^10:1Now there was a man in Caesarea¹ named Cornelius, a centurion² of what was known as the Italian Cohort.³^10:2He⁴ was a devout, God-fearing man,⁵ as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people⁶ and prayed to God regularly. ^10:3About three o’clock one afternoon⁷ he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God⁸ who came in⁹ and said to him, “Cornelius.” ^10:4Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius¹⁰ replied,¹¹ “What is it, Lord?” The angel¹² said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity¹³ have gone up as a memorial¹⁴ before God. ^10:5Now¹⁵ send men to Joppa¹⁶ and summon a man named Simon,¹⁷ who is called Peter. ^10:6This man is staying as a guest with a man named Simon, a tanner,¹⁸ whose house is by the sea.” ^10:7When the angel who had spoken to him departed, Cornelius¹⁹ called two of his personal servants²⁰ and a devout soldier from among those who served him,²¹^10:8and when he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

1 Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). It was known as “Caesarea by the sea” ( Καισάρεια 2). Largely Gentile, it was a center of Roman administration and the location of many of Herod the Great’s building projects (Josephus, 15.9.6 [15.331–341]). For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
2 A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.
3 A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion ( σπεῖρα). The Italian Cohort has been identified as cohors II Italica which is known to have been stationed in Syria in a.d. 88.
4 In the Greek text this represents a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.
5 The description of Cornelius as a devout, God-fearing man probably means that he belonged to the category called “God-fearers,” Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, 6:732–34, 43–44, and Sir 11:17; 27:11; 39:27.
6 Or “gave many gifts to the poor.” This was known as “giving alms,” or acts of mercy (Sir 7:10; ἐλεημοσύνη).
7 Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.
8 Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” , ; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324–35.
9 The participles εἰσελθόντα (eiselthonta) and εἰπόντα (eiponta) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον (angelon): “an angel who came in and said.”
10 Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.
12 Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 Or “your gifts to the needy.”
14 The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices (Ps 141:2; Sir 35:6; 50:16).
15 Grk “And now.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
16 Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa.
17 Grk “a certain Simon.”
18 Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). βυρσεύς regards it as a surname. See also .
19 Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20 Or “domestic servants.” The Greek word here is οἰκέτης (oiketēs), which technically refers to a member of the household, but usually means a household servant (slave) or personal servant rather than a field laborer.
21 The meaning of the genitive participle προσκαρτερούντων (proskarterountōn) could either be “a soldier from the ranks of those who served him” (referring to his entire command) or “a soldier from among his personal staff” (referring to a group of soldiers who were his personal attendants). The translation “from among those who served him” is general enough to cover either possibility.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 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, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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

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 before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

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. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment. 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. About three in the afternoon he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, “Cornelius.”

Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?”

The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

When the angel who spoke to him had gone, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, who was one of those who attended him. After explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

NLTNew Living Translation

In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”

As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now there was a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort, devout and fearing God together with all his household, doing many charitable deeds for the people and praying to God continually. About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him and became terrified and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your charitable deeds have gone up for a memorial offering before God. And now, send men to Joppa and summon a certain Simon, who is also called Peter. This man is staying as a guest with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” And when the angel who spoke to him departed, he summoned two of the household slaves and a devout soldier from those who attended him, and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

KJV 1900King James Version

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

Public Domain