CORNELIUS, A CENTURION

Passage: Acts 10:1-8

Key verse: 4b

NIV

Cornelius Calls for Peter

10 At Caesarea(A) there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing;(B) he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon(C) he had a vision.(D) He distinctly saw an angel(E) of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering(F) before God.(G) 5 Now send men to Joppa(H) to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner,(I) whose house is by the sea.”

7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.(J)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Peter and Cornelius

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of (A)what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man (B)who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 (C)About the ninth hour of the day[a] (D)he saw clearly in a vision (E)an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms (F)have ascended (G)as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging (H)with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

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Footnotes
  1. Acts 10:3 That is, 3 p.m.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Devout and God fearing (1-2) To be a centurion in the Italian regiment would usually mean that one's loyalty would be to Rome alone and one would be regarded as an enemy and oppressor of Israel. However, Cornelius was different. He was devout and God-fearing; he both gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. This tells us he sincerely sought God but had not yet found peace or an answer to his inner sin. 2. Bring back a man called Peter (3-8) God heard Cornelius' prayer and sent an angel to tell him to find Peter who was in nearby Joppa and staying with Simon the Tanner. God wanted Cornelius to meet the man who could lead him to Jesus. Cornelius was obedient to God; he also had a trusting relationship with his two servants and a devout soldier, who went to find Peter.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that there are sincere and spiritually hungry people like Cornelius. Help me always be ready to share Jesus with them.

One Word: Everyone needs Jesus