1 Vivia em Cesareia um homem chamado Cornélio, capitão de um regimento italiano. Era um homem piedoso, respeitador das coisas de Deus, como o era também toda a sua casa. Dava generosamente aos pobres e era um homem que orava com regularidade a Deus.-
3 Certa tarde - seriam umas três horas - teve claramente uma visão em que um anjo de Deus se aproximava dele. Cornélio!, disse-lhe o anjo.
4 Cornélio olhou-o cheio de medo: Que queres, Senhor? O anjo respondeu: As tuas preces e a tua generosidade não têm passado despercebidas a Deus!e
5 Envia, pois, alguns homens a Jope para procurarem Simão Pedro, que está com Simão o curtidor, junto à praia, e pede-lhe que venha visitar-te.
7 Logo que o anjo se foi embora, Cornélio chamou dois dos seus criados e um soldado também crente em Deus, que pertencia à sua guarda pessoal, e, contando-lhes o que acontecera, mandou-os a Jope.
9 No dia seguinte, quando eles se aproximavam da cidade, Pedro subiu ao terraço para orar. Era meio-dia e tinha fome, mas, enquanto se preparava o almoço, teve uma visão. Viu o céu aberto e um grande pano, pendurado pelos quatro cantos, pousar no chão. Dentro havia toda a espécie de animais, serpentes e aves . Uma voz disse: Mata e come qualquer destes animais.
14 Nunca, Senhor, declarou Pedro. Jamais comi o que quer que seja considerado impuro pelas nossas leis judaicas.
15 E a voz tornou a dizer-lhe: Não consideres impuro o que Deus tornou limpo!
16 A mesma visão se repetiu três vezes, até que o pano foi de novo puxado para o céu.
17 Pedro ficou a pensar naquilo. Que queria dizer semelhante visão? Que deveria ele fazer? Nesse momento os homens mandados por Cornélio, tendo encontrado a casa, chegavam-se à porta perguntando se era ali que estava Simão Pedro.
19 Entretanto, enquanto Pedro cismava na visão, o Espírito Santo disse-lhe: Vieram três homens para falar contigo. Desce, vai ao encontro deles e acompanha-os. Não receies, fui eu que os mandei.
21 Pedro desceu e apresentou-se: Sou o homem que procuram. Que querem de mim?
22 Eles falaram-lhe em Cornélio, o oficial romano, homem bom e piedoso, com prestígio entre os judeus, que recebera instruções de um anjo para pedir a Pedro que lhe fosse dizer o que queria Deus que ele fizesse.
23 No dia seguinte foi com eles, acompanhado por alguns outros crentes de Jope.
24 Chegaram a Cesareia no outro dia; Cornélio esperava-o já na companhia de parentes e amigos íntimos.
25 Cornélio, logo que Pedro entrou na sua casa, lançou-se-lhe aos pés para o adorar mas Pedro impediu-o: Levanta-te, que sou um homem como tu!
27 Cornélio levantou-se e conversaram juntos e entraram para dentro onde os outros estavam reunidos.
28 Pedro disse-lhes: Sabem que é contra as leis judaicas eu entrar assim num lar de estrangeiros. Mas Deus mostrou-me numa visão que nunca deveria considerar alguém meu inferior .
29 Apressei-me pois a vir, e agora digam-me porque me mandaram vir.
30 Cornélio respondeu: Há quatro dias, estava eu a orar como de costume às três horas da tarde, quando me apareceu um homem com roupas brilhantes
31 que me disse: 'Cornélio, as tuas orações são ouvidas e Deus reparou nos teus actos de caridade.
32 Envia alguns homens a Jope e manda vir Simão Pedro, que está a ficar em casa de Simão o curtidor, que mora perto do mar'.
33 Assim, mandei-te vir imediatamente, e fizeste bem em vir depressa. Estamos todos presentes diante de Deus, ansiosos por ouvir o que ele te mandou dizer-nos!
34 E Pedro respondeu: Vejo bem que os judeus não são os únicos favoritos de Deus!
35 Ele aceita pessoas de todas as nações que o temem e fazem o que é justo.
36 Estou certo de que ouviram as boas novas dirigidas ao povo de Israel: que há paz com Deus por Jesus Cristo, Senhor de toda a criação. Esta mensagem espalhou-se por toda a Judeia, começando na Galileia depois do baptismo que João pregou.
38 E sabem, sem dúvida, como Deus ungiu Jesus de Nazaré com o Espírito Santo e poder, andando por toda a parte a praticar o bem e a curar os que estavam sob o poder do Diabo, pois Deus estava com ele.
39 Nós, apóstolos, somos testemunhas de tudo o que ele fez em Israel e Jerusalém, onde o mataram numa cruz. Mas Deus tornou a dar-lhe a vida três dias mais tarde e mostrou-o a certas testemunhas que tinha já escolhido; não ao povo em geral, mas a nós, que comemos e bebemos com ele depois de ter ressuscitado dos mortos. Mandou-nos pregar as boas novas, e dar testemunho de que Jesus foi mandado por Deus para ser juiz dos vivos e dos mortos. E todos os profetas escreveram a seu respeito, dizendo que quem nele crê terá perdoados os pecados, pelo seu nome.
44 Enquanto Pedro dizia estas coisas, o Espírito Santo desceu sobre quantos o escutavam. Os judeus que tinham ido com Pedro ficaram pasmados ao verem que o dom do Espírito Santo tenha sido derramado também sobre os gentios; e ouviam-nos falar em línguas diferentes, louvando Deus.
47 Pedro perguntou então: Poderá alguém opor-se a que sejam baptizados, agora que receberam o Espírito Santo tal como nós?
48 E assim deu ordem que fossem baptizados em nome de Jesus Cristo. Depois Cornélio pediu-lhe que ficasse em sua casa durante vários dias.
1 Now [there was] a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a captain from the Italian Battalion,
2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.
3 He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying to him, Cornelius.
4 And he, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have gone up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter:
6 he lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.
7 And when the angel that spoke to him had departed, he called two of his household slaves, and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually;
8 and having rehearsed all things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 Now on the next day, as they were on their journey, and drew near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:
10 and he became hungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance;
11 and he looks at heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners on the earth:
12 in which were all manner of four-footed beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven.
13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat.
14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean.
15 And a voice [came] to him again the second time, What God has cleansed, don't make common.
16 And this was done thrice: and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.
17 Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might be, look, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate,
18 and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.
19 And while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said to him, Look, three men are seeking you.
20 But arise, and go down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
21 And Peter went down to the men, and said, Look, I am he whom you{+} seek: what is the cause why you{+} have come?
22 And they said, Captain Cornelius, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned [of God] by a holy angel to send for you into his house, and to hear words from you.
23 So he called them in and lodged them. And on the next day he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And on the next day he entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends.
25 And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshiped him.
26 But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and finds many come together:
28 and he said to them, You{+} yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to stick [close] to or come to one of another nation; and [yet] to me has God shown that I should not call any man common or unclean:
29 therefore also I came without opposing, when I was sent for. I ask, therefore, what [is the] reason you{+} sent for me?
30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and look, a man stood before me in bright apparel,
31 and says, Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call to you Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodges in the house of Simon a tanner, by the seaside.
33 Forthwith therefore I sent to you; and you have well done that you have come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded you of the Lord.
34 And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 but in every nation he who fears him, and works righteousness, is acceptable to him.
36 The word which he sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ [saying that], He is Lord of all.
37 That saying you{+} yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 [even] Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on a tree.
40 God raised him up on the third day, and gave him to be made manifest,
41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before of God, [even] to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he charged us to preach to the people, and to testify that this is he who is appointed of God [to be] the Judge of the living and the dead.
43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that through his name everyone who believes on him will receive remission of sins.
44 While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
47 Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they prayed him to tarry some days.