Acts 10:3

3 He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in 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 Now [there was] a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian [band],

2 a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.

3 He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.

4 And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.

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