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There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a Roman army officer in what was called the Italian Regiment.
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He was a devout man, a "God-fearer," as was his whole household; he gave generously to help the Jewish poor and prayed regularly to God.
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One afternoon around three o'clock he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!"
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Cornelius stared at the angel, terrified. "What is it, sir?" he asked. "Your prayers," replied the angel, "and your acts of charity have gone up into God's presence, so that he has you on his mind.
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Now send some men to Yafo to bring back a man named Shim'on, also called Kefa.
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He's staying with Shim'on the leather-tanner, who has a house by the sea."
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As the angel that had spoken to him went away, Cornelius called two of his household slaves and one of his military aides, who was a godly man;
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he explained everything to them and sent them to Yafo.
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The next day about noon, while they were still on their way and approaching the city, Kefa went up onto the roof of the house to pray.
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He began to feel hungry and wanted something to eat; but while they were preparing the meal, he fell into a trance
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in which he saw heaven opened, and something that looked like a large sheet being lowered to the ground by its four corners.
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In it were all kinds of four-footed animals, crawling creatures and wild birds.
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Then a voice came to him, "Get up, Kefa, slaughter and eat!"
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But Kefa said, "No, sir! Absolutely not! I have never eaten food that was unclean or treif."
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The voice spoke to him a second time: "Stop treating as unclean what God has made clean."
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This happened three times, and then the sheet was immediately taken back up into heaven.
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Kefa was still puzzling over the meaning of the vision he had seen, when the men Cornelius had sent, having inquired for Shim'on's house, stood at the gate
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and called out to ask if the Shim'on known as Kefa was staying there.
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While Kefa's mind was still on the vision, the Spirit said, "Three men are looking for you.
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Get up, go downstairs, and have no misgivings about going with them, because I myself have sent them."
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So Kefa went down and said to the men, "You were looking for me? Here I am. What brings you here?"
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They answered, "Cornelius. He's a Roman army officer, an upright man and a God-fearer, a man highly regarded by the whole Jewish nation; and he was told by a holy angel to have you come to his house and listen to what you have to say."
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So Kefa invited them to be his guests. The next day, he got up and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Yafo;
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and he arrived at Caesarea the day after that. Cornelius was expecting them - he had already called together his relatives and close friends.
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As Kefa entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell prostrate at his feet.
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But Kefa pulled him to his feet and said, "Stand up! I myself am just a man."
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As he talked with him, Kefa went inside and found many people gathered.
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He said to them, "You are well aware that for a man who is a Jew to have close association with someone who belongs to another people, or to come and visit him, is something that just isn't done. But God has shown me not to call any person common or unclean;
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so when I was summoned, I came without raising any questions. Tell me, then, why did you send for me?"