Acts 10:3

3 At about three in the afternoon^[a] he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said 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 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment.

2 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.

3 At about three in the afternoon he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, "Cornelius!"

4 Looking intently at him, he became afraid and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he told him, "Your prayers and your acts of charity have come up as a memorial offering before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit about the ninth hour