Acts 10:2

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.

Acts 10:2 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 10:2

A devout man
A truly religious person, who had forsaken the Roman idolatry and superstition, in which he was brought up:

and one that feared God:
the one only living and true God, the God of Israel; he had the fear of God wrought in his heart, which is a part of the covenant of grace, a blessing of it, and the beginning of wisdom; he was truly a gracious man, a converted person, and who from an internal principle worshipped God externally:

with all his house;
he brought up his family in a religious way, as every good man should; and which was very remarkable in a Gentile, a soldier, and an officer:

which gave much alms to the people;
to the Jews that dwelt at Caesarea, and therefore was of good report among them, and much beloved by them, ( Acts 10:22 ) he had regard to both tables of the law, both to the worship of God, and the love of the neighbour: and prayed to God always; every day, at the usual times of prayer; prayed privately in his closet, and with his family, as well as attended public service of this kind.

Acts 10:2 In-Context

1 There was a certain man in Cesarea, called Cornelius, 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 evidently, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying to him, Cornelius.

4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Thy prayers and thy alms are come up for a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for [one] Simon, whose surname is Peter: