Acts 10:3
in Acts 10One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Acts 10
Commentary
10 notes on this verse"He in a vision clearly saw about the ninth hour of the day an Angel of God, who came in to him." He sees an Angel to supplement Peter's faith. Or, rather, not for him, but for others, weaker in faith. "About the ninth hour …
This site's exposition
about the ninth hour
on Acts 10:3-4
One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God, the hour of afternoon prayer that Peter and John kept at the temple in 3:1. Cornelius, afraid, asks what the angel wants and hears that Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God. His devotion is heard, and in verse 43 he still receives forgiveness through Peter's message about Jesus.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"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." Why does he see the angel? This also was in order to the full assurance of Peter, or rather, not of him, but of the others, the weaker ones. "At the ninth hour," when he was released from his cares and was at quiet, when he was engaged in prayers and compunction.
They do not mention that both the Ethiopian and Cornelius held office, but that by their wealth and the influence surrounding them they were not hindered from living devoutly. This man therefore is not a Jew, nor under the laws, but already had anticipated our …
"He saw in a vision, evidently," etc. It was not in his sleep that the Angel appeared to him, but while he was awake, in the daytime, "about the ninth hour. He saw an Angel of God coming in unto him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid." So occupied was he with himself. Implying, that it was in consequence of the Angel's calling him by a voice that he saw him; as, had he not called him, he would not have seen him: so taken up was he with the act in which he was engaged.
The Medieval Church1 voice
He clearly saw in a vision at about the ninth hour of the day, etc. He rightly receives the oracle to seek baptism at the ninth hour because in the death of Him, who surrendered His spirit at the ninth hour, he was to be …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He saw in a vision evidently,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
saw . . . evidently--"distinctly." the ninth hour of the day--three o'clock, the hour of the evening sacrifice. But he had been "fasting until that hour" (Ac 10:30), perhaps from the sixth hour (Ac 10:9).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
He saw in a vision evidently - The text is as plain as it can be, that an angel of God did appear to Cornelius. This was in a vision, i.e. a supernatural representation; and it was φανερως, manifestly, evidently made; and at such a time too as precluded the possibility of his being asleep; for it was about the ninth hour of the day, answering to our three o’clock in the afternoon, (see note on Act 3:1 (note)), the time of public prayer, according to the custom of the Jews, and while Peter was engaged in that sacred duty. The angelic appearance to Cornelius was something similar to that made to Daniel, Dan 9:20-23, and that especially to Zachariah, the father of John Baptist, Luk 1:11, etc.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He saw in a vision - See the notes on Act 9:10. Evidently - Openly; manifestly. About the ninth hour - About 3 o’clock p. m. This was the usual hour of evening worship among the Jews. An angel of God - See the notes on Mat 1:20. Compare Heb 1:14. This angel was sent to signify to Cornelius that his alms were accepted by God as an evidence of his piety, and to direct him to send for Peter to instruct him in the way of salvation.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἶδεν | eiden | He saw | G1492 → | 374 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ὁράματι | horamati | a vision | G3705 → | 12 times |
| φανερῶς | phaneros | clearly | G5320 → | |
| ὡσεὶ | hosei | as if | G5616 → | 21 times |
| περὶ | peri | about | G4012 → | 332 times |
| ὥραν | horan | hour | G5610 → | 106 times |
| ἐνάτην | enaten | [the] ninth [hour] | G1766 → | 10 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| ἄγγελον | angelon | an angel | G32 → | 175 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| εἰσελθόντα | eiselthonta | having come | G1525 → | 194 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἰπόντα | eiponta | having said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| αὐτῷ· | auto | to him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| Κορνήλιε. | kornelie | Cornelius! | G2883 → | 8 times |
εἶδενHe saw
eidenG1492 →374 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ὁράματιa vision
horamatiG3705 →12 times
φανερῶςclearly
phanerosG5320 →
ὡσεὶas if
hoseiG5616 →21 times
περὶabout
periG4012 →332 times
ὥρανhour
horanG5610 →106 times
ἐνάτην[the] ninth [hour]
enatenG1766 →10 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἡμέραςday
hemerasG2250 →389 times
ἄγγελονan angel
angelonG32 →175 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
εἰσελθόνταhaving come
eiselthontaG1525 →194 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἰπόνταhaving said
eipontaG2036 →925 times
αὐτῷ·to him;
autoG846 →5565 times
Κορνήλιε.Cornelius!
kornelieG2883 →8 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
Acts 3:1One afternoon Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
it leads to
- Psalms 55:17
Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.
- Acts 4:13
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.
- Luke 1:10
And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
- Luke 24:53
praising God continually in the temple.
- Psalms 55:17
Through
Acts 5:19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
it leads to
- Acts 16:26
Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
- Psalms 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.
- Acts 12:7–11
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his…
- Acts 16:26
Through
Acts 10:19As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
it leads to
- Acts 8:29
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”
- Acts 8:29
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies7
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
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 Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 22; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.