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Acts 10

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Cornelius's Vision in Caesarea 1–8

1
Nowthere wasa certain man in Cæsarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, ​
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a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. ​
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He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.
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And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God. ​
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And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter:
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he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. ​
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And when the angel that spake unto him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
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and having rehearsed all things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

Peter's Vision of the Unclean Animals 9–16

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Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour: ​
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and he became hungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance; ​
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and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth:
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wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven.
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And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat.
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But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean. ​
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And a voice came unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. ​
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And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven.

Interpreting the Vision and Meeting Messengers 17–23

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Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate,
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and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, were lodging there.
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And while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. ​
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But arise, and get thee down, and go with them, nothing doubting: for I have sent them.
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And Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
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And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee.
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So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. ​

Peter Arrives at Cornelius's House 24–33

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And on the morrow they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends.
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And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. ​
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But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
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And as he talked with him, he went in, and findeth many come together:
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and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean: ​
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wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for. I ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me.
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And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel,
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and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
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Send therefore to Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side.
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Forthwith therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord.

Peter's Sermon to Cornelius 34–43

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And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: ​
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but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. ​
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The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)— ​
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that saying ye yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judæa, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
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even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. ​
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And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on a tree.
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Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest,
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not to all the people, but unto witnesses that were chosen before of God, even to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
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And he charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he who is ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.
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To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins. ​

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles 44–48

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While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word. ​
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And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. ​
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For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
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Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?
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And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Acts 10

Verse 1

called Cornelius, a centurion — Hekatontarches is a commander of a hundred men; speira, 'band', is the Roman cohort of Matt 27:27 and Acts 21:31. 'Italian' (Italikos) occurs only here in the New Testament. Cornelius lives at Caesarea, where Philip had come (Acts 8:40) and later made his home (21:8), and from where the messengers set out in v.8.

Verse 2

feared God with all his house — Eusebes, 'devout', is used in Acts only of Cornelius and his soldier (v.7) and of Ananias (22:12). He 'feared God' (phobeo) with his household, gave 'much alms' (eleemosyne), and prayed 'alway'. His messengers later call him 'a just man, and one that feareth God' (v.22), well spoken of among the Jews; yet salvation comes by the words Peter brings (11:14).

Verse 4

come up for a memorial — Mnemosynon, a memorial, occurs in the New Testament only here and of the woman who anointed Christ: 'a memorial of her' (Matt 26:13; Mark 14:9). 'Come up' is anabaino, the verb of Peter going up to pray in v.9. The angel repeats it in v.31: 'thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God'.

Verse 6

one Simon a tanner — Byrseus, a tanner, a worker of hides, occurs only three times in the New Testament, all of this host (Acts 9:43; 10:6, 32). Touching the carcase of a beast that dies made a person 'unclean until the even' (Lev 11:39), a law a tanner's work among hides brought close. Peter has already stayed 'many days' there (9:43). What 'thou oughtest to do' is told in 11:14.

Verse 9

went up upon the housetop to pray — The sixth hour is midday; the Psalmist prays 'at noon' (Ps 55:17), and Peter and John went to the temple 'at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour' (Acts 3:1). 'Went up' (anabaino) is the verb of the prayers that 'come up' in v.4. At the same hour Cornelius's men are nearing Joppa.

Verse 10

he fell into a trance — Prospeinos, 'very hungry', occurs only here. Ekstasis, 'trance', is a displacement of the mind; the KJV renders it 'amazement' in Acts 3:10 but 'trance' here, in 11:5 and in 22:17, where Paul prayed in the temple. The verb is epipipto: the trance 'fell upon' him, as the Spirit 'fell' on the hearers in v.44.

Verse 14

Not so, Lord — Medamos, 'by no means', is Peter's protest, yet he still says 'Lord'. 'Common' (koinos) and 'unclean' (akathartos) are the Law's categories: 'put difference between clean beasts and unclean' (Lev 20:25). Ezekiel had said, 'Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted' (Ezek 4:14); Daniel 'purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself' (Dan 1:8).

Verse 15

What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common — 'Cleansed' is katharizo, and 'common' is the verb koinoo, to make common. The voice speaks 'the second time', and the whole is done 'thrice' (v.16). Peter repeats the words in 11:9, and applies them to people in v.28: 'God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean'.

Verse 19

While Peter thought on the vision — Enthymeomai, to think on, occurs in the New Testament only here and Matt 1:20 and 9:4. While he is thinking, the Spirit says, 'Behold, three men seek thee', and in v.20 adds, 'doubting nothing: for I have sent them'. Peter recalls it: 'the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting' (11:12).

Verse 23

called he them in, and lodged them — Peter receives the Gentile messengers first. Eiskaleo, 'called in', occurs only here, and xenizo, 'lodged', is the verb used of Peter's own stay with Simon (vv.6, 18, 32). The 'certain brethren from Joppa' are the 'six brethren' of 11:12, called 'they of the circumcision which believed' in v.45.

Verse 25

fell down at his feet, and worshipped him — Proskuneo is homage or worship. Peter answers, 'Stand up; I myself also am a man' (v.26). The angel of Revelation refuses the same act: 'See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant' (Rev 19:10; 22:8–9). Christ, by contrast, received it when a leper 'worshipped him' (Matt 8:2).

Verse 28

an unlawful thing — Athemitos, not permitted, occurs only here and 1 Pet 4:3. 'Keep company' is kollao, to join or cleave to, and 'another nation' is allophylos, 'of another tribe', found only here in the New Testament. The same separation shows in 'the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans' (John 4:9). Peter's reason follows: 'God hath shewed me', in the vision of vv.14–15.

Verse 34

God is no respecter of persons — Prosopolemptes, 'accepter of a face', occurs only here in the New Testament. The Law says the LORD 'regardeth not persons' (Deut 10:17), as does 2 Chr 19:7, 'nor respect of persons', and Paul says it in Rom 2:11. 'Perceive' is katalambano, to lay hold of, to grasp. 'Opened his mouth' marks formal speech.

Verse 35

in every nation — 'Nation' is ethnos, the word rendered 'Gentiles' in v.45. 'Accepted' is dektos, the word of 'the acceptable year' (Luke 4:19). The man 'that feareth him, and worketh righteousness' describes Cornelius in vv.2 and 22. Acceptance does not replace the message: he is told to send for Peter, who 'shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved' (11:14).

Verse 36

preaching peace by Jesus Christ — Euangelizo eirene, 'preach peace', is the language of Isa 52:7, 'that publisheth peace', and of Paul: 'preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh' (Eph 2:17). 'Lord of all' is given as a parenthesis; Paul says 'the same Lord over all' (Rom 10:12). The word was 'sent unto the children of Israel' first.

Verse 38

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth — Chrio, to anoint, is the verb behind 'Christ' (anointed one); Jesus himself read Isa 61:1, 'he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor' (Luke 4:18). Euergeteo, 'doing good', occurs only here. Katadynasteuo, 'oppressed', occurs only here and James 2:6. Nicodemus had said the same: 'except God be with him' (John 3:2).

Verse 43

To him give all the prophets witness — The remission is 'through his name', of 'whosoever believeth in him'. The prophets promised it: 'I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more' (Jer 31:34); 'by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many' (Isa 53:11). Aphesis, 'remission', is the word of Peter at Pentecost, Acts 2:38.

Verse 44

the Holy Ghost fell on all them — Epipipto, 'fell on', is the verb of v.10, where the trance fell upon Peter. The Spirit comes while Peter is speaking, before baptism (v.47) and without laying on of hands; contrast Acts 8:16 and 19:6. Peter explains later: 'the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning' (11:15); God 'bare them witness' (15:8).

Verse 45

on the Gentiles also was poured out — Existemi, 'astonished', is the verb used of the hearers at Pentecost (Acts 2:7, 12). Ekcheo, 'poured out', is the verb of Joel's promise at Pentecost (2:17–18, 33), and dorea, 'gift', is the word of 2:38. The 'Gentiles' are the ethne, the nations of v.35.

Verse 48

baptized in the name of the Lord — The command follows Peter's question, 'Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized' (v.47). Prostasso is to command; the baptism is 'in the name of the Lord' (kyrios), as 'in the name of the Lord Jesus' in 8:16. They ask him 'to tarry certain days', and in 11:3 he is questioned: 'didst eat with them'.