19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision , the Spirit said to him, "Behold , three men are looking for you. 20 "But get up, go downstairs and accompany e them without misgivings , for I have sent them Myself ." 21 Peter went down to the men and said , "Behold , I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come ?" 22 They said , "Cornelius , a centurion , a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews , was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you." 23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging . And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 On the following day he entered Caesarea . Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends . 25 When Peter entered , Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying , " Stand up; I too am just a man ." 27 As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled . 28 And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean . 29 "That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me." 30 Cornelius said , " Four days ago to this hour , I was praying in my house during the ninth hour ; and behold , a man stood before me in shining garments , 31 and he said , 'Cornelius , your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God . 32 'Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon , who is also called Peter , to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea .' 33 "So I sent for you immediately , and you have been kind enough to come . Now then , we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord ."
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.