Acts 10:4
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
What is it, Lord?--language which, tremulously though it was uttered, betokened childlike reverence and humility. Thy prayers and thine alms--The way in which both are specified is emphatic. The one denotes the spiritual outgoing of his soul to God, the other its practical outgoing to men. are come up for a memorial before God--that is, as a sacrifice well-pleasing unto God, as an odor of a sweet smell (Rev 8:4).
Open source ↗It is a turn very new and remarkable which the story of this chapter gives to the Acts of the apostles; hitherto, both at Jerusalem and every where else where the ministers of Christ came, they preached the gospel only to the Jews, or those Greeks that were circumcised and proselyted to the Jews' religion; but now, "Lo, we turn to the Gentiles;" and to them the door of faith is here opened: good news indeed to us sinners of the Gentiles. The apostle Peter is the man that is first employed to admit uncircumcised Gentiles into the Christian church; and Cornelius, a Roman centurion or colonel, is the first that with his family and friends is so admitted. Now here we are told, I. How Cornelius was directed by a vision to send for Peter, and did send for him accordingly (Act 10:1-8). II. How Peter was directed by a vision to go to Cornelius, though he was a Gentile, without making any scruple of it, and did go accordingly (Act 10:9-23). III. The happy interview between Peter and Cornelius at Cesarea (Act 10:24-33). IV. The sermon Peter preached in the house of Cornelius to him and to his friends (Act 10:34-43). V. The baptizing of Cornelius and his friends with the Holy Ghost first, and then with water (Act 10:44-48).
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.
At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD and honored His name.
May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering.
And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel.
And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
I have all I need and more, now that I have received your gifts from Epaphroditus. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man who is highly precious. Consider carefully the words that I am about to say to you. Stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had said this to me, I stood up trembling.
Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”