Acts 10

New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel

Acts 10

1Now there was a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,Ἀνὴρ δέ τις ἦν ἐν Καισαρείᾳ ὀνόματι Κορνήλιος, ἑκατοντάρχης ἐκ σπείρης τῆς καλουμένης Ἰταλικῆς,

2a devout man, and one that feared God, together with all his household, who often gave alms to the people, and making petition to God always.εὐσεβὴς καὶ φοβούμενος τὸν Θεὸν σὺν παντὶ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, ποιῶν τε ἐλεημοσύνας πολλὰς τῷ λαῷ καὶ δεόμενος τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ παντός.

3About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, “Cornelius!”εἶδεν ἐν ὁράματι φανερῶς ὡσεὶ ὥραν ἐνάτην τῆς ἡμέρας ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσελθόντα πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἰπόντα αὐτῷ, Κορνήλιε.

4And looking intently at him and becoming fearful he said, “What is it, lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.ὁ δὲ ἀτενίσας αὐτῷ καὶ ἔμφοβος γενόμενος εἶπε, Τί ἐστι, Κύριε; εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ, Αἱ προσευχαί σου καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἀνέβησαν εἰς μνημόσυνον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ.

5Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.καὶ νῦν πέμψον εἰς Ἰόππην ἄνδρας καὶ μετάπεμψαι Σίμωνα τὸν ἐπικαλούμενον Πέτρον·

6He is staying as a guest with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is beside the sea.”οὗτος ξενίζεται παρά τινι Σίμωνι βυρσεῖ, ᾧ ἐστιν οἰκία παρὰ θάλασσαν.

7Now when the angel who had been speaking to Cornelius had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.ὡς δὲ ἀπῆλθεν ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ λαλῶν τῷ Κορνηλίῳ, φωνήσας δύο τῶν οἰκετῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ στρατιώτην εὐσεβῆ τῶν προσκαρτερούντων αὐτῷ,

8And explaining to them everything, he sent them to Joppa.καὶ ἐξηγησάμενος αὐτοῖς ἅπαντα ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν Ἰόππην.

9Now on the next day, as they were traveling and drawing near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, at about the sixth hour.Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον, ὁδοιπορούντων ἐκείνων καὶ τῇ πόλει ἐγγιζόντων, ἀνέβη Πέτρος ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα προσεύξασθαι περὶ ὥραν ἕκτην.

10And he became hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.ἐγένετο δὲ πρόσπεινος καὶ ἤθελε γεύσασθαι· παρασκευαζόντων δὲ ἐκείνων ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἔκστασις,

11And he saw heaven having been opened, and descending to him a certain vessel like a great sheet, having been bound at the four corners, and being let down upon the ground,καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγμένον καὶ καταβαῖνον ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν σκεῦός τι ὡς ὀθόνην μεγάλην, τέσσαρσιν ἀρχαῖς δεδεμένον καὶ καθιέμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,

12in which were all the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild animals, and the reptiles, and the birds of the air.ἐν ᾧ ὑπῆρχε πάντα τὰ τετράποδα τῆς γῆς καὶ τὰ θηρία καὶ τὰ ἑρπετὰ καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.

13And there came a voice to him, saying, “Arise, Peter; kill and eat.”καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ πρὸς αὐτόν, Ἀναστάς, Πέτρε, θῦσον καὶ φάγε.

14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord! For never did I eat anything common or unclean.”ὁ δὲ Πέτρος εἶπε, Μηδαμῶς, Κύριε, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔφαγον πᾶν κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον.

15And a voice spoke again the second time to him, “That which God has made clean, you must not make common.”καὶ φωνὴ πάλιν ἐκ δευτέρου πρὸς αὐτόν, Ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἐκαθάρισε σὺ μὴ κοίνου.

16And this happened three times, and again the vessel was taken up into heaven.τοῦτο δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τρίς, καὶ πάλιν ἀνελήφθη τὸ σκεῦος εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν.

17Now as Peter was very perplexed within himself as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius, having found by inquiry the house of Simon, stood at the gateway.Ὡς δὲ ἐν ἑαυτῷ διηπόρει ὁ Πέτρος τί ἂν εἴη τὸ ὅραμα ὃ εἶδε, καὶ ἰδού, οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ ἀπεσταλμένοι ἀπὸ τοῦ Κορνηλίου διερωτήσαντες τὴν οἰκίαν Σίμωνος ἐπέστησαν ἐπὶ τὸν πυλῶνα,

18And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.καὶ φωνήσαντες ἐπυνθάνοντο εἰ Σίμων ὁ ἐπικαλούμενος Πέτρος ἐνθάδε ξενίζεται.

19Now while Peter pondered about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, men are seeking you.τοῦ δὲ Πέτρου διενθυμουμένου περὶ τοῦ ὁράματος εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὸ Πνεῦμα, Ἰδού, ἄνδρες ζητοῦσί σε.

20Arise therefore, go down and go with them, without wavering; for I have sent them.”ἀλλὰ ἀναστὰς κατάβηθι καὶ πορεύου σὺν αὐτοῖς μηδὲν διακρινόμενος, διότι ἐγὼ ἀπέσταλκα αὐτούς.

21And Peter, going down to the men, said, “Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?”καταβὰς δὲ Πέτρος πρὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας εἶπεν, Ἰδού, ἐγώ εἰμι ὃν ζητεῖτε· τίς ἡ αἰτία δι᾽ ἣν πάρεστε;

22And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and fearing God, having a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was given a revelation by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to hear a message from you.”οἱ δὲ εἶπον, Κορνήλιος ἑκατοντάρχης, ἀνὴρ δίκαιος καὶ φοβούμενος τὸν Θεόν, μαρτυρούμενός τε ὑπὸ ὅλου τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἐχρηματίσθη ὑπὸ ἀγγέλου ἁγίου μεταπέμψασθαί σε εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ῥήματα παρὰ σοῦ.

23Therefore he invited them in and received them as guests. Now on the next day Peter went forth with them, and some brothers from Joppa went with him.εἰσκαλεσάμενος οὖν αὐτοὺς ἐξένισε. Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ὁ Πέτρος ἐξῆλθε σὺν αὐτοῖς, καί τινες τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῶν ἀπὸ Ἰόππης συνῆλθον αὐτῷ.

24And on the next day they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and close friends.καὶ τῇ ἐπαύριον εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν Καισάρειαν. ὁ δὲ Κορνήλιος ἦν προσδοκῶν αὐτοὺς συγκαλεσάμενος τοὺς συγγενεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἀναγκαίους φίλους.

25Now when it happened that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.ὡς δὲ ἐγένετο τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν τὸν Πέτρον, συναντήσας αὐτῷ ὁ Κορνήλιος πεσὼν ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας προσεκύνησεν.

26But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.”ὁ δὲ Πέτρος αὐτὸν ἤγειρε λέγων, Ἀνάστηθι· κἀγὼ αὐτὸς ἄνθρωπός εἰμι.

27And talking with him he went in, and found many having gathered,καὶ συνομιλῶν αὐτῷ εἰσῆλθε καὶ εὑρίσκει συνεληλυθότας πολλούς,

28and he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to associate with or to approach a Gentile; and yet God has shown to me that I should call no man common or unclean;ἔφη τε πρὸς αὐτούς, Ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ὡς ἀθέμιτόν ἐστιν ἀνδρὶ Ἰουδαίῳ κολλᾶσθαι ἢ προσέρχεσθαι ἀλλοφύλῳ· καὶ ἐμοὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἔδειξε μηδένα κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον λέγειν ἄνθρωπον·

29therefore also without objecting, I came when I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”διὸ καὶ ἀναντιρρήτως ἦλθον μεταπεμφθείς. πυνθάνομαι οὖν τίνι λόγῳ μετεπέμψασθέ με.

30So Cornelius said, “From the fourth day until this hour I was fasting, and at the ninth hour I was praying in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in shining clothing,Καὶ ὁ Κορνήλιος ἔφη, Ἀπὸ τετάρτης ἡμέρας μέχρι ταύτης τῆς ὥρας ἤμην νηστεύων, καὶ τὴν ἐνάτην ὥραν προσευχόμενος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου, καὶ ἰδού, ἀνὴρ ἔστη ἐνώπιόν μου ἐν ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ

31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered before God.καὶ φησί, Κορνήλιε, εἰσηκούσθη σου ἡ προσευχή, καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἐμνήσθησαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ.

32Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is staying as a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, beside the sea. When he arrives, he will speak to you.’πέμψον οὖν εἰς Ἰόππην καὶ μετακάλεσαι Σίμωνα ὃς ἐπικαλεῖται Πέτρος· οὗτος ξενίζεται ἐν οἰκίᾳ Σίμωνος βυρσέως παρὰ θάλασσαν· ὃς παραγενόμενος λαλήσει σοι.

33Therefore immediately I sent to you, and you have done well to come. Now then we are all present before God, to hear all the things having been commanded you by God.”ἐξαυτῆς οὖν ἔπεμψα πρός σε, σύ τε καλῶς ἐποίησας παραγενόμενος. νῦν οὖν πάντες ἡμεῖς ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ πάρεσμεν ἀκοῦσαι πάντα τὰ προστεταγμένα σοι ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ.

34And Peter, opening his mouth, said: “In truth I comprehend that God is not One to show partiality.Ἀνοίξας δὲ Πέτρος τὸ στόμα εἶπεν, Ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας καταλαμβάνομαι ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι προσωπολήπτης ὁ Θεός,

35But in every nation, he that fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him.ἀλλ᾽ ἐν παντὶ ἔθνει ὁ φοβούμενος αὐτὸν καὶ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην δεκτὸς αὐτῷ ἐστι.

36The word which God sent to the sons of Israel, preaching the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—He being Lord of all—τὸν λόγον ὃν ἀπέστειλε τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εὐαγγελιζόμενος εἰρήνην διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ—οὗτός ἐστι πάντων Κύριος—

37you know, the word coming to be throughout all of Judea, and beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John proclaimed,ὑμεῖς οἴδατε, τὸ γενόμενον ῥῆμα καθ᾽ ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ἀρξάμενον ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐκήρυξεν Ἰωάννης,

38Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέτ, ὡς ἔχρισεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεὸς Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ καὶ δυνάμει, ὃς διῆλθεν εὐεργετῶν καὶ ἰώμενος πάντας τοὺς καταδυναστευομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἦν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ.

39And we are witnesses of all things which He did, both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they also killed by hanging on a tree.καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν μάρτυρες πάντων ὧν ἐποίησεν ἔν τε τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ· ὃν καὶ ἀνεῖλον κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου.

40This Jesus God raised up on the third day, and caused Him to be seen,τοῦτον ὁ Θεὸς ἤγειρε τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν ἐμφανῆ γενέσθαι,

41not to all the people, but to witnesses, who having been chosen beforehand by God, even to us, who ate and drank together with Him after He arose from the dead.οὐ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, ἀλλὰ μάρτυσι τοῖς προκεχειροτονημένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἡμῖν, οἵτινες συνεφάγομεν καὶ συνεπίομεν αὐτῷ μετὰ τὸ ἀναστῆναι αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν.

42And He commanded us to proclaim to the people, and to testify solemnly that He is the One having been appointed by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.καὶ παρήγγειλεν ἡμῖν κηρύξαι τῷ λαῷ καὶ διαμαρτύρασθαι ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ὡρισμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ κριτὴς ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν.

43To Him all the prophets bear witness, that through His name, everyone believing in Him shall receive forgiveness of sins.”τούτῳ πάντες οἱ προφῆται μαρτυροῦσιν, ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν λαβεῖν διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ πάντα τὸν πιστεύοντα εἰς αὐτόν.

44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.Ἔτι λαλοῦντος τοῦ Πέτρου τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα ἐπέπεσε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντας τὸν λόγον.

45And those of the circumcision who believed were astounded, as many as had come with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς πιστοὶ ὅσοι συνῆλθον τῷ Πέτρῳ, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἡ δωρεὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐκκέχυται.

46For they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,ἤκουον γὰρ αὐτῶν λαλούντων γλώσσαις καὶ μεγαλυνόντων τὸν Θεόν. τότε ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Πέτρος,

47“Surely no one can forbid water, can he, that these should not be baptized who received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”Μήτι τὸ ὕδωρ κωλῦσαι δύναταί τις τοῦ μὴ βαπτισθῆναι τούτους, οἵτινες τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον ἔλαβον καθὼς καὶ ἡμεῖς;

48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay for some days.προσέταξέ τε αὐτοὺς βαπτισθῆναι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου. τότε ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν ἐπιμεῖναι ἡμέρας τινάς.

The Fathers on Acts 10

Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On Acts 10:1–4

Saint John Chrysostom

Eastern Fathers · c. 400 AD · Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles

“There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He 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. And 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.”

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On Acts 10:23–24

Saint John Chrysostom

Eastern Fathers · c. 400 AD · Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles

“Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.”

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On Acts 10:44, 46

Saint John Chrysostom

Eastern Fathers · c. 400 AD · Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And 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. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”

Read Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles →