From Every Nation Tongue and Tribe: Those who believe will be accepted:

     

     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.”

     To the Jews these words spoken by Peter were a new revelation they had not yet heard. Concerning uncircumcised Gentiles now allowed in the presence of their company and God's as well.  This was a call to fulfill God's plan in saving the known world and spreading a new and vibrant life in Jesus Christ.  Those Gentiles having heard the message of Christ were now a people in grafted into the new and forming Church.  Peter brought the initial word of acceptance  to those of the house of Cornelius and at the same time one Saul of Tarsus a devout Jew and a member of the Pharisees persecuted "The Way" seeking letters from the Priests to haul them away and imprison them and or kill them.  He was stopped dead in his tracks on his way to Damascus and blinded by a great light, Jesus, who confronted him and told him it was he who Saul was persecuting, i,e the new Christians Jesus now made known they were his people and part of himself. Simultaneously Saul, now renamed Paul was sent to the Gentiles as a missionary. He preached Christ crucified and risen and  converted those who would hear in what would be a fantastic ministry to the known world.  Jews and Gentiles and all nations who would accept Christ as Savior would be included in Salvation and knowledge of Jewish history.
     The promise was to those "near and afar off" and as many  who would confess Jesus as Lord.  Who could have seen that one who was murderous and zealous for "God" (actually what had become a religious system and empty of life) would instead be turned a three-sixty and used by the one true God to change the world!  
                       " There is neither Jew nor Greek nor slave or free" but all are one in Christ Jesus.