19 Peter, lost in thought, didn't hear them, so the Spirit whispered to him, "Three men are knocking at the door looking for you. 20 Get down there and go with them. Don't ask any questions. I sent them to get you." 21 Peter went down and said to the men, "I think I'm the man you're looking for. What's up?" 22 They said, "Captain Cornelius, a God-fearing man well-known for his fair play - ask any Jew in this part of the country - was commanded by a holy angel to get you and bring you to his house so he could hear what you had to say." 23 Peter invited them in and made them feel at home. 24 A day later they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had his relatives and close friends waiting with him. 25 The minute Peter came through the door, Cornelius was up on his feet greeting him - and then down on his face worshiping him! 26 Peter pulled him up and said, "None of that - I'm a man and only a man, no different from you." 27 Talking things over, they went on into the house, where Cornelius introduced Peter to everyone who had come. 28 Peter addressed them, "You know, I'm sure that this is highly irregular. Jews just don't do this - visit and relax with people of another race. But God has just shown me that no race is better than any other. 29 So the minute I was sent for, I came, no questions asked. But now I'd like to know why you sent for me." 30 Cornelius said, "Four days ago at about this time, midafternoon, I was home praying. Suddenly there was a man right in front of me, flooding the room with light. 31 He said, 'Cornelius, your daily prayers and neighborly acts have brought you to God's attention. 32 I want you to send to Joppa to get Simon, the one they call Peter. He's staying with Simon the Tanner down by the sea.' 33 "So I did it - I sent for you. And you've been good enough to come. And now we're all here in God's presence, ready to listen to whatever the Master put in your heart to tell us."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 10:19-33
Commentary on Acts 10:19-33
(Read Acts 10:19-33)
When we see our call clear to any service, we should not be perplexed with doubts and scruples arising from prejudices or former ideas. Cornelius had called together his friends, to partake with him of the heavenly wisdom he expected from Peter. We should not covet to eat our spiritual morsels alone. It ought to be both given and taken as kindness and respect to our kindred and friends, to invite them to join us in religious exercises. Cornelius declared the direction God gave him to send for Peter. We are right in our aims in attending a gospel ministry, when we do it with regard to the Divine appointment requiring us to make use of that ordinance. How seldom ministers are called to speak to such companies, however small, in which it may be said that they are all present in the sight of God, to hear all things that are commanded of God! But these were ready to hear what Peter was commanded of God to say.