1 Now [there was ]a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2 a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3 He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius. 4 And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter: 6 he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. 7 And when the angel that spake unto him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; 8 and having rehearsed all things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. 9 Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour: 10 and he became hungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance; 11 and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth: 12 wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and fowls of the heaven. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean. 15 And a voice [came ]unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. 16 And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven. 17 Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate, 18 and called and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodging there. 19 And while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 But arise, and get thee down, and go with them, nothing doubting: for I have sent them. 21 And Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? 22 And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned [of God ]by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee. 23 So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the morrow they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends. 25 And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. 27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and findeth many come together: 28 and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and [yet ]unto me hath God shewed that I should not call any man common or unclean: 29 wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for. I ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me. 30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, 31 and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side. 33 Forthwith therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord. 34 And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. 36 The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)— 37 that saying ye yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 [even ]Jesus of Nazareth, how that God anointed him with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on a tree. 40 Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest, 41 not to all the people, but unto witnesses that were chosen before of God, [even ]to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he which is ordained of God [to be ]the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Acts · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Acts 10 Revised Version with Apocrypha
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
Joppa
Judah's main seaport. Cedar for the Temple arrived here, Jonah fled from here, and Peter's rooftop vision here opened the gospel to the Gentiles.
Cited in the guide: Jonah 1:3; Acts 9:36; Acts 10:9
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)