and they spake with other tongues, and prophesied: and after the grace of the Spirit the Scripture saith that Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; in order that, the soul having been born again by faith, the body also might by …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)