Acts 10

1 At Caesarea [a city in Palestine, the Roman capital] there was a man [an adult male, a person of authority] named Cornelius [a Roman centurion, a devout follower of God], a centurion [a military officer in charge of 100 men, a leader] in what was called [known as, referred to as] the Italian [from Italy, a specific region] Regiment [a band of soldiers, a military unit]. word study 2 He and all [his entire household, every member] his household were devout [pious, God-fearing, having reverence for God] and God-fearing [reverencing the Lord, having awe of God]. He gave generously [with an open hand, liberally] to the people [the poor, those in need] and prayed [made petition, besought] to God [the Almighty, Creator of all] regularly [always, continually, at all times]. word study 3 One day at about the ninth [around 3 p.m., late in the day] hour, he had a clear [plainly, openly] vision [supernatural sight] of an angel [messenger] of God [the one true deity] who came to him and said, “Cornelius [a devout Roman centurion]!” word study 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear [being affrighted, terrified] and asked, “What is it, Lord [God, the supreme authority]?” The angel answered, “Your prayers [to God, supplications] and gifts to the poor [charity, almsgiving] have ascended [gone up, risen] as a memorial offering [a reminder, a sacrifice] before God [the Almighty, the Creator]. word study 5 Now [at this present time] send [dispatch] men to Joppa [a city in Palestine] to call for [summon] a man [an adult male] named Simon [a Greek name] who is called [invoked] Peter [a rock or stone, a surname given by Jesus]. word study 6 He is staying [lodging, residing] with Simon [a Greek name, meaning ‘hearing’] the tanner [one who works with animal hides], whose house [home, dwelling place] is by [beside, near] the sea [a large body of water]. ” word study 7 When the angel [messenger of God] who spoke to him had gone [departed, left], Cornelius called [summoned, invited] two of his servants [household slaves, domestic workers] and a devout [pious, godly] soldier [warrior, military servant] from among his attendants [those waiting on him, personal guards]. word study 8 He explained [declared, told] what had happened [all these things, everything] and sent [dispatched, set apart] them to [toward, into] Joppa [the city, a place in Palestine]. word study 9 The next day [on the morrow, following day] at about the sixth hour [about noon, the sixth hour of the day], as the men were approaching [drawing near, coming close to] the city [a town with walls, a populated area] on their journey [traveling, proceeding on their way], Peter [a rock, a stone, the name given by Jesus] went up [to ascend, to go up] on the roof [housetop, the top of the house] to pray [to worship, to communicate with God]. word study 10 He became [very] hungry [having a strong feeling of hunger] and wanted [desired to eat, to taste] something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared [getting ready, made ready], he fell [came upon, pressed upon] into a [deep] trance [amazement, a state of being astonished]. word study 11 He saw [the sky opened, heaven unveiled] heaven [the dwelling place of God] open and something like [a large linen cloth, a vessel] a large sheet [bound at the four corners, tied with ropes] being let down [lowered, coming down] to earth [the physical world, the land] by its four corners [the four cardinal directions]. word study 12 It contained [all manner of, every kind of] all kinds of four-footed [tetrapod, having four feet] animals [beasts, creatures] and reptiles [creeping things, small animals] of the earth [soil, ground], as well as [including, along with] birds [fowls, flying creatures] of the air [heaven, sky]. word study 13 Then [and there came] a voice [sound, noise] said to him: “Get up [arise, stand up], Peter [the rock, a stone], kill [sacrifice, slay] and eat [consume, partake]!” word study 14 “No, Lord [a title of respect]!” Peter [a rock or stone] answered. “I have never [at no time] eaten anything [pan, all kinds of food] impure [common or unsanctified] or unclean [ceremonially or morally impure].” word study 15 The voice [a sound, noise] spoke to him a second time [again, once more]: “Do not [lest, God forbid] call anything impure [unclean, common] that God [the one true deity] has made clean [purified, cleansed].” word study 16 This [specific event, tueto] happened [occurred, came to be] three times [thrice], and all at once [immediately, straightway] the sheet [vessel, a container or object] was taken [lifted, received] back up [again] into [toward] heaven [the sky, God’s home]. word study 17 While Peter [was deeply perplexed, in great doubt] was puzzling over the meaning [trying to understand, seeking to comprehend] of the vision [a supernatural sight, a divine revelation], the men sent [sent as messengers, dispatched as emissaries] by Cornelius [a devout Roman centurion, a God-fearing Gentile] found [discovered, located] Simon’s house [the residence of Simon, the home of Peter’s host] and approached [stood before, came to] the gate [the entrance, the doorway]. word study 18 They called out [to inquire] to ask if Simon [also known as, surnamed] called Peter [the rock, a stone] was staying [lodging, residing] there [in this place, hither]. word study 19 As Peter [still pondering, reflecting deeply] continued to reflect [to think carefully, consider thoroughly] on the vision [a supernatural sight, a divine revelation], the Spirit [the Holy Spirit, the divine Presence] said to him, “Behold [look, see, take notice], three men [adult males, seekers] are looking for [seeking, searching for] you [as a person, an individual]. word study 20 So get up [arise, stand up]! Go downstairs [come down, go with them] and accompany [travel with, go together] them without [nothing, no] hesitation [doubting, being uncertain], because [for the reason that] I [the Lord, the sender] have sent [dispatched, commissioned] them [to you, on a mission].” word study 21 So Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] went down [came or descended] to the men and said, “Here am I [behold, I am present], the one [whom ye seek] you are looking for [seeking, searching]. Why [for what reason] have you come [arrived, are present]?” word study 22 “Cornelius [a devout and God-fearing Roman centurion] the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous [just and righteous] and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A [heavenly, holy] holy angel instructed him to request your [personal] presence in his home [household] so he could hear a [divine, spiritual] message from you.” word study 23 So Peter [having invited them in, called them to stay] invited them in as his guests [to lodge with him, to stay as his companions]. And the next day [on the morrow, the day after] he got ready and went with them [together with], accompanied by some of the brothers [fellow believers, brethren] from Joppa [the city of Joppa, a place in Palestine]. word study 24 The following day [the next day, after a night’s rest] he arrived in Caesarea [a city in Palestine], where Cornelius [a Roman centurion, a devout man] was expecting them [looking forward to their arrival, anticipating] and had called together [convened, gathered] his relatives [kindred, family members] and close friends [necessary friends, intimate associates]. word study 25 As [when it came to pass] Peter was about to enter [come into the house], Cornelius met [encountered, came face to face with] him and fell [collapsed, prostrated himself] at his feet [in a posture of reverence] to worship [show reverence and adoration] him [as an act of respect]. word study 26 But Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] helped him up [raised him, lifted him to his feet]. “Stand up [arise, get up],” he said, “I am [exist, have being] only a man [a human, mortal] myself [and I, like you].” word study 27 As Peter [conversed] talked with him, he went inside [into the house] and found [discovered, came upon] many [a large number, numerous] people [individuals, persons] gathered [assembled, come together] together [in one place, united]. word study 28 He said to them, “You know how unlawful [it is an unlawful thing, against the rules] it is for a Jew [a person from Judah, a descendant of Israel] to associate [to join, keep company] with a foreigner [a Gentile, someone of another nation] or visit [to come near, approach] him. But God [the one true deity, Creator of all] has shown [revealed, made known] me that I should not call [declare, consider] any man [human being, person] impure [unclean, common] or unclean [impure, polluted]. word study 29 So when I was invited [sent for, summoned], I came without objection [promptly, willingly, without gainsaying]. I ask [inquire, seek to know], then [therefore, for this reason], why have you sent for me [with what intent, for what purpose]?” word study 30 Cornelius answered: “Four days ago [until this hour, from the very start] I was in my house [dwelling, home] praying [to worship, communicate with God] at this, the ninth hour [3 pm, a specific time for prayer]. Suddenly [unexpectedly, without warning] a man [an adult male, a messenger] in radiant [shining, bright] clothing [dress, apparel] stood [was present, appeared] before me [in my presence, right in front of me] word study 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your [personal, heartfelt] prayer [petition, request to God] has been heard [listened to, answered], and your gifts [charitable acts, alms] to the poor [needy, impoverished] have been remembered [recalled, recognized] before [in the presence of, in the sight of] God [the Almighty, Creator]. word study 32 Therefore [in consequence of this] send to Joppa [a city in Palestine, by the sea] for Simon [a Greek name, meaning ‘hearing’], who is called [surnamed, named] Peter [a rock, a stone]. He is a guest [lodging, staying] in the home [house, dwelling] of Simon [the same name, a different person] the tanner [one who works with animal hides, a leather-worker], by the sea [the Mediterranean, a large body of water].’ word study 33 So I sent [immediately, without delay] for you immediately, and you were kind [well, rightly] enough to come. Now then, we are all [every one of us, together] here in the presence [before, in the sight] of God [the one true deity] to listen [to hear and understand] to everything the Lord [the Master, the ruler] has instructed [commanded, ordered] you to tell us [to speak, to declare].” word study 34 Then Peter began to speak [having opened his mouth]: “I now truly [of a truth] understand that God [the one true deity, Creator] does not [in no way, never] show favoritism [prejudice, partiality, being a respecter of persons], word study 35 but welcomes those from every [all, each] nation [Gentiles, people] who fear [reverence, have awe of] Him and do [work, labor in] what is right [righteousness, justice, acceptable to God]. word study 36 He has sent [dispatched, set apart] this message [the word, logos] to the people [children, sons] of Israel [the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants], proclaiming [speaking good news, evangelizing] the gospel [good tidings, message of salvation] of peace [harmony, prosperity, freedom from war] through [because of, by means of] Jesus Christ [the anointed one, God’s salvation], who is [exists as, is known as] Lord [master, ruler, God] of all [everything, every person]. word study 37 You yourselves [as eyewitnesses, having personal knowledge] know what has happened [been proclaimed, come to pass] throughout [all of, the entire region of] Judea, beginning [starting, originating] in Galilee [the region where Jesus ministered] with the baptism [ceremonial washing, immersion] that John [the Baptist, a prophet] proclaimed [preached, heralded]: word study 38 how God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] anointed Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] of Nazareth [a city in Galilee] with the Holy Spirit [the divine Presence] and with power [miraculous ability], and how Jesus went around doing good [benefiting others] and healing all who were oppressed [under the devil’s control] by the devil [the adversary], because God [the Father, divine Nature] was with Him [in a personal, intimate relationship, met’ autou]. word study 39 We [as apostles, eyewitnesses] are witnesses of all that He did [accomplished, fulfilled], both in the land [country, region] of the Jews [Judeans, Israelites] and in Jerusalem [the holy city, the capital]. And although they put Him to death [killed, slew] by hanging Him on a tree [a cross, wood], word study 40 God [the one true deity] raised Him up [from the dead, to life again] on the third [in a sequence, a specific point in time] day and caused Him [Jesus, the Messiah] to be seen [revealed, made manifest, openly shown]— word study 41 not by all the people [every individual, the entire crowd], but by the witnesses [chosen ones, those who testify] God [the Almighty, Creator] had chosen beforehand [selected in advance, predestined], by us who ate [shared meals, broke bread] and drank [shared cups, fellowship] with Him after He rose [was resurrected, came back to life] from the dead [the state of death, spiritual separation]. word study 42 And He commanded [gave orders, instructed] us to preach [proclaim, herald] to the people [a group of individuals, a nation] and to testify [witness solemnly, bear record] that He is the One [Jesus, the Messiah] appointed [ordained, chosen] by God [the supreme deity, Creator] to judge [decide, evaluate] the living [those having life, spiritually alive] and the dead [those without life, spiritually dead]. word study 43 All [every single one, without exception] the prophets [those who spoke on God’s behalf, messengers of God] testify [bear witness, give evidence] about Him [Jesus Christ, the Messiah] that everyone [all people, every individual] who believes [trusts, has faith] in Him [Jesus, the Savior] receives [is given, obtains] forgiveness [pardon, remission] of sins [wrongdoings, transgressions] through [by means of, because of] His [Jesus’, the Messiah’s] name [authority, character, reputation].” word study 44 While Peter was still [yet, ongoing] speaking these words [declarations, utterances], the Holy [set apart, dedicated to God] Spirit [the vital principle, breath of God] fell [came down, pressed upon] upon all [every, everyone] who heard [listened to, obeyed] his message [word, idea expressed]. word study 45 All the circumcised [Jewish] believers [faithful, trustworthy] who had accompanied Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] were astounded [amazed, shocked] that the gift [free gift, unmerited favor] of the Holy [set apart, sacred] Spirit [the vital principle, mental disposition] had been poured out [liberally bestowed, generously given] even on the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations]. word study 46 For [as a reason, to explain] they heard [with understanding, to perceive] them speaking [uttering words, talking] in tongues [languages, dialects] and exalting [magnifying, praising] God [the one true deity]. Then [at that time, next] Peter [the rock, a stone] said [answered, responded], word study 47 “Can anyone [no one, surely not] withhold the water [literal or figurative] to baptize [immerse, submerge] these people [who have received the Holy Spirit]? They have received [taken, accepted] the Holy Spirit [the vital principle, divine breath] just as [in the same manner, similarly] we have [received, experienced]!” word study 48 So he ordered [commanded, gave instructions] that they be baptized [immersed, fully wet] in the name [character, authority] of Jesus Christ [the Lord, God’s Anointed]. Then they asked [requested, pleaded with] him to stay [remain, keep on] for a few [certain, several] days [a period of time, 24-hour periods]. word study