The story of peter visited cornelius – पीटर की कुरनेलियुस से मुलाकात की कहानी

The story of Peter visited cornelius is a pivotal event in the early Christian Church, highlighting the expansion of the Gospel to the Gentiles. This story is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, chapters 10 and 11. Here is a detailed retelling of the story:

Cornelius was a centurion in the Roman army, stationed in Caesarea. He was a devout man who feared God, gave generously to the poor, and prayed continually. One afternoon, around three o’clock, Cornelius had a vision in which an angel of God came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

Startled and afraid, Cornelius replied, “What is it, Lord?”

The angel said, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

The next day, as Cornelius’ men were approaching Joppa, Peter went up on the roof to pray around noon. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.

Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

While Peter was still pondering the meaning of the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. Get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

Peter went down and said to the men, “I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”

The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.”

The next day, Peter started out with the men, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. The following day, he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.

But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them, “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

Cornelius answered, “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.

“We are witnesses of everything He did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed Him by hanging Him on a cross, but God raised Him from the dead on the third day and caused Him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Peter’s visit to Cornelius marked a significant turning point in the early Church, as it opened the way for the Gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. This event demonstrated that salvation through Jesus Christ was available to all people, regardless of their ethnic background, fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his offspring.

 

The story of peter visited cornelius – पीटर की कुरनेलियुस से मुलाकात की कहानी