11. He saw heaven open up. There he saw something that looked like a large sheet. It was being let down to earth by its four corners.
12. It had all kinds of four-footed animals in it. It also had reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.
13. Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14. "No, Lord! I will not!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything that is not pure and 'clean.' "
15. The voice spoke to him a second time. "Do not say anything is not pure that God has made 'clean,' " it said.
16. This happened three times. Right away the sheet was taken back up to heaven.
17. Peter was wondering what the vision meant. At that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon's house. They stopped at the gate
18. and called out. They asked if Simon Peter was staying there.
19. Peter was still thinking about the vision. The Holy Spirit spoke to him. "Simon," he said, "three men are looking for you.
20. Get up and go downstairs. Don't let anything keep you from going with them. I have sent them."