Cornelius
The First Gentile Christian
Cornelius was a Roman officer (centurion) in the Italian cohort at Caesarea. He was devout and gave many alms. Through a vision, he was led to send for Peter, and when Peter preached, the Holy Spirit fell on all the Gentiles. This was a turning point for the spread of the gospel to non-Jews.
Schlüsselereignisse
The Angel's Vision
Cornelius received a visit from an angel who said that his prayers and alms had risen as a memorial before God.
1In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort.
Ἀνὴρ δέ ⸀τις ἐν Καισαρείᾳ ὀνόματι Κορνήλιος, ἑκατοντάρχης ἐκ σπείρης τῆς καλουμένης Ἰταλικῆς,
2He was devout and God-fearing, together with his whole household; he gave generously to those in need among the people and prayed to God constantly.
εὐσεβὴς καὶ φοβούμενος τὸν θεὸν σὺν παντὶ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, ⸀ποιῶν ἐλεημοσύνας πολλὰς τῷ λαῷ καὶ δεόμενος τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ παντός,
3One afternoon, about three o'clock, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God who came to him and said, "Cornelius."
εἶδεν ἐν ὁράματι φανερῶς ὡσεὶ ⸀περὶ ὥραν ἐνάτην τῆς ἡμέρας ἄγγελον τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελθόντα πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἰπόντα αὐτῷ· Κορνήλιε.
4He stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" The angel said to him, "Your prayers and your acts of mercy have gone up as a memorial offering before God.
ὁ δὲ ἀτενίσας αὐτῷ καὶ ἔμφοβος γενόμενος εἶπεν· Τί ἐστιν, κύριε; εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ· Αἱ προσευχαί σου καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἀνέβησαν εἰς μνημόσυνον ⸀ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θεοῦ·
5Now send men to Joppa and summon a certain Simon who is called Peter.
καὶ νῦν πέμψον ⸂ἄνδρας εἰς Ἰόππην⸃ καὶ μετάπεμψαι Σίμωνά ⸂τινα ὃς ἐπικαλεῖται Πέτρος⸃·
6He is a guest of Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."
οὗτος ξενίζεται παρά τινι Σίμωνι βυρσεῖ, ᾧ ἐστιν οἰκία παρὰ θάλασσαν.
Peter Arrives
Peter came after his own vision about clean and unclean animals, and preached to Cornelius' household.
24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
⸂τῇ δὲ⸃ ἐπαύριον ⸀εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν Καισάρειαν. ὁ δὲ Κορνήλιος ἦν προσδοκῶν αὐτοὺς συγκαλεσάμενος τοὺς συγγενεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἀναγκαίους φίλους.
25As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him.
ὡς δὲ ἐγένετο τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν τὸν Πέτρον, συναντήσας αὐτῷ ὁ Κορνήλιος πεσὼν ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας προσεκύνησεν.
27As he talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together.
καὶ συνομιλῶν αὐτῷ εἰσῆλθεν, καὶ εὑρίσκει συνεληλυθότας πολλούς,
28He said to them, "You know that it is forbidden for a Jew to associate with or visit a foreigner. But God has shown me that I must not call anyone common or unclean.
ἔφη τε πρὸς αὐτούς· Ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ὡς ἀθέμιτόν ἐστιν ἀνδρὶ Ἰουδαίῳ κολλᾶσθαι ἢ προσέρχεσθαι ἀλλοφύλῳ· κἀμοὶ ὁ θεὸς ἔδειξεν μηδένα κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον λέγειν ἄνθρωπον·
34Then Peter began to speak: "Now I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
Ἀνοίξας δὲ Πέτρος τὸ στόμα εἶπεν· Ἐπʼ ἀληθείας καταλαμβάνομαι ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολήμπτης ὁ θεός,
35but in every nation the one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
ἀλλʼ ἐν παντὶ ἔθνει ὁ φοβούμενος αὐτὸν καὶ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην δεκτὸς αὐτῷ ἐστιν.
The Spirit Falls on the Gentiles
While Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on all the Gentiles who heard the word.
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message.
Ἔτι λαλοῦντος τοῦ Πέτρου τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα ἐπέπεσε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντας τὸν λόγον.
45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,
καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς πιστοὶ ⸀ὅσοι συνῆλθαν 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 responded,
ἤκουον γὰρ αὐτῶν λαλούντων γλώσσαις καὶ μεγαλυνόντων τὸν θεόν. τότε ⸀ἀπεκρίθη Πέτρος·
47"Surely no one can withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!"
Μήτι τὸ ὕδωρ ⸂δύναται κωλῦσαί⸃ τις τοῦ μὴ βαπτισθῆναι τούτους οἵτινες τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἔλαβον ⸀ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς;
48And he directed that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
προσέταξεν ⸀δὲ αὐτοὺς ⸂ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ βαπτισθῆναι⸃. τότε ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν ἐπιμεῖναι ἡμέρας τινάς.