Summary
Cornelius, a devout centurion in Caesarea, receives a vision from an angel instructing him to send for Simon Peter. Peter, meanwhile, has a vision of a heavenly vessel with animals, commanded to eat, but he resists because he had never eaten unclean food; the vision repeats until he is told that God has made all things clean. While Peter is still pondering, the Holy Spirit tells him to meet three men, and he goes to Cornelius' house, where Cornelius reverently bows before Peter. Peter declares that God shows no partiality and that those who fear Him and do righteous deeds are accepted. The Holy Spirit descends upon all who hear Peter’s testimony, even Gentiles, and they speak in tongues. The gathered believers are astonished and are baptized in the name of Jesus. This chapter marks the first formal inclusion of Gentiles into the early church and the spreading of the Holy Spirit beyond Jewish boundaries.