4. Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.
5. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.
6. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."
7. When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.
8. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
9. About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
10. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
11. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
12. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.
13. Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14. "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15. The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."