Acts 10:25
in Acts 10As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
KJV
And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
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This verse in Acts 10
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Fell down at his feet - This was an act of profound regard for him as an ambassador of God. In Oriential countries it was usual for persons to prostrate themselves at length on the ground before men of rank and honor. “Worshipped him” This does not mean religious homage, but civil respect - the homage, or profound regard which was due to one in honor. See the notes on Mat 2:2.
This site's exposition
fell down at his feet, and worshipped him
on Acts 10:25-27
Cornelius falls at Peter's feet and worships him, an act that may reflect Roman deference to a man he believed carried divine authority rather than settled theology about who Peter was. Peter's refusal, stand up, I myself also am a man, is one of the clearest statements in the book against venerating any messenger in place of the God who sent him, a line the church has returned to whenever reverence for a teacher threatens to slide into something owed to God alone. He goes in and finds many that were come together, Cornelius's household and friends already assembled and waiting, the audience for the sermon Peter is about to preach.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him." This, both to teach the others, and by way of giving thanks to God, and showing his own humility: thereby making it plain, that though he had been commanded, yet in himself he had great piety. What then did Peter? "But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man." Do you mark how, before all else the Apostles teach them this lesson, not to think great things of them? Mark how on every side it is shown how worthy he is! So the Eunuch there desired Philip to come up and sit in the chariot, although not knowing who he was, upon no other introduction than that given by the Prophet. But here Cornelius fell at his feet. "Stand up, I myself also am a man." Observe how free from adulation his speech is on all occasions, and how full of humility.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And it happened that when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshiped him. By his bodily gesture, Cornelius showed what he had inwardly in his heart of devotion. For the listener met his teacher, who receives the word of faith with …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But the worshipping of his pretended successor, who is not only a man, but a sinful man, the man of sin himself, is altogether inexcusable, and such an absurdity as would be incredible if we were not told before that all the world would worship the beast, Rev. xiii. Peter's modest and indeed just and pious refusal of this honour that was done him (
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And as Peter was coming in,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him--a mark of the highest respect. fell down at his feet, and worshipped him--In the East this way of showing respect was customary not only to kings, but to others occupying a superior station; but among the Greeks and Romans it was reserved for the gods.
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1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Fell down at his feet, and worshipped him - As Peter’s coming was announced by an angel, Cornelius might have supposed that Peter himself was an angel, and of a superior order; seeing he came to announce what the first angel was not employed to declare: it was, probably, in consequence of this thought that he prostrated himself before Peter, offering him the highest act of civil respect; for there was nothing in the act, as performed by Cornelius, which belonged to the worship of the true God. Prostrations to superiors were common in all Asiatic countries. The Codex Bezae, and the later Syriac in the margin reads this verse differently from all other MSS. and versions; thus, But as Peter drew nigh to Caesarea, one of the servants ran before, and told that he was come: then Cornelius leaped up, and met him, and, falling at his feet, he worshipped him. This is a very remarkable addition, and relates circumstances that we may naturally suppose did actually take place.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐγένετο | egeneto | was | G1096 → | 667 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἰσελθεῖν | eiselthein | entering | G1525 → | 194 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Πέτρον, | petron | Peter, | G4074 → | 155 times |
| συναντήσας | sunantesas | having met | G4876 → | |
| αὐτῷ | auto | with him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Κορνήλιος | kornelios | Cornelius | G2883 → | 8 times |
| πεσὼν | peson | having fallen | G4098 → | 90 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | at | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόδας | podas | feet | G4228 → | 93 times |
| προσεκύνησεν. | prosekunesen | worshiped [him]. | G4352 → | 60 times |
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐγένετοwas
egenetoG1096 →667 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
εἰσελθεῖνentering
eiseltheinG1525 →194 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
Πέτρον,Peter,
petronG4074 →155 times
συναντήσαςhaving met
sunantesasG4876 →
αὐτῷwith him
autoG846 →5565 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΚορνήλιοςCornelius
korneliosG2883 →8 times
πεσὼνhaving fallen
pesonG4098 →90 times
ἐπὶat
epiG1909 →883 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
πόδαςfeet
podasG4228 →93 times
προσεκύνησεν.worshiped [him].
prosekunesenG4352 →60 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 19:10So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus.…
it leads to
- Acts 10:25–26
As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.
- Revelation 22:8–9
And I am John, who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these…
- John 5:39
You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,
- Hebrews 1:14
Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
- Exodus 34:14
For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
- Acts 10:25–26
Through
Matthew 8:2Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
it leads to
- Mark 1:40–45
Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
- Matthew 15:25
The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
- Luke 17:12–19
As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance
- Mark 1:40–45
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies7
By subject
Worship35 verses
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 23; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.