12 Bible Verses about Centurion

After Jesus had entered Capernaum, a Captain in the Roman army came up to him, entreating his help. "Sir," he said, "my manservant is lying ill at my house with a stroke of paralysis, and is suffering terribly." "I will come and cure him," answered Jesus.read more.
"Sir," the Captain went on, "I am unworthy to receive you under my roof; but only speak, and my manservant will be cured. For I myself am a man under the orders of others, with soldiers under me; and, if I say to one of them 'Go,' he goes, and to another 'Come,' he comes, and to my slave 'Do this,' he does it."

A Captain in the Roman army had a slave whom he valued, and who was seriously ill--almost at the point of death. And, hearing about Jesus, he sent some Jewish Councillors to him, with the request that he would come and save his slave's life. When they found Jesus, they earnestly implored him to do so. "He is a man who deserves that you should show him this favor," they said,read more.
"For he is devoted to our nation, and himself built our Synagogue for us." So Jesus went with them. But, when he was no great distance from the house, the Captain sent some friends with the message-- "Do not trouble yourself, Sir; for I am unworthy to receive you under my roof. That was why I did not even venture to come to you myself; but speak, and let my manservant be cured. For I myself am a man under the orders of others, with soldiers under me; and if I say to one of them 'Go,' he goes, and to another 'Come,' he comes, and to my slave 'Do this,' he does it."

The Roman Captain, and the men with him who were watching Jesus, on seeing the earthquake and all that was happening, became greatly frightened and exclaimed: "This must indeed have been God's Son!"

The Roman Officer, who was standing facing Jesus, on seeing the way in which he expired, exclaimed: "This man must indeed have been 'God's Son'!"

The Roman Captain, on seeing what had happened, praised God, exclaiming: "This must have been a good man!"

But Pilate was surprised to hear that he had already died. So he sent for the Officer, and asked if he were already dead; And, on learning from the Officer that it was so, he gave the corpse to Joseph.

There was then in Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a Captain in the regiment known as the 'Italian Regiment,' A religious man and one who reverenced God, with all his household. He was liberal in his charities to the people, and prayed to God constantly. One afternoon, about three o'clock, he distinctly saw in a vision an angel from God come to him, and call him by name.read more.
Cornelius fixed his eyes on him and, in great alarm, said: "What is it, Lord?" "Your prayers and your charities," the angel answered, "have been an acceptable offering to God. And now, send messengers to Jaffa and fetch a man called Simon, who is also known as Peter. He is lodging with a tanner named Simon, who has a house near the sea." When the angel, who had spoken to him, had gone, Cornelius called two menservants and a religious soldier, who was one of his constant attendants, And, after telling them the whole story, sent them to Jaffa. On the next day, while these men were on their way, just as they were nearing the town, Peter went up on the housetop about mid-day to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat; but while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance, And saw that the heavens were open, and that something like a great sail was descending, let down by its four corners towards the earth. In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles, and birds. Then he was aware of a voice which said-- "Stand up, Peter, kill something, and eat." "No, Lord, I cannot," answered Peter, "for I have never eaten anything 'defiled' and 'unclean'." Again he was aware of a voice which said-- "What God has pronounced 'clean', do not regard as 'defiled'." This happened three times, and then suddenly it was all taken up into the heavens. While Peter was still perplexed as to the meaning of the vision that he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius, having enquired the way to Simon's house, came up to the gate, And called out and asked if the Simon, who was also known as Peter, was lodging there. Peter was still pondering over the vision, when the Spirit said to him: "There are two men looking for you at this moment. Go down at once and do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them." Peter went down to the men and said: "I am the man for whom you are looking. What is your reason for coming?" The men replied: "Our captain, Cornelius, a pious man who reverences God and is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, has been instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to listen to what you have to say." Upon this Peter invited them in and entertained them. The next day he lost no time in setting out with them, accompanied by some of the Brethren from Jaffa; And the day following he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them, and had invited his relations and intimate friends to meet them. So, when Peter entered the city, Cornelius met him, and, throwing himself at Peter's feet, bowed to the ground. Peter, however, lifted him up, saying as he did so: "Stand up, I am only a man like yourself." Talking with him as he went, Peter entered the house, where he found a large gathering of people, to whom he said: "You are doubtless aware that it is forbidden for a Jew to be intimate with a foreigner, or even to enter his house; and yet God has shown me that I ought not to call any man 'defiled' or 'unclean.' That was why I came, when I was sent for, without raising any objection. And now I ask your reason for sending for me." "Just three days ago this very hour," Cornelius said, "I was in my house, saying the Afternoon Prayers, when a man in dazzling clothing suddenly stood before me. 'Cornelius,' he said, 'your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been accepted, by God. Therefore send to Jaffa, and invite the Simon, who is also known as Peter, to come here. He is lodging in the house of Simon the tanner, near the sea.' Accordingly I sent to you at once, and you have been so good as to come. And now we are all here in the presence of God, to listen to all that you have been instructed by the Lord to say." Then Peter began. "I see, beyond all doubt," he said, "that 'God does not show partiality,' But that in every nation he who reverences him and does what is right is acceptable to him. God has sent his Message to the Israelites and told them, through Jesus Christ, the Good News of peace--and Jesus is Lord of all! You yourselves know the story which spread through all Judea, how, beginning form Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed-- The story, I mean, of Jesus of Nazareth, and how God consecrated him his Christ by enduing him with the Holy Spirit and with power; and how he went about doing good and curing all who were under the power of the Devil, because God was with him. We are ourselves, too, witnesses to all that he did in Judea and in Jerusalem; yet they put him to death by hanging him on a cross! This Jesus God raised on the third day, and enabled him to appear, Not indeed to every one, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God--to us, who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead. Further, God charged us to proclaim to the people, and solemnly affirm, that it is Jesus who has been appointed by God Judge of the living and the dead. To him it is that all the Prophets bear witness, when they say that every one who believes in him receives through his Name forgiveness of sins." Before Peter had finished saying these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the Message. Those converts from Judaism, who had come with Peter, were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed even upon the Gentiles; For they heard them speaking with 'tongues' and extolling God. At this Peter asked: "Can any one refuse the water for the baptism of these people, now that they have received the Holy Spirit as we did ourselves?" And he directed that they should be baptized in the Faith of Jesus Christ; after which they asked him to stay there a few days longer.

The Apostles and the Brethren throughout Judea heard that even the Gentiles had welcomed God's Message. But, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who were converts from Judaism began to attack him, On the ground that he had visited people who were not circumcised, and had taken meals with them.read more.
So Peter began to relate the facts to them as they had occurred. "I was in the town of Jaffa," he said, "and was praying; and, while in a trance, I saw a vision. There was something like a great sail descending, let down by its four corners out of the heavens; and it came right down to me. Looking intently at it, I began to distinguish quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds; And I also heard a voice saying to me-- 'Stand up, Peter, kill something and eat.' 'No, Lord, I cannot,' I answered, 'for nothing 'defiled' or 'unclean' has ever passed my lips.' Then a second time there came a voice from the heavens. "What God has pronounced 'clean'," it said, "you must not call 'defiled'." This happened three times, and then all was drawn up again into the heavens. At that moment three men, who had been sent from Caesarea to see me, came up to the house in which we were. The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitation. These six Brothers also went with me. And, when we came into the man's house, He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and how the angel had said to him--'Send to Jaffa and fetch the Simon, who is also known as Peter; For he will tell you truths, which will prove the means of Salvation to you and all your household.' I had but just begun to speak," continued Peter, "when the Holy Spirit fell on them, exactly as on us at the first; And I recalled the saying of the Master-- 'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' Since then, God had given them the very same gift as he gave us when we became believers in Jesus Christ the Master--who was I that I could thwart God?" On hearing this statement, they said no more, but broke out into praise of God. "So even to the Gentiles," they exclaimed, "God has granted the repentance which leads to Life!"

But just as they had tied him up to be scourged, Paul said to the Captain standing near: "Is it legal for you to scourge a Roman citizen, unconvicted?" On hearing this, the Captain went and reported it to the Commanding Officer. "Do you know what you are doing?" he said. "This man is a Roman citizen."

Paul called one of the Captains of the garrison and asked him to take the lad to the Commanding Officer, as he had something to tell him. The Captain went with the lad to the Commanding Officer, and said: "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this lad to you, as he has something to tell you."

So he gave orders to the Captain in charge of Paul to keep him in custody, but to relax the regulations, and not to prevent any of his personal friends from attending to his wants.

As it was decided that we were to sail to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were put in charge of a Captain of the Augustan Guard, named Julius.