What does Acts 10:3 mean?

A Roman centurion named Cornelius is stationed in the regional capital, Caesarea Maritima. His job is to keep peace and order among the mix of Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles in Samaria and Judea. This is not an easy task; the Jews resent Roman occupation and the occasional sacrilegious acts that the Roman leaders impose on their temple. But Cornelius not only generously gives charitable donations to the people, he worships the Jewish God. His heart has made him the perfect candidate to be the first head of a Gentile household to receive the Holy Spirit.

The ninth hour is 3 pm. This is one of the traditional times that the Jews pray (Acts 3:1). A vision is an experience someone has with God while they are awake. It seems today that God does not typically give visions to those who have ready access to His Word, meaning the Bible. People in cultures that do not have Bibles, like Muslims, seem more frequently to experience visions which lead them to Christ.

Cornelius prays continually, which roughly means throughout the day. He is perhaps like the persistent widow of Jesus' parable (Luke 18:1–8), constantly pleading his case at God's court for recognition. God honors his request. In the vision, Cornelius will hear the angel direct him to send for Peter. Peter will tell Cornelius and his household about the saving work of Jesus. They will immediately complete the intended transition from devout God-seekers to Jesus-followers, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham that the nations will be blessed through him (Genesis 12:3).