Acts 10:1

Peter, Cornelius, and the Gentiles

1 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Company.

Acts 10:1 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 10:1

There was a certain man in Caesarea
This was the Caesarea formerly called Strato's tower, not Caesarea Philippi; for the former, and not the latter, lay near Joppa:

called Cornelius;
which was a Roman name, and he himself was a Roman or an Italian:

a centurion of the band called the Italian band;
which consisted of soldiers collected out of Italy, from whence the band took its name, in which Cornelius was a centurion, having a hundred men under him, as the name of his office signifies.

Acts 10:1 In-Context

1 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Company.

2 He and his whole household were pious, Gentile God-worshippers. He gave generously to those in need among the Jewish people and prayed to God constantly.

3 One day at nearly three o'clock in the afternoon, he clearly saw an angel from God in a vision. The angel came to him and said, "Cornelius!"

4 Startled, he stared at the angel and replied, "What is it, Lord?" The angel said, "Your prayers and your compassionate acts are like a memorial offering to God.

5 Send messengers to Joppa at once and summon a certain Simon, the one known as Peter.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or cohort (approximately six hundred soldiers)