Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Acts » Chapter 10 » Verse 1-33

Acts 10:1-33 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 G1161 There was G2258 a certain G5100 man G435 in G1722 Caesarea G2542 called G3686 Cornelius, G2883 a centurion G1543 of G1537 the band G4686 called G2564 the Italian G2483 band,

2 A devout G2152 man, and G2532 one that feared G5399 God G2316 with G4862 all G3956 his G846 house, G3624 which G5037 gave G4160 much G4183 alms G1654 to the people, G2992 and G2532 prayed G1189 to God G2316 alway. G1275

3 He saw G1492 in G1722 a vision G3705 evidently G5320 about G5616 the ninth G1766 hour G5610 of the day G2250 an angel G32 of God G2316 coming in G1525 to G4314 him, G846 and G2532 saying G2036 unto him, G846 Cornelius. G2883

4 And G1161 when he looked G816 on him, G846 he was G1096 afraid, G1719 and G2532 said, G2036 What G5101 is it, G2076 Lord? G2962 And G1161 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Thy G4675 prayers G4335 and G2532 thine G4675 alms G1654 are come up G305 for G1519 a memorial G3422 before G1799 God. G2316

5 And G2532 now G3568 send G3992 men G435 to G1519 Joppa, G2445 and G2532 call for G3343 one Simon, G4613 whose G3739 surname is G1941 Peter: G4074

6 He G3778 lodgeth G3579 with G3844 one G5100 Simon G4613 a tanner, G1038 whose G3739 house G3614 is G2076 by G3844 the sea side: G2281 he G3778 shall tell G2980 thee G4671 what G5101 thou G4571 oughtest G1163 to do. G4160

7 And G1161 when G5613 the angel G32 which G3588 spake G2980 unto Cornelius G2883 was departed, G565 he called G5455 two G1417 of his G846 household servants, G3610 and G2532 a devout G2152 soldier G4757 of them that waited on G4342 him G846 continually; G4342

8 And G2532 when he had declared G1834 all these things G537 unto them, G846 he sent G649 them G846 to G1519 Joppa. G2445

9 G1161 On the morrow, G1887 as they G1565 went on their journey, G3596 and G2532 drew nigh G1448 unto the city, G4172 Peter G4074 went up G305 upon G1909 the housetop G1430 to pray G4336 about G4012 the sixth G1623 hour: G5610

10 And G1161 he became G1096 very hungry, G4361 and G2532 would G2309 have eaten: G1089 but G1161 while they G1565 made ready, G3903 he G846 fell G1968 into G1909 a trance, G1611

11 And G2532 saw G2334 heaven G3772 opened, G455 and G2532 a certain G5100 vessel G4632 descending G2597 unto G1909 him, G846 as G5613 it had been a great G3173 sheet G3607 knit G1210 at the four G5064 corners, G746 and G2532 let down G2524 to G1909 the earth: G1093

12 Wherein G1722 G3739 were G5225 all manner G3956 of fourfooted beasts G5074 of the earth, G1093 and G2532 wild beasts, G2342 and G2532 creeping things, G2062 and G2532 fowls G4071 of the air. G3772

13 And G2532 there came G1096 a voice G5456 to G4314 him, G846 Rise, G450 Peter; G4074 kill, G2380 and G2532 eat. G5315

14 But G1161 Peter G4074 said, G2036 Not so, G3365 Lord; G2962 for G3754 I have G5315 never G3763 eaten G5315 any thing G3956 that is common G2839 or G2228 unclean. G169

15 And G2532 the voice G5456 spake unto G4314 him G846 again G3825 G1537 the second time, G1208 What G3739 God G2316 hath cleansed, G2511 that call G2840 not G3361 thou G4771 common. G2840

16 G1161 This G5124 was done G1096 thrice: G1909 G5151 and G2532 the vessel G4632 was received up G353 again G3825 into G1519 heaven. G3772

17 Now G1161 while G5613 Peter G4074 doubted G1280 in G1722 himself G1438 what G5101 this vision G3705 which G3739 he had seen G1492 should mean, G302 G1498 behold, G2400 G2532 the men G435 which G3588 were sent G649 from G575 Cornelius G2883 had made enquiry G1331 for Simon's G4613 house, G3614 and stood G2186 before G1909 the gate, G4440

18 And G2532 called, G5455 and asked G4441 whether G1487 Simon, G4613 which G3588 was surnamed G1941 Peter, G4074 were lodged G3579 there. G1759

19 While G1161 Peter G4074 thought G1760 on G4012 the vision, G3705 the Spirit G4151 said G2036 unto him, G846 Behold, G2400 three G5140 men G435 seek G2212 thee. G4571

20 Arise G450 therefore, G235 and get thee down, G2597 and G2532 go G4198 with G4862 them, G846 doubting G1252 nothing: G3367 for G1360 I G1473 have sent G649 them. G846

21 Then G1161 Peter G4074 went down G2597 to G4314 the men G435 which G3588 were sent G649 unto G4314 him G846 from G575 Cornelius; G2883 and said, G2036 Behold, G2400 I G1473 am G1510 he whom G3739 ye seek: G2212 what G5101 is the cause G156 wherefore G1223 G3739 ye are come? G3918

22 And G1161 they said, G2036 Cornelius G2883 the centurion, G1543 a just G1342 man, G435 and G2532 one that feareth G5399 God, G2316 and G5037 of good report G3140 among G5259 all G3650 the nation G1484 of the Jews, G2453 was warned from God G5537 by G5259 an holy G40 angel G32 to send G3343 for thee G4571 into G1519 his G846 house, G3624 and G2532 to hear G191 words G4487 of G3844 thee. G4675

23 Then G3767 called he G1528 them G846 in, G1528 and lodged G3579 them. And G1161 on the morrow G1887 Peter G4074 went away G1831 with G4862 them, G846 and G2532 certain G5100 brethren G80 from G575 Joppa G2445 accompanied G4905 him. G846

24 And G2532 the morrow G1887 after they entered G1525 into G1519 Caesarea. G2542 And G1161 Cornelius G2883 waited for G4328 them, G846 G2258 and had called together G4779 his G846 kinsmen G4773 and G2532 near G316 friends. G5384

25 And G1161 as G5613 Peter G4074 was G1096 coming in, G1525 Cornelius G2883 met G4876 him, G846 and fell down G4098 at G1909 his feet, G4228 and worshipped G4352 him.

26 But G1161 Peter G4074 took G1453 him G846 up, G1453 saying, G3004 Stand up; G450 I G2504 myself G846 also G2504 am G1510 a man. G444

27 And G2532 as he talked G4926 with him, G846 he went in, G1525 and G2532 found G2147 many G4183 that were come together. G4905

28 And G5037 he said G5346 unto G4314 them, G846 Ye G5210 know G1987 how G5613 that it is G2076 an unlawful thing G111 for a man G435 that is a Jew G2453 to keep company, G2853 or G2228 come unto G4334 one of another nation; G246 but G2532 God G2316 hath shewed G1166 me G1698 that I should not G3367 call G3004 any G3367 man G444 common G2839 or G2228 unclean. G169

29 Therefore G1352 G2532 came I G2064 unto you without gainsaying, G369 as soon as I was sent for: G3343 I ask G4441 therefore G3767 for what G5101 intent G3056 ye have sent for G3343 me? G3165

30 And G2532 Cornelius G2883 said, G5346 Four G5067 days G2250 ago G575 I was G2252 fasting G3522 until G3360 this G5026 hour; G5610 and G2532 at the ninth G1766 hour G5610 I prayed G4336 in G1722 my G3450 house, G3624 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a man G435 stood G2476 before G1799 me G3450 in G1722 bright G2986 clothing, G2066

31 And G2532 said, G5346 Cornelius, G2883 thy G4675 prayer G4335 is heard, G1522 and G2532 thine G4675 alms G1654 are had in remembrance G3415 in the sight G1799 of God. G2316

32 Send G3992 therefore G3767 to G1519 Joppa, G2445 and G2532 call hither G3333 Simon, G4613 whose G3739 surname is G1941 Peter; G4074 he G3778 is lodged G3579 in G1722 the house G3614 of one Simon G4613 a tanner G1038 by G3844 the sea side: G2281 who, G3739 when he cometh, G3854 shall speak G2980 unto thee. G4671

33 Immediately G1824 therefore G3767 I sent G3992 to G4314 thee; G4571 and G5037 thou G4771 hast well G2573 done G4160 that thou art come. G3854 Now G3568 therefore G3767 are G3918 we G2249 all G3956 here present G3918 before G1799 God, G2316 to hear G191 all things G3956 that are commanded G4367 thee G4671 of G5259 God. G2316

Commentary on Acts 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 10

Ac 10:1-48. Accession and Baptism of Cornelius and His Party; or, The First-fruits of the Gentiles.

We here enter on an entirely new phase of the Christian Church, the "opening of the door of faith to the Gentiles"; in other words, the recognition of Gentile, on terms of perfect equality with Jewish, discipleship without the necessity of circumcision. Some beginnings appear to have been already made in this direction (see on Ac 11:20, 21); and Saul probably acted on this principle from the first, both in Arabia and in Syria and Cilicia. But had he been the prime mover in the admission of uncircumcised Gentiles into the Church, the Jewish party, who were never friendly to him, would have acquired such strength as to bring the Church to the verge of a disastrous schism. But on Peter, "the apostle" specially "of the circumcision," was conferred the honor of initiating this great movement, as before of the first admission of Jewish believers. (See on Mt 16:19). After this, however, one who had already come upon the stage was to eclipse this "chiefest of the apostles."

1, 2. Cæsarea—(See on Ac 8:40).

the Italian band—a cohort of Italians, as distinguished from native soldiers, quartered at Cæsarea, probably as a bodyguard to the Roman procurator who resided there. An ancient coin makes express mention of such a cohort in Syria. [Akerman, Numismatic Illustrations of the New Testament.]

2. A devout man, &c.—an uncircumcised Gentile proselyte to the Jewish faith, of whom there were a very great number at this time; a distinguished proselyte, who had brought his whole household establishment under the hallowing influence of the Jewish faith and the regular observance of its principal seasons of worship.

gave much alms to the people—that is, the Jewish people, on the same principle as another centurion before him (Lu 7:5); thinking it no "great thing," if they had "sown unto him spiritual things, that they should reap his carnal things" (1Co 9:11).

prayed to God alway—at the stated daily seasons. (See on Ac 10:3).

3-6. saw … evidently—"distinctly."

the ninth hour of the day—three o'clock, the hour of the evening sacrifice. But he had been "fasting until that hour" (Ac 10:30), perhaps from the sixth hour (Ac 10:9).

4. What is it, Lord?—language which, tremulously though it was uttered, betokened childlike reverence and humility.

Thy prayers and thine alms—The way in which both are specified is emphatic. The one denotes the spiritual outgoing of his soul to God, the other its practical outgoing to men.

are come up for a memorial before God—that is, as a sacrifice well-pleasing unto God, as an odor of a sweet smell (Re 8:4).

5. send to Joppa … for one Simon, &c.—(See on Ac 9:11).

7, 8. when the angel … was departed, he called—immediately doing as directed, and thereby showing the simplicity of his faith.

a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually—of the "soldiers under him," such as the centurion at Capernaum had (Mt 8:9). Who this "devout soldier" was, can only be matter of conjecture. Da Costa [Four Witnesses] gives a number of ingenious reasons for thinking that, having attached himself henceforth to Peter—whose influence in the composition of the second Gospel is attested by the earliest tradition, and is stamped on that Gospel itself—he is no other than the Evangelist Mark.

9-16. upon the housetop—the flat roof, the chosen place in the East for cool retirement.

the sixth hour—noon.

10. a trance—differing from the "vision" of Cornelius, in so far as the things seen had not the same objective reality, though both were supernatural.

12. all manner of four-footed beasts, &c.—that is, the clean and the unclean (ceremonially) all mixed together.

14. Not so, Lord—See Marginal reference.

I have never eaten anything that is common—that is, not sanctified by divine permission to eat of it, and so "unclean." "The distinction of meats was a sacrament of national distinction, separation, and consecration" [Webster and Wilkinson].

15. What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common—The ceremonial distinctions are at an end, and Gentiles, ceremonially separated from the chosen people (Ac 10:28), and debarred from that access to God in the visible ordinances of His Church which they enjoyed, are now on a perfect equality with them.

16. done thrice—See Ge 41:32.

17-24. while Peter doubted … what this should mean, behold, the three men … stood before the gate … and asked—"were inquiring," that is, in the act of doing so. The preparations here made—of Peter for his Gentile visitors, as of Cornelius for him—are devoutly to be noted. But besides this, at the same moment, "the Spirit" expressly informs him that three men were inquiring for him, and bids him unhesitatingly go with them, as sent by Him.

21. I am he whom ye seek—This seems to have been said without any communication being made to Peter regarding the men or their errand.

22. they said, Cornelius … a just man, &c.—fine testimony this from his own servants.

of good report among all the nation of the Jews—specified, no doubt, to conciliate the favorable regard of the Jewish apostle.

to hear words of thee—(See on Ac 11:14).

23. called them in and lodged them—thus partially anticipating this fellowship with Gentiles.

Peter went … with them, and certain brethren—six in number (Ac 11:12).

from Joppa—as witnesses of a transaction which Peter was prepared to believe pregnant with great consequences.

24. Cornelius … called together his kinsmen and near friends—implying that he had been long enough at Cæsarea to form relationships there and that he had intimate friends there whose presence he was not ashamed to invite to a religious meeting of the most solemn nature.

25-29. as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him—a mark of the highest respect.

fell down at his feet, and worshipped him—In the East this way of showing respect was customary not only to kings, but to others occupying a superior station; but among the Greeks and Romans it was reserved for the gods. Peter, therefore, declines it as due to no mortal [Grotius]. "Those who claim to have succeeded Peter, have not imitated this part of his conduct" [Alford] (therein only verifying 2Th 2:4, and compare Re 19:10; 22:9).

28. Ye know it is … unlawful … for … a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation, &c.—There was no express prohibition to this effect, and to a Certain extent intercourse was certainly kept up. (See the Gospel history, towards the end). But intimate social fellowship was not practiced, as being adverse to the spirit of the law.

29. I ask therefore, &c.—The whole speech is full of dignity, the apostle seeing in the company before him a new brotherhood, into whose devout and inquiring minds he was divinely directed to pour the light of new truth.

30-33. Four days ago—the messengers being despatched on the first; on the second reaching Joppa (Ac 10:9); starting for Cæsarea on the third; and on the fourth arriving.

33. we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God—Beautiful expression of entire preparedness to receive the expected divine teaching through the lips of this heaven-commissioned teacher, and delightful encouragement to Peter to give free utterance to what was doubtless already on his lips!

34, 35. Peter opened his mouth—(See on Mt 5:2).

Of a truth I perceive—that is, "I have it now demonstrated before mine eyes."

that God is no respecter of persons—Not, "I see there is no capricious favoritism with God," for Peter would never imagine such a thing; but (as the next clause shows), "I see that God has respect only to personal character and state in the acceptance of men, national and ecclesiastical distinctions being of no account."

35. But in every nation—not (observe), in every religion; according to a common distortion of these words.

he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness—This being the well-known phraseology of the Old Testament in describing the truly godly man, within the pale of revealed religion, it cannot be alleged that Peter meant it to denote a merely virtuous character, in the heathen sense; and as Peter had learned enough, from the messengers of Cornelius and from his own lips, to convince him that the whole religious character of this Roman officer had been moulded in the Jewish faith, there can be no doubt that the apostle intended to describe exactly such saintship—in its internal spirituality and external fruitfulness—as God had already pronounced to be genuine and approved. And since to such "He giveth more grace," according to the law of His Kingdom (Jas 4:6; Mt 25:29), He sends Peter, not to be the instrument of his conversion, as this is very frequently called, but simply to "show him the way of God more perfectly," as before to the devout Ethiopian eunuch.

36-38. the word … sent unto the children of Israel—for to them (he would have them distinctly know) the Gospel was first preached, even as the facts of it took place on the special theater of the ancient economy.

preaching peace by Jesus Christ—the glorious sum of all Gospel truth (1Co 1:20-22).

he is Lord of all—exalted to embrace under the canopy of His peace, Jew and Gentile alike, whom the blood of His Cross had cemented into one reconciled and accepted family of God (Eph 2:13-18).

37. That word … ye how—The facts, it seems, were too notorious and extraordinary to be unknown to those who mixed so much with Jews, and took so tender an interest in all Jewish matters as they did; though, like the eunuch, they knew not the significance of them.

which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee—(See Lu 4:14, 37, 44; 7:17; 9:6; 23:5).

after the baptism which John preached—(See on Ac 1:22).

38. Now God anointed Jesus of Nazareth—rather, "Jesus of Nazareth (as the burden of that 'published word'), how God anointed Him."

with the Holy Ghost and with power—that is, at His baptism, thus visibly proclaiming Him Messiah, "the Lord's Christ." See Lu 4:18-21. For it is not His unction for personal holiness at His incarnation that is referred to—as many of the Fathers and some moderns take it—but His investiture with the insignia of the Messianic office, in which He presented Himself after His baptism to the acceptance of the people.

went about doing good—holding up the beneficent character of all His miracles, which was their predicted character (Isa 35:5, 6, &c.).

healing all that were oppressed of the devil—whether in the form of demoniacal possessions, or more indirectly, as in her "whom Satan had bound with a spirit of infirmity eighteen years" (Lu 13:16); thereby showing Himself the Redeemer from all evil.

for God was with him—Thus gently does the apostle rise to the supreme dignity of Christ with which he closes, accommodating himself to his hearers.

39-43. we are witnesses of all … he did—not objects of superstitious reverence, but simply witnesses to the great historical facts on which the Gospel is founded.

slew and hanged—that is, slew by hanging.

on a tree—So Ac 5:30 (and see on Ga 3:13).

40-41. showed him openly; Not to all the people—for it was not fitting that He should subject Himself, in His risen condition, to a second rejection in Person.

but unto witnesses chosen before of God … to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose, &c.—Not the less certain, therefore, was the fact of His resurrection, though withholding Himself from general gaze in His risen body.

he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead—He had before proclaimed Him "Lord of all," for the dispensing of "peace" to all alike; now he announces Him in the same supreme lordship, for the exercise of judgment upon all alike. On this divine ordination, see Joh 5:22, 23, 27; Ac 17:31. Thus we have here all Gospel truth in brief. But, forgiveness through this exalted One is the closing note of Peter's beautifully simple discourse.

43. To him give all the prophets witness—that is, This is the burden, generally of the prophetic testimony. It was fitter thus to give the spirit of their testimony, than to quote them in detail on such an occasion. But let this apostolic statement of the evangelical import of the Old Testament writings be devoutly weighed by those who are disposed to rationalize away this element in the Old Testament.

whosoever believeth in him—This was evidently said with special reference to the Gentile audience then before him, and formed a noble practical conclusion to the whole discourse.

44, 45. While Peter yet spake … the Holy Ghost fell—by visible and audible manifestation (Ac 10:46).

45. they of the circumcision … were astonished … because that on the Gentiles also was poured out, &c.—without circumcision.

46. heard them speak with tongues and magnify God—As on the day of Pentecost it was no empty miracle, no mere speaking of foreign languages, but utterance of "the wonderful works of God" in tongues to them unknown (Ac 2:11), so here; but more remarkable in this case, as the speakers were perhaps less familiar with the Old Testament songs of praise.

46-48. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water … which have received the Holy Ghost, &c.—Mark, he does not say, They have received the Spirit, what need have they for water? but, Having the living discipleship imparted to them and visibly stamped upon them, what objection can there be to admitting them, by the seal of baptism, into the full fellowship of the Church?

47. which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we—and are thus, in all that is essential to salvation, on a level with ourselves.

48. he commanded them to be baptized—not doing it with his own hands, as neither did Paul, save on rare occasions (1Co 1:14-17; compare Ac 2:38; Joh 4:2).

prayed … him to tarry certain days—"golden days" [Bengel], spent, doubtless, in refreshing Christian fellowship, and in imparting and receiving fuller teaching on the several topics of the apostle's discourse.