- 1There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
- 2A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
- 3He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
- 4And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
- 5And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
- 6He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
- 7And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
- 8And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
- 9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
- 10And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
- 11And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
- 12Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
- 13And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
- 14But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
- 15And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
- 16This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
- 17Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,
- 18And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
- 19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
- 20Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
- 21Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
- 22And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
- 23Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
- 24And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
- 25And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
- 26But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
- 27And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
- 28And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
- 29Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?
- 30And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
- 31And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
- 32Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.
- 33Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
- 34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
- 35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
- 36The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
- 37That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
- 38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth 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.
- 39And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
- 40Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
- 41Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
- 42And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
- 43To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
- 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
- 45And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- 46For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
- 47Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
- 48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
KING JAMES VERSION
ACTS 10
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CHAPTER VISUAL
Acts 10 — Peter enters Cornelius’s Gentile home, proclaims Jesus as Lord of all, and witnesses the Holy Ghost given before their baptism.
About this illustration
The household’s hearing, the gift of the Spirit, and the coming baptism are joined in one scene. Peter’s rooftop vision is not repeated visually; the light and moving fabric suggest the Spirit without assigning Him bodily form.
Scripture basis: Acts 10:1–48King James Version · Standardized 1769 text with Strong’s numbering · Public domain outside the United Kingdom
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Archaeological Evidence
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArchaeological site
Founded approximately 22–10 BC; expanded through Roman and Byzantine periods
Caesarea Maritima Harbor and Herodian City
Excavation on land and underwater reveals the harbor, promontory palace, theater, entertainment district, streets, and water systems that made Caesarea the Roman administrative and maritime center repeatedly used as a setting in Acts.
Acts 8:40 · Acts 10:1–48 · Acts 21:8–16
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEInscription
First–second centuries AD
The Italian Cohort in Roman Military Evidence
Military diplomas and inscriptions confirm Italian-named Roman auxiliary cohorts in the Syrian-Judaean theater, but no surviving document independently places the precise unit named in Acts 10 at Caesarea during Cornelius's lifetime.
Acts 10:1–8
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
Fifth century AD
Codex Glazier (MS G.67): Coptic Acts
Codex Glazier is a remarkably intact late-fourth- or fifth-century parchment book of Acts 1:1–15:3 in Middle Egyptian Coptic, retaining early binding structures and a full-page cross image.
Acts 2:1–21 · Acts 9:1–19 · Acts 10:34–48
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
4th or 5th Century
Papyrus P50: Acts 8:30–32 in a Greek Witness
Yale Papyrus 1543, designated P50, is a small bifolium containing selected lines from Acts 8:26–32 and 10:26–31; cataloged as fourth/fifth century, it is now subject to a serious but unresolved modern-forgery challenge.
Acts 8:26–32 · Acts 10:26–31
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
3rd Century
Papyrus P53: Matthew 26:29–35 in a Greek Witness
Papyrus P53, University of Michigan Inv. 6652, comprises two third-century Greek codex leaves preserving Matthew 26:29–40 and Acts 9:33–10:1, an unusually early physical witness to both a Gospel and Acts in the same scribal hand.
Matthew 26:29–40 · Acts 9:33–43 · Acts 10:1
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
5th Century
Papyrus P127: Acts 10–12 and 15–17 in a Greek Codex
P.Oxy. LXXIV 4968, Gregory-Aland P127, comprises remains of eight fifth-century papyrus leaves of Acts and preserves a distinctive text often compared with Codex Bezae.
Acts 10:32–35 · Acts 10:40–45 · Acts 11:2–5
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