The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, named Cornelius, the captain of the Italian band of the army;
1
There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, who was a captain in the Roman army regiment called "The Italian Regiment."
2 A serious-minded man, fearing God with all his family; he gave much money to the poor, and made prayer to God at all times.
2
He was a religious man; he and his whole family worshiped God. He also did much to help the Jewish poor people and was constantly praying to God.
3 He saw in a vision, clearly, at about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of the Lord coming to him and saying to him, Cornelius!
3
It was about three o'clock one afternoon when he had a vision, in which he clearly saw an angel of God come in and say to him, "Cornelius!"
4 And he, looking on him in fear, said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your offerings have come up to God, and he has kept them in mind.
4
He stared at the angel in fear and said, "What is it, sir?" The angel answered, "God is pleased with your prayers and works of charity, and is ready to answer you.
5 Now send men to Joppa, and get one Simon, named Peter,
5
And now send some men to Joppa for a certain man whose full name is Simon Peter.
6 Who is living with Simon, a leather-worker, whose house is by the sea.
6
He is a guest in the home of a tanner of leather named Simon, who lives by the sea."
7 And when the angel who said these words to him had gone away, he sent for two of his house-servants, and a God-fearing man of the army, one of those who were waiting on him at all times;
7
Then the angel went away, and Cornelius called two of his house servants and a soldier, a religious man who was one of his personal attendants.
8 And having given them an account of everything, he sent them to Joppa.
8
He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.
9 Now the day after, when they were on their journey and were near the town, Peter went up to the top of the house for prayer, about the sixth hour:
9
The next day, as they were on their way and coming near Joppa, Peter went up on the roof of the house about noon in order to pray.
10 And he was in need of food: but while they were getting it ready, a deep sleep came on him;
10
He became hungry and wanted something to eat; while the food was being prepared, he had a vision.
11 And he saw the heavens opening, and a vessel coming down, like a great cloth let down on the earth,
11
He saw heaven opened and something coming down that looked like a large sheet being lowered by its four corners to the earth.
12 In which were all sorts of beasts and birds.
12
In it were all kinds of animals, reptiles, and wild birds.
13 And a voice came to him, saying, Come, Peter; take them for food.
13
A voice said to him, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat!"
14 But Peter said, No, Lord; for I have never taken food which is common or unclean.
14
But Peter said, "Certainly not, Lord! I have never eaten anything ritually unclean or defiled."
15 And the voice came to him a second time, What God has made clean, do not you make common.
15
The voice spoke to him again, "Do not consider anything unclean that God has declared clean."
16 And this was done three times: and then the vessel was taken back into heaven.
16
This happened three times, and then the thing was taken back up into heaven.
17 Now while Peter was in doubt as to the purpose of this vision, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made search for Simon's house, came to the door,
17
While Peter was wondering about the meaning of this vision, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon's house was, and they were now standing in front of the gate.
18 To see if Simon, named Peter, was living there.
18
They called out and asked, "Is there a guest here by the name of Simon Peter?"
19 And, while Peter was turning the vision over in his mind, the Spirit said to him, See, three men are looking for you.
19
Peter was still trying to understand what the vision meant, when the Spirit said, "Listen! Three men are here looking for you.
20 Go down, then, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them.
20
So get ready and go down, and do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."
21 And Peter went down to the men, and said, I am the man you are looking for: why have you come?
21
So Peter went down and said to the men, "I am the man you are looking for. Why have you come?"
22 And they said, Cornelius, a captain, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by all the nation of the Jews, had word from God by an angel to send for you to his house, and to give hearing to your words.
22
"Captain Cornelius sent us," they answered. "He is a good man who worships God and is highly respected by all the Jewish people. An angel of God told him to invite you to his house, so that he could hear what you have to say."
23 So he took them in for the night. And the day after, he went with them, taking some of the brothers from Joppa with him.
23
Peter invited the men in and had them spend the night there. The next day he got ready and went with them; and some of the believers from Joppa went along with him.
24 And the day after that, they came to Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having got together his relations and his near friends.
24
The following day he arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was waiting for him, together with relatives and close friends that he had invited.
25 And when Peter came in, Cornelius came to him and, falling down at his feet, gave him worship.
25
As Peter was about to go in, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and bowed down before him.
26 But Peter, lifting him up, said, Get up, for I am a man as you are.
26
But Peter made him rise. "Stand up," he said, "I myself am only a man."
27 And saying these words, he went in, and saw that a great number of people had come together;
27
Peter kept on talking to Cornelius as he went into the house, where he found many people gathered.
28 And he said to them, You yourselves have knowledge that it is against the law for a man who is a Jew to be in the company of one who is of another nation; but God has made it clear to me that no man may be named common or unclean:
28
He said to them, "You yourselves know very well that a Jew is not allowed by his religion to visit or associate with Gentiles. But God has shown me that I must not consider any person ritually unclean or defiled.
29 And so I came without question, when I was sent for. What then is your purpose in sending for me?
29
And so when you sent for me, I came without any objection. I ask you, then, why did you send for me?"
30 And Cornelius said, Four days from now I was in my house in prayer at the ninth hour; and I saw before me a man in shining clothing,
30
Cornelius said, "It was about this time three days ago that I was praying in my house at three o'clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man dressed in shining clothes stood in front of me
31 Who said, Cornelius, your prayer has come to the ears of God, and your offerings are kept in his memory.
31
and said: "Cornelius! God has heard your prayer and has taken notice of your works of charity.
32 Send, then, to Joppa, and get Simon, named Peter, to come to you; he is living in the house of Simon, a leather-worker, by the sea.
32
Send someone to Joppa for a man whose full name is Simon Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner of leather, who lives by the sea.'
33 So, straight away, I sent for you; and you have done well to come. And now, we are all present before God, ready to give attention to all the things which the Lord has given you to say.
33
And so I sent for you at once, and you have been good enough to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God, waiting to hear anything that the Lord has instructed you to say."
34 Then Peter said, Truly, I see clearly that God is no respecter of persons:
34
Peter began to speak: "I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.
35 But in every nation, the man who has fear of him and does righteousness is pleasing to him.
35
Those who fear him and do what is right are acceptable to him, no matter what race they belong to.
36 The word which he sent to the children of Israel, giving the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (who is Lord of all)--
36
You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37 That word you yourselves have knowledge of, which was made public through all Judaea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism of which John was the preacher,
37
You know of the great event that took place throughout the land of Israel, beginning in Galilee after John preached his message of baptism.
38 About Jesus of Nazareth, how God gave the Holy Spirit to him, with power: and how he went about doing good and making well all who were troubled by evil spirits, for God was with him.
38
You know about Jesus of Nazareth and how God poured out on him the Holy Spirit and power. He went everywhere, doing good and healing all who were under the power of the Devil, for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all the things which he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; whom they put to death, hanging him on a tree.
39
We are witnesses of everything that he did in the land of Israel and in Jerusalem. Then they put him to death by nailing him to a cross.
40 On the third day God gave him back to life, and let him be seen,
40
But God raised him from death three days later and caused him to appear,
41 Not by all the people, but by witnesses marked out before by God, even by us, who took food and drink with him after he came back from the dead.
41
not to everyone, but only to the witnesses that God had already chosen, that is, to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from death.
42 And he gave us orders to give news of this to the people, and to give public witness that this is he whom God has made judge of the living and the dead.
42
And he commanded us to preach the gospel to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead.
43 To him all the prophets give witness, that through his name everyone who has faith in him will have forgiveness of sins.
43
All the prophets spoke about him, saying that all who believe in him will have their sins forgiven through the power of his name."
44 While Peter was saying these words, the Holy Spirit came on all those who were hearing the word.
44
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who were listening to his message.
45 And the Jews of the faith, who had come with Peter, were full of wonder, because the Holy Spirit was given to the Gentiles,
45
The Jewish believers who had come from Joppa with Peter were amazed that God had poured out his gift of the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles also.
46 And they were talking in tongues, and giving glory to God. Then Peter said,
46
For they heard them speaking in strange tongues and praising God's greatness. Peter spoke up:
47 Will any man say that these may not have baptism who have been given the Holy Spirit as we have?
47
"These people have received the Holy Spirit, just as we also did. Can anyone, then, stop them from being baptized with water?"
48 And he gave orders for them to have baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they kept him with them for some days.
48
So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay with them for a few days.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.