Acts 10:3

3 -- saw plainly in a vision, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.

Acts 10:3 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 10:3

He saw in a vision evidently
He was not in a dream, or in a trance, but he was thoroughly awake, and his eyes open, and was himself; it was not in the night, but in clear day:

about the ninth hour of the day;
or three o'clock in the afternoon, which was the hour of prayer, ( Acts 3:1 ) in which exercise he was now engaged, ( Acts 10:30 ) at this time he saw

an angel of God coming to him;
into the room where he was at prayer:

and saying unto him, Cornelius;
he called him by his name, to let him know that he knew him, as angels are very knowing spirits; and to express his affection and friendship to him, and that he was a messenger, not of bad, but of good news to him; as well as to engage his attention to him; for he might be so intent at his devotion, that had he not called him by name, he would not have minded him.

Acts 10:3 In-Context

1 But a certain man in Caesarea, -- by name Cornelius, a centurion of the band called Italic,

2 pious, and fearing God with all his house, [both] giving much alms to the people, and supplicating God continually,

3 -- saw plainly in a vision, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.

4 But he, having fixed his eyes upon him, and become full of fear, said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Thy prayers and thine alms have gone up for a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa and fetch Simon, who is surnamed Peter.