Atos 10

¹ TherePeter consecrates the first fruits of the Gentiles to God by the means of two miracles.was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian [band],

² [A]So that he worshipped one God, and was not an idolater, and neither could he be void of faith in Christ, because he was a devout man: but as of yet he did not know that Christ had come.devout [man], and one that feared God withThis is a commendable thing about the man, that he laboured to have all his household, and well-known friends, and acquaintances to be religious and godly.all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

³ He sawe in a vision euidently (about the ninth houre of the day) an Angel of God coming in to him, and saying vnto him, Cornelius.

⁴ And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said,What do you want with me Lord? For he prepares himself to hear.What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms areThis is a borrowed kind of speech which the Hebrews used very much, taken from sacrifices and applied to prayers: for it is said of whole burnt sacrifices that the smoke and smell of them goes up into God's nostrils, and so do our prayers, as a sweet smelling sacrifice which the Lord takes great pleasure in.come up forThat is, in as much that they will not allow God as it were to forget you: for so the Scripture often talks childish with us as nurses do with little children, when they prepare their tongues to speak.a memorial before God.

⁵ Nowe therefore send men to Ioppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter.

⁶ Hee lodgeth with one Simon a Tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to doe.

⁷ And when the Angel which spake vnto Cornelius, was departed, he called two of his seruants, and a souldier that feared God, one of them that waited on him,

⁸ And tolde them all things, and sent them to Ioppa.

⁹ On the morow as they went on their iourney, and drew neere vnto the citie, Peter went vp vpon the house to pray, about the sixt houre.

¹⁰ And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into aFor though Peter does not stand amazed as one that is tongue tied, but talks with God and is instructed in his mysteries, yet his mind was far from being as it normally was; shortly, however, it returned to its normal state.trance,

¹¹ And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at theSo that it seemed to be a square sheet.four corners, and let down to the earth:

¹² Wherein wereHere is this word «all» which is general, plainly used for something indefinite and uncertain, that is to say, for some of all sorts, not for all of every sort.all manner ofThat is, such as were proper for men's use.fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, andTo see what is meant by these creeping things see (Lev. 11:2-47).creeping things, and fowls of the air.

¹³ And there came a voyce to him, Arise, Peter: kill, and eate.

¹⁴ Peter learns daily in the knowledge of the benefit of Christ, yea, even after he had received the Holy Spirit.But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

¹⁵ And the voice [spake] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, [that]Do not consider them to be unprofitable.call not thou common.

¹⁶ This was so done thrise: and the vessell was drawen vp againe into heauen.

¹⁷ Nowe while Peter douted in himselfe what this vision which he had seene, meant, beholde, the men which were sent from Cornelius, had inquired for Simons house, and stoode at the gate,

¹⁸ And called, and asked, whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

¹⁹ And while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit sayde vnto him, Beholde, three men seeke thee.

²⁰ Arise therefore, and get thee downe, and goe with them, and doute nothing: For I haue sent them.

²¹ Then Peter went downe to the men, which were sent vnto him from Cornelius, and sayd, Beholde, I am he whome ye seeke: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?

²² And they sayd, Cornelius the captaine, a iust man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Iewes, was warned from heauen by an holy Angel, to send for thee into his house, and to heare thy wordes.

²³ Then called he them in, and lodged them, and the next day, Peter went foorth with them, and certaine brethren from Ioppa accompanied him.

²⁴ And the day after, they entred into Cesarea. Nowe Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsemen, and special friends.

²⁵ Religious adoration of worship is proper only to God: but civil worship is given to the ministers of the word, although not without danger.And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped [him].

²⁶ But Peter tooke him vp, saying, Stand vp: for euen I my selfe am a man.

²⁷ And as he talked with him, he came in, and found many that were come together.

²⁸ And he sayd vnto them, Ye know that it is an vnlawfull thing for a man that is a Iewe, to company, or come vnto one of another nation: but God hath shewed me, that I should not call any man polluted, or vncleane.

²⁹ Therefore came I vnto you without saying nay, when I was sent for. I aske therefore, for what intent haue ye sent for me?

³⁰ And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting untilHe does not mean the very hour at the present time (as it was nine o'clock when he spoke to Peter), but the like, that is, about nine o'clock the other day.this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

³¹ Cornelius' faith demonstrated itself by prayer and charity.And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

³² As faith comes by hearing, so it is nourished and grows up by the same.Send 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.

³³ Then sent I for thee immediately, and thou hast well done to come. Nowe therefore are we all here present before God, to heare all things that are commanded thee of God.

³⁴ Distinction of nations is taken away by the coming of Christ: and it is evidently seen by their faith and righteousness, which ones are agreeable to him and which ones he accepts.Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive thatThat God does not judge according to the outward appearance.God is no respecter of persons:

³⁵ But in every nation he thatBy the «fear of God» the Hebrews understood the whole service of God, by which we perceive that Cornelius was not void of faith, no more than they were who lived before Christ's time: and therefore they deal incorrectly who deduce meritorious works and free will from this passage.feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

³⁶ TheGod showed the Israelites that whoever lives godly is acceptable to God, no matter what nation he comes from, for he preached peace to men through Jesus Christ, who is Lord not only of one nation, that is, of the Jews, but of all.word which [God] sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

³⁷ The sum of the Gospel (which will be made manifest at the latter day, when Christ himself will sit as judge both of the living and the dead), is this, that Christ promised to the fathers and exhibited in his time with the mighty power of God (which was demonstrated by all means) and at length crucified to reconcile us to God, did rise again the third day, so that whoever believes in him should be saved through the remission of sins.That word, [I say], ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

³⁸ How GodThis manner of speaking is taken from an old custom of the Jews, who used to anoint their kings and priests, because of which it came to pass to call those anointed upon whom God bestowed gifts and virtues.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.

³⁹ And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Iewes, and in Hierusalem, whom they slewe, hanging him on a tree.

⁴⁰ Him God raysed vp the third day, and caused that he was shewed openly:

⁴¹ Not to all the people, but unto witnessesThis choosing of the apostles is properly given to God: for though God is president in the lawful election of ministers, yet there is in this place a secret opposition and setting of God's choosing and men's voices against one another, for the apostles are appointed directly by God, and the Church ministers indirectly.chosen before of God, [even] to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

⁴² And he commanded vs to preach vnto the people, and to testifie, that it is he that is ordained of God a iudge of quicke and dead.

⁴³ To him also giue all the Prophets witnesse, that through his Name all that beleeue in him, shall receiue remission of sinnes.

⁴⁴ The Spirit of God seals that in the heart of the hearers which the minister of the word speaks by the commandment of God, as is evident by the results.While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

⁴⁵ So they of the circumcision which beleeued, were astonied, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was powred out the gift of the holy Ghost.

⁴⁶ For they heard them speake with tongues, and magnifie God. Then answered Peter,

⁴⁷ Baptism does not sanctify or make those holy who receive it, but is an outward sign to the world of the profession of faith. (Ed.)Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

⁴⁸ So he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tary certaine dayes.