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使徒行传生命读经 · 第29篇

藉著彼得一班同工的职事，在犹太地的繁殖（二十一）

The Propagation in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria through the Ministry of Peter’s Company (21)
1读经：使徒行传十章一至三十三节。
1Scripture Reading: Acts 10:1-33
彼得职事的成功
THE SUCCESS OF PETER’S MINISTRY
2到了行传九章末了，主已经作了许多事，把路铺好，让彼得为外邦人开启进入神国的门。九章三十一节指出彼得职事的成功：『那时全犹太、加利利、撒玛利亚遍处的召会得平安，被建造，在对主的敬畏并圣灵的安慰中行动，人数就繁增了。』这里我们看见，在犹太、加利利和撒玛利亚这三个省分，召会已经刚强的建立起来。这指明彼得繁殖复活基督的职事在犹太地非常成功。这地不仅包括犹太，也包括加利利，以及犹太和加利利之间的撒玛利亚。藉著彼得的职事，那称为圣地的区域就满了召会。按照九章三十二至四十三节，彼得被主推动往该撒利亚去，那是罗马政府一个强大的中心。在该撒利亚住著一个名叫哥尼流的人。这里我们看见主的豫备，为著开启外邦人进入召会生活的门。
2By the end of chapter nine the Lord had done many things to prepare the way for Peter to open the door for the Gentiles to come into the kingdom of God. Acts 9:31 points to the success of Peter’s ministry: “The church throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it was multiplied.” Here we see that churches had been strongly established in the three provinces of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. This indicated that Peter’s ministry in the propagation of the resurrected Christ was very successful in the Jewish land. This land included not only Judea but also Galilee and Samaria, a region in between Judea and Galilee. Through Peter’s ministry the territory called the holy land was filled with churches. According to 9:32-43, Peter was moved by the Lord toward Caesarea, which was a strong center of the Roman government. In Caesarea lived a man named Cornelius. Here we see the Lord’s preparation for the opening of the door for the Gentiles to come into the church life
3在马太十六章十九节，主耶稣把国度的钥匙给了彼得。五旬节那天，彼得用了第一把钥匙，为犹太人开启进入神国的门，我们要看见，在行传十章，彼得用了第二把钥匙，向外邦人开启神国的门。
3In Matthew 16:19 the Lord Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom. On the day of Pentecost Peter used the first of these keys to open the door for the Jewish people to come into the kingdom of God. As we shall see, in Acts 10 Peter used the second key to open the door of the kingdom of God to the Gentiles
在主的福音工作上
A FURTHER STEP
更进一步
IN THE LORD’S EVANGELICAL WORK
4行传十章一、二节说，『在该撒利亚有一个人，名叫哥尼流，是那叫作义大利营的一个百夫长。他是个虔诚人，同全家都敬畏神，多多赒济百姓，常常祈求神。』古罗马一军团有十营，每营六百人。罗马百夫长哥尼流，与埃提阿伯的太监一样寻求神，就如保罗在十七章二十七节所题的。
4Acts 10:1 and 2 say, “Now there was a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what is called the Italian cohort, devout and fearing God with all his household, giving many alms to the people, and beseeching God continually.” The word “cohort” signifies one of the ten divisions of an ancient Roman legion. It was composed of six hundred men. Cornelius, the Roman centurion, like the Ethiopian eunuch, was seeking God, as mentioned in 17:27.
5我们在十章一节看见，到这时候主在祂的福音工作上更进了一步。藉此，祂临到另一个道地的外邦人，一个欧洲罗马帝国的义大利人。这样，福音的门向所有的外邦人都打开了。犹太使徒和门徒带著犹太的背景和习惯，要他们接触外邦人是很难的。(徒十28。)因此，这次的行动很特别，需要神的使者参与其中，(徒十3，)正如在八章二十六节，腓利接触从非洲来的埃提阿伯人的事例中，主的使者所作的一样。在这两个事例中，那灵特别
5In 10:1 we see that the Lord now took a further step in His evangelical work. By this He reached another total Gentile, a man of Italy of the Roman Empire in Europe. Thus the door of the gospel was opened to all the Gentiles. It was a difficult thing for the Jewish apostles and disciples with their Jewish background and habit to approach the Gentiles (v. 28). Hence, it was an extraordinary move, needing an angel of God to take part in it (v. 3), just as an angel did in the case of Philip approaching the Ethiopian from Africa in 8:26. And in both cases the Spirit spoke to Philip and Peter particularly (8:29; 10:19).
6对腓利和彼得说话。(徒八29，十19。)
6
7主是主宰整个世界局势的。在行传十章所发生的事，必定是照著主的主宰。在罗马政府的重要城市该撒利亚，有一个名叫哥尼流的百夫长。哥尼流不仅是一个好人，有道德的人，也是一个虔诚的人，寻求神的人。从有人类开始，就一直有寻求神的虔诚人，哥尼流就是这种人。他同全家都10:7敬畏神而且虔诚。行传十章七节甚至说到一个虔诚兵。这指明哥尼流家里有虔诚的气氛。我们在行传十章看见神所使用，为著神的国向外邦世界开路的那种人。
7The Lord is sovereign over the entire situation of the world. What happened in Acts 10 was surely according to the Lord’s sovereignty. In Caesarea, an important city for the Roman government, there was a certain centurion named Cornelius. Cornelius was not only a good man and a moral man, but was also a devout man, one seeking after God. From the beginning of mankind, there have always been devout men who sought God. Cornelius was in this category. He and all those of his household feared God and were devout. Acts even speaks of a devout soldier. This indicates that in Cornelius’ household there was a devout atmosphere. In Acts 10 we see the kind of person used by God to open the way for the kingdom of God to the Gentile world.
使者的异象
A VISION OF AN ANGEL
8行传十章三、四节说，『有一天，约在午后三时，他在异象中，清楚看见神的一位使者来到他那里，对他说，哥尼流。哥尼流定睛看他，惊怕说，主阿，甚么事？天使对他说，你的祷告和你的赒济，已经上达神面前，蒙记念了。』哥尼流是堕落人类中的一个，在神面前是有罪的，也是被定罪的，与所有的人一样，然而神悦纳他的祷告和赒济；该隐的供物却为神所弃绝。（创四3，5。)这必定是因神基于基督永远的救赎，并鉴于哥尼流来日相信基督，就按著祂的豫知赦免他。（徒十43。）按照十章三节，有神的一位使者向哥尼流显现，向他说话。在埃提阿伯太监的事例中，神也使用一位使者：『有主的一位使者对腓利说，起来，向南走，往那从耶路撒冷下迦萨的路上去。』（徒八26。）这两个事例中有使者，指明这些事例很特别。向埃提阿伯太监传福音，乃是把福音带给外邦人。同样的，向哥尼流家传福音，乃是把福音传给外邦家庭。因为这是特别的事例，所以天使参与其中。不过，在埃提阿伯太监和哥尼流及其家人的事例中，神都不是托付天使去传福音，原因是只有相信主耶稣的人类，才有特权把福音带给人。
8Acts 10:3 and 4 say, “He saw clearly in a vision about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him and saying to him, Cornelius! And looking intently at him and becoming terrified, he said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have ascended for a memorial before God.” Cornelius was one of fallen mankind, sinful and condemned before God as all others, yet God accepted his prayers and his alms, whereas Cain’s He rejected (Gen. 4:3, 5). This must have been due to the fact that God, based upon Christ’s eternal redemption and in view of his believing in Christ in the ensuing days, forgave him (v. 43) according to His foreknowledge. According to 10:3, an angel of God appeared to Cornelius and spoke to him. An angel was also used by God in the case of the Ethiopian eunuch. In that case “an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Rise up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (8:26). The angels in these two cases indicate that these cases are extraordinary. The preaching of the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch was the bringing of the gospel to a Gentile. Likewise, the preaching of the gospel to the house of Cornelius was the preaching of the gospel to a Gentile family. Since this was an extraordinary case, an angel was involved. However, neither in the case of the Ethiopian eunuch nor in the case of Cornelius and his household was the angel commissioned to preach the gospel. The reason for this is that only human beings who are believers in the Lord Jesus have the privilege of bringing the good news to others.
祷告的重要
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER
9在哥尼流的异象之后，（徒十1～8，）有彼得的异象。（徒十9～16。）行传十章九节说，『第二天，他们行路将近那城的时候，约在正午，彼得上房顶去祷告。』哥尼流是在祷告中得著异象，（徒十30，）彼得也是在祷告中得著异象。（徒十17，19。）乃是藉著他们的祷告，神的计画和行动才得以完成。神的行动需要人祷告的合作为凭藉。
9After the vision of Cornelius (10:1-8), we have the vision of Peter (10:9-16). Acts 10:9 says, “And on the next day as they were journeying and drawing near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour.” Cornelius received a vision in prayer (v. 30), and Peter also received a vision (vv. 17, 19) in prayer, through which God’s plan and move were carried out. Man’spray er is needed as a means of cooperation with God’s move
10行传十章有力的强调祷告的重要。首先有哥尼流的祷告，然后有彼得的祷告。这两个人的祷告，成了主进来为外邦人开门的凭藉。虔诚的哥尼流祷告时，异象临到了他。同样，在彼得祷告的时候，这一章所记载的异象临到了他。由此我们看见，我们都需要学习有祷告的生活，因为祷告的生活总是为主的行动铺路，并且为主的扩展开门。我们在这里既是为著主的恢复，就必须学知主只能使用有祷告生活的人，就是在生活中祷告接触主的人。圣经没有告诉我们，哥尼流和彼得为著甚么祷告。然而，圣经的记载指明他们划出特定的时间祷告，就是定时祷告。行传十章三节说，哥尼流在午后三时祷告；十章九节说，彼得在正午祷告。我们由此看见他们有祷告的生活，甚至有定时的祷告。我们在主恢复里的人若有这样定时祷告的生活，就会被主使用，为著主恢复的扩展开路。
10In chapter ten of Acts there is a strong emphasis on the importance of prayer. First we have Cornelius’ prayer and then Peter’spray er. The prayers of these two men became the means for the Lord to come in to open the door for the Gentiles. While Cornelius, a devout man, was praying, a vision came to him. Likewise, it was while Peter was praying that the vision recorded in this chapter came to him. From this we see that we all need to learn to have a prayer life, for a prayer life always prepares the way for the Lord’s move and opens the gate for Him to spread. As those who are here for the Lord’s recovery, we must learn that the Lord can use only those who have a prayer life, a life of contacting Him in prayer. We are not told for what Cornelius and Peter were praying. The record does indicate, however, that they set aside certain times for prayer, that they prayed according to a schedule. Acts 10:3 says that Cornelius was praying at the ninth hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, and 10:9 says that Peter was praying at the sixth hour, at twelve o’clock noon. From this we see that they had a prayer life and even prayed at scheduled times. If we in the Lord’s recovery have such a prayer life according to set times, we shall be used by Him in opening the way for the spread of His recovery
彼得看见大布的异象
PETER’S VISION OF A GREAT SHEET
11按照十章十节，彼得『觉得很饿，就想要吃。人正豫备饭的时候，彼得魂游象外。在这里彼得的饥饿是表征人寻求神的事。（太五6。）神叫饥饿的得饱美物。（路一53。）吃，原文也常译为尝。
11According to 10:10 Peter “became very hungry and desired to eat; and while they were preparing, a trance came upon him.” Peter’s hunger here signifies the seeking after the things of God (Matt. 5:6). God fills this hunger (Luke 1:53). The Greek word rendered “eat” is usually rendered “taste.”
魂游象外
In an Ecstasy
12魂游象外，原文意离开本位；因此是人在感觉上从自己里面出来，又从其中回到自己的情景，（徒十二11，）好像是在梦中，却未睡著。这种魂游象外与三、十七、十九节的异象不同。在异象中，有可以看见的确定目标。但在这里，彼得是在魂游象外时看见异象。（徒十一5。）
12The Greek word translated “trance” is ekstasis, which means being put out of its place; hence, referring to a state in which a man passes out of himself and from which he comes to himself (12:11), as in a dream, but without sleep. It differs from a vision, as in verses 3, 17, and 19, in which definite objects are visible to human eyes. In this ecstasy— trance—Peter saw a vision (11:5
福音的开展
The Spreading of the Gospel
13彼得这次魂游象外，『看见天开了，有一器皿降下，好像一块大布，系著四角，缒在地上，里面有地上各样四足的走兽和爬物，11-并天空的飞鸟。』（徒十11～。）在十一节天开了，指明主在地上的福音行动，是在祂天上宝座行政的管理之下。（参来八1，徒七56。）古今所有的使徒和传福音者，都是在地上执行天上的使命，开展神国的福音。
13In this trance, this ecstasy, Peter “beheld heaven opened, and a certain vessel like a great sheet descending, being let down by four corners onto the earth, in which were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the heaven” (vv. 12). The opening of the heavens in verse 11 indicates 12 that the Lord’s evangelical move on earth is under His administration on the throne in heaven (see Heb. 8:1; Acts 7:56). All the apostles and evangelists were and still are carrying out the heavenly commission on earth for the spreading of the gospel of the kingdom of God.
各类的人
Men of All Kinds
14十一节说，有一器皿从天降下，好像一块大布。这器皿象征福音扩展到居人之地的四方，聚拢各类不洁净（有罪）的人。（路十三29。）十二节所说四足的走兽、爬物和飞鸟，象征各类的人。
14Verse 11 says that a vessel like a great sheet descended from the heavens. This vessel symbolizes the gospel spreading to the four corners of the inhabited earth to collect all kinds of unclean (sinful) people (Luke 13:29). The four-footed animals, reptiles, and birds mentioned in verse 12 symbolize men of all kinds
15十三节说，『又有声音向他说，彼得，起来，宰了吃！』这是个表号，吃是与人来往。（徒十28。）在十四节，彼得回答说，『主阿，绝对不可，因为一切凡俗并不洁之物，我从来没有吃过。』彼得不吃凡俗、不洁之物，乃是按著利未记十一章的教导。按摩西的律法，割礼、守安息日、和饮食上的特别规定，是三个最强的规条，使犹太人与外邦人不同而被分别出来；他们认为外邦人是不洁净的。这一切旧约时代的圣经规条，成为照著神新约的经纶，将福音开展到外邦人的阻碍。（徒十五1，西二16。）
15Acts 10:13 says, “And a voice came to him, Rise up, Peter, slay and eat!” To eat, in this sign, is to associate with people (v. 28). In verse 14 Peter answered, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common and unclean.” Peter’s not eating things common and unclean is according to the teaching in Leviticus 11. Circumcision, Sabbath-keeping, and a particular diet are the three strongest ordinances according to the law of Moses that caused the Jews to be distinct and separate from the Gentiles, who are regarded by them as unclean. All these scriptural ordinances of the Old Testament dispensation became an obstacle to the spreading of the gospel to the Gentiles according to God’s New Testament dispensation (15:1; Col. 2:16).
16十五节接说，『第二次又有声音向他说，神所洁净的，你不可当作俗物。』这是指神藉著基督救赎的血（启一5，）并圣灵的更新（多三5，徒十五9。）所洁净的人。
16Acts 10:15 continues, “And a voice came to him again a second time, What God has cleansed, do not consider common!” This refers to the people whom God has cleansed through the redeeming blood of Christ (Rev. 1:5
时代的转移
A DISPENSATIONAL TRANSFER
17我们在行传十章看见一件有关神的经纶重要的事－时代转移的需要。在旧约里，神的经纶乃是在表征、豫表、豫言的时代里。在旧约里，神的经纶完全没有得著成就。至终，三一神来了，成就神的公义、圣别、荣耀所要求的一切，来完成祂的经纶。不但是子来了，乃是子同著父并藉著那灵而来。神经纶的完成，乃是神将祂自己分赐到祂所拣选的人里面，完全与人性调和，为祂和祂所拣选的人建造永远的居所，使祂自己得著完满的彰显，直到永远。既然神在祂的三一里而来，成就一切必需的事，使祂可以完成祂的经纶，所以就有时代的转移。一面，神为著这转移不能不用犹太人；另一面，犹太教是这转移最大的阻碍。我们在四福音书里可以看见，犹太教和主耶稣之间有争斗、对抗。主来发起转移，发起改变。但犹太教设法阻挠这改变。这个开始于福音书的争斗，在使徒行传中仍旧继续发生。甚至像彼得、约翰、雅各这些蒙主拣选的人，也不清楚需要有完全且彻底的转移。彼得对于从天降下大布的异象所有的反应，指明了这点。彼得守住这祷告的时间非常好，但当主要他到外邦人那里去，与他们交往，这对他却成了难题。
17In chapter ten of Acts we see an important matter related to God’secon o my—the need for a dispensational transfer. In the Old Testament, God’secon o my was in a dispensation of figures, types, and prophecies. There was no accomplishment at all of God’secon o my in the Old Testament. Eventually the Triune God came in to accomplish everything required by God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory to carry out His economy. It was not only the Son who came but the Son with the Father and through the Spirit. The carrying out of God’secon o my is the dispensing of Himself into His chosen people so that He may be mingled thoroughly with humanity to build up an eternal habitation for Him and His chosen people in order that He may have a full expression of Himself in eternity. Since God in His Trinity came to accomplish everything necessary that He might carry out His economy, there was a dispensational transfer. On the one hand, God could not avoid using the Jewish people for this transfer. On the other hand, Judaism was the foremost obstacle to this transfer. We can see in the four Gospels that there was a struggle, a confrontation, between Judaism and the Lord Jesus. The Lord came to initiate the transfer, that is, to initiate the change. But Judaism tried to frustrate this change. This struggle that began in the Gospels continued in Acts. Even the Lord’s chosen ones such as Peter, John, and James were not clear concerning the need for an absolute and thorough transfer. Peter’s response to the vision of the great sheet descending from the heavens indicates this. Peter was very good in keeping this time of prayer. But when the Lord wanted him to go to the Gentiles and associate with them, this became a problem to Peter
18彼得由于他的犹太背景，不想与外邦人交往。犹太人与外邦人交往，就像吃不洁之物。吃东西就是把东西接受到里面，使这东西与我们成为一。彼得拒吃从天降下大器皿里所盛装的不洁之物，描绘出犹太人不愿意接受外邦人而与他们成为一。犹太人若是就近外邦人，与他们成为一，那就像人吃了不洁之物一样。
18Due to his Judaic background, Peter did not want to associate with Gentiles. For a Jew to associate with Gentiles was like eating unclean things. To eat something is to take that thing into us and make it one with us. Peter’s refusing to eat the unclean things contained in the great vessel that descended from the heavens is a portrait of the Jews’ unwillingness to take in the Gentiles and to be one with them. Any Jew who would go to the Gentiles and become one with them would be like a person who eats unclean things
19我们已经指出，有三个主要规条使犹太人与外邦人不同而从外邦人分别出来，就是割礼、守安息日、和饮食上的特别规定。保守的犹太人在这些规条上是非常严紧的。按照以弗所二章十五节，这些律法的规条已经被主在十字架上的死废掉了。祂已经废掉了割礼、守安息日和饮食的特别规定。虽然主耶稣废掉了这些规条，但彼得仍旧持守。
19We have pointed out that the three main ordinances that caused the Jews to be distinct and separate from the Gentiles are circumcision, Sabbath-keeping, and a particular diet. Concerning these ordinances conservative Jews are very strict. According to Ephesians 2:15, these ordinances of the law have been abolished by the Lord’s death on the cross. He has abolished circumcision, Sabbath-keeping, and the particular diet. But although the Lord Jesus abolished these ordinances, Peter still held to them
彼得受主试验
PETER TESTED BY THE LORD
20在行传十章，主耶稣试验彼得。彼得祷告的时候，魂游象外，就是说，他在感觉上从自己里面出来。当他魂游象外的时候，一个异象临到了他。他看见一个器皿降下，好像一块大布，里面有地上各样四足的走兽和爬物，以及天空的飞鸟。这异象必定使彼得十分吃惊。然后有声音对他说，『彼得，起来，宰了吃！』（徒十13。）彼得回答说，『主阿，绝对不可，因为一切凡俗并不洁之物，我从来没有吃过。』（徒十14。）在这里彼得似乎是说，『主，我不能吃这些东西，我从来没有吃过凡俗的东西。主，我吃的必须是圣别的，我只能吃圣别的东西。』彼得的回答指明，主很难在他身上作成祂的转移。因著这困难，那异象需要出现三次：『这样一连有三次，那器皿随即收回天上去了。』（徒十16。）今天我们像彼得一样，对于转移也会有困难，因为我们的思想可能还受宗教传统的影响。
20In Acts 10 the Lord Jesus tested Peter. As Peter was praying, a trance came upon him. This means that Peter was in an ecstacy, that he was outside of himself. While he was in this ecstasy, this trance, a vision came to him. He saw a vessel like a great sheet descending, and in this vessel there were all the four- footed animals, reptiles of the earth, and birds of the heaven. Peter must have been greatly surprised at this vision. Then a voice said to him, “Rise up, Peter, slay and eat!” (v. 13). Peter responded by saying, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common and unclean” (v. 14). Here Peter seemed to be saying, “Lord, I cannot eat these things. I have never eaten anything that is common. Whatever I eat, Lord, must be holy. I can only eat things that are sanctified.” Peter’s answer indicates that it was very difficult for the Lord to work out His transfer with him. Because of this difficulty, it was necessary for the vision to take place three times: “And this occurred three times; and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven” (v. 16). Like Peter, we also may have difficulty making the transfer today, for our thinking may still be under the influence of religious tradition.
那灵向彼得说话，
THE SPIRIT SPEAKING TO PETER
彼得往该撒利亚去
AND PETER GOING TO CAESAREA
21十章十七至三十三节叙述彼得往该撒20利亚哥尼流家的造访。十九、二十节说，『彼得还反覆思想那异象的时候，那灵对他说，看哪，有三个人来找你，起来，下去，和他们同往，不要疑惑，因为是我差他们来的。』这指明甚至在哥尼流悔改以前，他差遣三个人（徒十7～8）也是耶灵藉著他而有的行动和举动。在八章二十九节，那灵对腓利说话；在十章十九节这里，那灵对彼得说话。在埃提阿伯太监和哥尼流及其家人这两个事例中，先是使者说话，然后是那灵说话。
21In 10:17-33 we have the account of Peter’s visit to the house of Cornelius in Caesarea. Verses 19 and say, “And while Peter was pondering concerning the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are seeking you. But rise up and go down and go with them, doubting nothing, because I have sent them.” This indicates that Cornelius’ sending of the three men (vv. 7-8) was the Spirit’s move and act through him even before his conversion. In 8:29 the Spirit spoke to Philip, and here in 10:19 the Spirit spoke to Peter. In the cases both of the Ethiopian eunuch and of Cornelius and his household, first an angel spoke and then the Spirit spoke.
22彼得接待哥尼流差来的人，并留他们住下。『次日起身和他们同去，还有约帕的几位弟兄同著他去。』（徒十。）彼得在这次战略性的事例中，并没有单独行动，乃是根据基督身体的原则，和几位弟兄一同行动，使他们能作见证，神怎样对待外邦人，就是藉著彼得打破犹太的传统和习惯，将福音传给他们。（徒十一12。）二十四节说，『又次日，他们进入该撒利亚，哥尼流已经召齐了他的亲属密友，等候他们。』这里我们看见哥尼流豫备好接待彼得，听他所要说的话。为著这目的，哥尼流已经召齐了他的亲属密友。这里给我们传福音的好榜样。按照这榜样，我们应当打开家，邀请我们的亲属密友来听福音。在二十八节，彼得对那些聚集在哥尼流家里的人说，『你们知道犹太人和别族的人亲近来往，本是不合律例的，但神已经指示我，不要说任何人是凡俗或不洁的。』彼得这里的话指明，他终于明白，他在魂游象外时所见异象（徒十，17，19）的意义：大布里面的动物乃是指人。在下篇信息中，我们要看彼得对哥尼流家里的人所释放的信息。
22Peter received those sent by Cornelius and lodged them. “And on the next day he rose up and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him” (v. 23). Peter, in this strategic 23 case, did not act individualistically, but with some of the brothers in the principle of the Body of Christ so that they might witness what God would do with the Gentiles through the preaching of the gospel by his breaking the Jewish tradition and habit (11:12). Acts 10:24 says, “On the next day he entered into Caesarea; and Cornelius was awaiting them, having called together his relatives and intimate friends.” Here we see that Cornelius was prepared to receive Peter and hear what he had to say. For this purpose Cornelius had called together his relatives and intimate friends. Here we have a good pattern for our gospel preaching today. According to this pattern, we should open our homes and invite our relatives and intimate friends to hear the gospel. In 10:28 Peter said to those who were gathered together in the house of Cornelius, “You understand how unlawful it is for a man, a Jew, to associate with or to approach one of another race; and yet God has shown me not to call any man common or unclean.” Peter’sword here indicates that eventually he understood the significance of the vision he saw in the trance (vv. 11, 17, 19), that the animals in the 11 great sheet signified men. In the next message we shall consider the content of Peter’s message to those in the house of Cornelius.