Acts 10:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

NIV: As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.

NASB: When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

CSB: When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him.

NLT: As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him.

KJV: And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

NKJV: As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

Peter has arrived at the home of Cornelius, an Italian centurion who faithfully worships the Jewish God. An angel has told Cornelius that Peter has something to tell him. Peter doesn't know what, yet, but he has obediently come to see what the Gentile commander needs. Peter certainly didn't expect a Roman military leader to suddenly fall at his feet in worship.

It is a difficult thing to be a Christian church leader. The culture often doesn't like what you stand for, church members sometimes don't like how you stand for it, and your family can get caught in the middle. It's not uncommon to watch pastors chase admiration and approval instead of guiding their people into truth. Approval is not only a rest from the constant struggle, it builds up a leader's confidence—and ego. Jesus promised the disciples the world would hate and persecute them (John 15:18–25). Many of us would understand had Peter wanted to bask in this moment.

But he doesn't. He knows that worship is for God, alone, and he's not God. Later, Barnabas and Paul will barely avoid people from Lystra sacrificing to them as embodiments of Zeus and Hermes. They will tear their clothes and beg the people to stop (Acts 14:8–18). Decades later, the apostle John will mistakenly fall at the feet of an angel. The angel will respond, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God." (Revelation 19:10).

It's important to remember that only God—not our pastors, our elders, TV personalities, authors, politicians, or even ourselves—deserves our worship.

Acts 10:24–33 describes the onset of the last step of Jesus' command for the disciples: to share His story in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Upon an angel's prompting, a Roman centurion named Cornelius has sent for Peter. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit has been teaching Peter that Gentiles are no longer unclean (Acts 10:1–23). Peter will go to Cornelius and bear witness of Jesus. Everyone in earshot will believe Peter and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:34–48). The way will be open for Paul's ministry in Syria, modern-day Asia Minor, Macedonia, Greece, and Italy.

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.