L’Église primitive
Peter's Vision and Cornelius
An angel appears to the devout centurion Cornelius in Caesarea and instructs him to send for Peter in Joppa. At the same time, Peter receives a vision of a sheet containing unclean animals being lowered from heaven, with a voice saying that what God has cleansed, no one should call unclean. Peter goes to Cornelius, preaches the gospel, and the Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentiles who are then baptized.
Actes 10,1-48
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.
7When the angel who had spoken to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among his personal attendants.
ὡς δὲ ἀπῆλθεν ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ λαλῶν ⸀αὐτῷ, φωνήσας δύο τῶν ⸀οἰκετῶν καὶ στρατιώτην εὐσεβῆ τῶν προσκαρτερούντων αὐτῷ
8He explained everything to them and sent them to Joppa.
καὶ ἐξηγησάμενος ⸂ἅπαντα αὐτοῖς⸃ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν Ἰόππην.
9The next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof about noon to pray.
Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ὁδοιπορούντων ἐκείνων καὶ τῇ πόλει ἐγγιζόντων ἀνέβη Πέτρος ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα προσεύξασθαι περὶ ὥραν ἕκτην.
10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while it was being prepared he fell into a trance.
ἐγένετο δὲ πρόσπεινος καὶ ἤθελεν γεύσασθαι· παρασκευαζόντων δὲ ⸀αὐτῶν ⸀ἐγένετο ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἔκστασις,
11He saw heaven opened and something like a great sheet coming down, being lowered to the earth by its four corners.
καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγμένον καὶ ⸀καταβαῖνον σκεῦός τι ὡς ὀθόνην μεγάλην τέσσαρσιν ⸀ἀρχαῖς καθιέμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,
12In it were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.
ἐν ᾧ ὑπῆρχεν πάντα τὰ τετράποδα ⸂καὶ ἑρπετὰ τῆς γῆς καὶ⸃ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.
13Then a voice said to him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἀναστάς, Πέτρε, θῦσον καὶ φάγε.
14But Peter said, "By no means, Lord! I have never eaten anything common or unclean."
ὁ δὲ Πέτρος εἶπεν· Μηδαμῶς, κύριε, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔφαγον πᾶν κοινὸν ⸀καὶ ἀκάθαρτον.
15The voice came to him again, a second time: "What God has cleansed, you must not call common."
καὶ φωνὴ πάλιν ἐκ δευτέρου πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἃ ὁ θεὸς ἐκαθάρισεν σὺ μὴ κοίνου.
16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken up into heaven.
τοῦτο δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τρίς, καὶ ⸀εὐθὺς ἀνελήμφθη τὸ σκεῦος εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν.
17While Peter was still puzzling over what the vision he had seen might mean, the men sent by Cornelius had asked their way to Simon's house and were standing at the gate.
Ὡς δὲ ἐν ἑαυτῷ διηπόρει ὁ Πέτρος τί ἂν εἴη τὸ ὅραμα ὃ εἶδεν, ⸀ἰδοὺ οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ ἀπεσταλμένοι ⸀ὑπὸ τοῦ Κορνηλίου διερωτήσαντες τὴν οἰκίαν ⸀τοῦ Σίμωνος ἐπέστησαν ἐπὶ τὸν πυλῶνα,
18They called out, asking whether Simon who was called Peter was staying there.
καὶ φωνήσαντες ⸀ἐπυνθάνοντο εἰ Σίμων ὁ ἐπικαλούμενος Πέτρος ἐνθάδε ξενίζεται.
19While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look, some men are searching for you.
τοῦ δὲ Πέτρου διενθυμουμένου περὶ τοῦ ὁράματος εἶπεν ⸂αὐτῷ τὸ πνεῦμα⸃· Ἰδοὺ ⸀ἄνδρες ⸀ζητοῦντές σε·
20Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitating, for I have sent them."
ἀλλὰ ἀναστὰς κατάβηθι καὶ πορεύου σὺν αὐτοῖς μηδὲν διακρινόμενος, ⸀ὅτι ἐγὼ ἀπέσταλκα αὐτούς.
21So Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?"
καταβὰς δὲ Πέτρος πρὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι ὃν ζητεῖτε· τίς ἡ αἰτία διʼ ἣν πάρεστε;
22They said, "Cornelius the centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say."
οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· Κορνήλιος ἑκατοντάρχης, ἀνὴρ δίκαιος καὶ φοβούμενος τὸν θεὸν μαρτυρούμενός τε ὑπὸ ὅλου τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἐχρηματίσθη ὑπὸ ἀγγέλου ἁγίου μεταπέμψασθαί σε εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ῥήματα παρὰ σοῦ.
23So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along with him.
εἰσκαλεσάμενος οὖν αὐτοὺς ἐξένισεν. Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ⸀ἀναστὰς ἐξῆλθεν σὺν αὐτοῖς, καί τινες τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῶν ἀπὸ Ἰόππης συνῆλθον αὐτῷ.
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.
26But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up. I am only a man myself."
ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ⸂ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν⸃ λέγων· Ἀνάστηθι· καὶ ἐγὼ αὐτὸς ἄνθρωπός εἰμι.
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·
29That is why I came without objection when I was sent for. So I ask why you sent for me."
διὸ καὶ ἀναντιρρήτως ἦλθον μεταπεμφθείς. πυνθάνομαι οὖν τίνι λόγῳ μετεπέμψασθέ με.
30Cornelius said, "Four days ago, at this very hour, three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, when suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me
Καὶ ὁ Κορνήλιος ἔφη· Ἀπὸ τετάρτης ἡμέρας μέχρι ταύτης τῆς ὥρας ⸀ἤμην τὴν ⸀ἐνάτην προσευχόμενος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ἔστη ἐνώπιόν μου ἐν ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ
31and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your acts of mercy have been remembered before God.
καὶ φησί· Κορνήλιε, εἰσηκούσθη σου ἡ προσευχὴ καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἐμνήσθησαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ.
32Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.'
πέμψον οὖν εἰς Ἰόππην καὶ μετακάλεσαι Σίμωνα ὃς ἐπικαλεῖται Πέτρος· οὗτος ξενίζεται ἐν οἰκίᾳ Σίμωνος βυρσέως παρὰ ⸀θάλασσαν.
33So I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to hear everything the Lord has commanded you to say."
ἐξαυτῆς οὖν ἔπεμψα πρὸς σέ, σύ τε καλῶς ἐποίησας παραγενόμενος. νῦν οὖν πάντες ἡμεῖς ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ πάρεσμεν ἀκοῦσαι πάντα τὰ προστεταγμένα σοι ὑπὸ τοῦ ⸀κυρίου.
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.
36He sent his word to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
τὸν λόγον ⸀ὃν ἀπέστειλεν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εὐαγγελιζόμενος εἰρήνην διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· οὗτός ἐστιν πάντων κύριος.
37You know what has happened throughout all Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:
ὑμεῖς οἴδατε τὸ γενόμενον ῥῆμα καθʼ ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ⸀ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐκήρυξεν Ἰωάννης,
38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέθ, ὡς ἔχρισεν αὐτὸν ὁ θεὸς πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ δυνάμει, ὃς διῆλθεν εὐεργετῶν καὶ ἰώμενος πάντας τοὺς καταδυναστευομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἦν μετʼ αὐτοῦ·
39And we are witnesses of everything he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,
καὶ ⸀ἡμεῖς μάρτυρες πάντων ὧν ἐποίησεν ἔν τε τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ⸀καὶ Ἰερουσαλήμ· ὃν καὶ ἀνεῖλαν κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου.
40but God raised him on the third day and caused him to be seen—
τοῦτον ὁ θεὸς ἤγειρεν ⸀τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν ἐμφανῆ γενέσθαι,
41not by all the people, but by witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with him after he rose 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 preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.
καὶ παρήγγειλεν ἡμῖν κηρύξαι τῷ λαῷ καὶ διαμαρτύρασθαι ὅτι ⸀οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ὡρισμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ κριτὴς ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν.
43To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
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 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.