Scrutatio

Venerdi, 29 marzo 2024 - Santi Simplicio e Costantino ( Letture di oggi)

Acts of the Apostles 10


font

1One of the centurions of the Italica cohort stationed in Caesarea was cal ed Cornelius.2He and the whole of his household were devout and God-fearing, and he gave generously to Jewishcauses and prayed constantly to God.3One day at about the ninth hour he had a vision in which he distinctly saw the angel of God come intohis house and cal out to him, 'Cornelius!'4He stared at the vision in terror and exclaimed, 'What is it, Lord?' The angel answered, 'Your prayersand charitable gifts have been accepted by God.5Now you must send some men to Jaffa and fetch a man cal ed Simon, known as Peter,6who is lodging with Simon the tanner whose house is by the sea.'7When the angel who said this had gone, Cornelius cal ed two of the slaves and a devout soldier of hisstaff,8told them al that had happened, and sent them off to Jaffa.9Next day, while they were still on their journey and had only a short distance to go before reaching thetown, Peter went to the housetop at about the sixth hour to say his prayers.10He felt hungry and was looking forward to his meal, but before it was ready he fel into a trance11and saw heaven thrown open and something like a big sheet being let down to earth by its fourcorners;12it contained every kind of animal, reptile and bird.13A voice then said to him, 'Now, Peter, kil and eat!'14But Peter answered, 'Certainly not, Lord; I have never yet eaten anything profane or unclean.'15Again, a second time, the voice spoke to him, 'What God has made clean, you have no right to callprofane.'16This was repeated three times, and then suddenly the container was drawn up to heaven again.17Peter was still at a loss over the meaning of the vision he had seen, when the men sent by Corneliusarrived. They had asked where Simon's house was and they were now standing at the door,18cal ing out to know if the Simon known as Peter was lodging there.19While Peter's mind was stil on the vision, the Spirit told him, 'Look! Some men have come to see you.20Hurry down, and do not hesitate to return with them; it was I who told them to come.'21Peter went down and said to them, 'I am the man you are looking for; why have you come?'22They said, 'The centurion Cornelius, who is an upright and God-fearing man, highly regarded by theentire Jewish people, was told by God through a holy angel to send for you and bring you to his house and tolisten to what you have to say.'23So Peter asked them in and gave them lodging. Next day, he was ready to go off with them,accompanied by some of the brothers from Jaffa.24They reached Caesarea the following day, and Cornelius was waiting for them. He had asked hisrelations and close friends to be there,25and as Peter reached the house Cornelius went out to meet him, fel at his feet and did himreverence.26But Peter helped him up. 'Stand up,' he said, ' after al , I am only a man!'27Talking together they went in to meet all the people assembled there,28and Peter said to them, 'You know it is forbidden for Jews to mix with people of another race and visitthem; but God has made it clear to me that I must not cal anyone profane or unclean.29That is why I made no objection to coming when I was sent for; but I should like to know exactly whyyou sent for me.'30Cornelius replied, 'At this time three days ago I was in my house saying the prayers for the ninth hour,when I suddenly saw a man in front of me in shining robes.31He said, "Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your charitable gifts have not been forgotten byGod;32so now you must send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter who is lodging in the house of Simonthe tanner, by the sea."33So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Here we al are, assembled infront of you to hear al the instructions God has given you.'34Then Peter addressed them, 'I now real y understand', he said, 'that God has no favourites,35but that anybody of any nationality who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.36'God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace wasbrought by Jesus Christ -- he is the Lord of al .37You know what happened al over Judaea, how Jesus of Nazareth began in Galilee, after John hadbeen preaching baptism.38God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesuswent about doing good and curing al who had fal en into the power of the devil.39Now we are witnesses to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalemitself: and they kil ed him by hanging him on a tree,40yet on the third day God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen,41not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses that God had chosen beforehand. Now we arethose witnesses -- we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead-42and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to bear witness that God has appointed himto judge everyone, alive or dead.43It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that al who believe in Jesus wil have their sinsforgiven through his name.'44While Peter was stil speaking the Holy Spirit came down on al the listeners.45Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were al astonished that the gift of the Holy Spiritshould be poured out on gentiles too,46since they could hear them speaking strange languages and proclaiming the greatness of God. Peterhimself then said,47'Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spiritjust as we have?'48He then gave orders for them to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterwards they begged himto stay on for some days.