Peter Visits Cornelius

Peter arrives in Caesarea and finds Cornelius expecting him with relatives and close friends gathered. Cornelius falls at Peter's feet, but Peter lifts him up, says he is only a man, enters the house, and explains that God has shown him not to call any person impure or unclean, so he came without objection and now asks why he was sent for.

T²⁴he following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. ²⁶But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” ²⁷As Peter talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together. ²⁸He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. ²⁹So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have you sent for me?”

Cornelius tells Peter about his prayer at the ninth hour, the radiant messenger who said his prayer and gifts had been remembered before God, and the command to send for Peter in Joppa. He ends by saying they are all there in God's presence to hear everything the Lord has instructed Peter to say.

³⁰Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me ³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God. ³²Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’ ³³So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.”