Acts 10:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.

NIV: He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

NASB: a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and made many charitable contributions to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.

CSB: He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God.

NLT: He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God.

KJV: A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

NKJV: a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.

Cornelius is a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea Maritima, the headquarters of Herod Agrippa I. His job is to protect the king and put down any Jewish rebellion that would threaten Rome's authority over the Jews. But he worships the Jewish God. He is not identified as a proselyte; proselyte men must be circumcised. They must also be recognized as Jews, as Ruth was (Ruth 1:16). Instead, Cornelius is described as a "God-fearer."

Emperor worship and the pantheon of capricious Roman gods left something to be desired for many Gentiles in the Roman Empire. Some gravitated to Judaism on the basis of reason and experience. However, Judaism's invisible God and esoteric practices also tempted people who were merely looking for something mystical. Grifters, like Elymas (Acts 13:4–12) and the Jewish sons of Sceva (Acts 19:11–20), used this spiritual hunger for their own gain. Some Romans became converts to Mithraism and some, like the centurion in Capernaum (Matthew 8:5–13) were drawn to Judaism.

Cornelius is not the first centurion to earn the respect of Jews for his giving nature (Acts 10:22). In Capernaum, Jewish elders came to Jesus on behalf of a centurion, asking that Jesus would heal the centurion's servant. They said, "He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue" (Luke 7:4–5). The centurion showed his faith in Jesus by assuming Jesus could heal at a distance (Luke 7:1–10).

Acts 10:1–8 introduces the first group of Gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit. Cornelius is a Roman military leader stationed in Caesarea Maritima, the coastal city that serves as the headquarters for Herod Agrippa I. Cornelius is a devout follower of the Jewish God, although probably not a full proselyte. While praying one day, an angel appears and tells him God has heard his prayers and appreciates his charity. He is to send for Peter in Joppa and hear what the apostle has to say. What follows is the opening of the gospel to all Gentiles.

Peter has been a dominant voice in the spread of Jesus' message to Jews and proselytes. Now he brings the gospel to Gentiles. An angel tells Cornelius, a centurion, to ask Peter to come to him. Peter is praying when he receives a vision of food—including non-kosher food—and God's voice telling him to eat. When the centurion's messengers arrive, Peter realizes the dream meant that Gentiles are no longer unclean. He follows the messengers and tells Cornelius' household about salvation through Jesus. Before Peter can lay his hands on them or baptize them, the Holy Spirit falls on them.

Jesus told the disciples they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Oddly, the disciples didn't understand this meant the Holy Spirit would come upon Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles alike. After several years reaching Jews and proselytes in Jerusalem (Acts 1—7) and Samaritans in Samaria (Acts 8:4–25), God calls Peter to bring the message to Gentiles. Peter's witness that Gentiles can be saved (Acts 11) clears the way for Paul's ministry to Gentiles in modern-day Turkey, Greece, and Italy (Acts 13—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.