Acts 10:26
in Acts 10But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
KJV
But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
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This verse in Acts 10
Commentary
12 notes on this verseI myself also am a man - “I am not an angel; I am come to you simply, on the part of God, to deliver to you the doctrine of eternal life.”
This site's exposition
fell at his feet
on Acts 10:25-27
Cornelius fell at Peter's feet to worship him, but Peter refuses the honor and says he is only a man. Paul and Barnabas refuse worship at Lystra in 14:14 to 15, and the angel in Revelation 19:10 refuses John.
This site's exposition
I am only a man myself
Albert Barnes, following Doddridge, doubts that Cornelius meant religious worship and reads Peter as declining honor too great for any man. Matthew Henry notes that Christ's faithful servants could bear insult better than being treated as divine. Ammonius sees Peter making himself a Gentile's equal.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"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.
[Peter] does not permit [Cornelius] to throw himself at his feet with bent knee; accustomed to giving gifts freely, he prevents a gesture of respect. Hence you, a new world, raise your head, you who had been struck down by the tooth of your ancient …
A commentator
Ammonius of AlexandriaCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.26-27 · Written before 300.
proposed
If such a man as Peter did not allow him to kneel down before him but rather made himself an equal of Cornelius, and he said these things to one who was still a Gentile, what must we say about all other people?
The Medieval Church2 voices
"But Peter raised him up, saying: stand up; I too am a man." By this he instructs the others as well and offers thanksgiving to God, showing his humility. Look: before everything else he teaches them not to think highly of themselves at all.
Peter, however, lifted him up, saying: Stand up; I too am a man. For the holiness of action has deserved the equality of communion. For in the fault of Ananias and Sapphira, the crime revealed the right of authority's vengeance.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
9 ), and in like manner the apostle to Cornelius. How careful was Paul that no man should think of him above what he saw in him! Christ's faithful servants could better bear to be vilified than to be deified.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
But Peter took him up,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Stand up ... - This does not imply that Peter supposed that Cornelius intended to do him religious reverence. It was practically saying to him, “I am nothing more than a man as thou art, and pretend to no right to such profound respects as these, but am ready in civil life to show thee all the respect that is due” (Doddridge).
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | But | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| Πέτρος | petros | Peter | G4074 → | 155 times |
| ἤγειρεν | egeiren | lifted up | G1453 → | 142 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| λέγων· | legon | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἀνάστηθι· | anastethi | do rise up; | G450 → | 107 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| αὐτὸς | autos | myself | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἄνθρωπός | anthropos | a man | G444 → | 549 times |
| εἰμι. | eimi | am. | G1510 → | 2333 times |
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲBut
deG1161 →2765 times
ΠέτροςPeter
petrosG4074 →155 times
ἤγειρενlifted up
egeirenG1453 →142 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
λέγων·saying;
legonG3004 →1325 times
ἀνάστηθι·do rise up;
anastethiG450 →107 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
αὐτὸςmyself
autosG846 →5565 times
ἄνθρωπόςa man
anthroposG444 →549 times
εἰμι.am.
eimiG1510 →2333 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
Matthew 4:10“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 6:13–14
Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
- Deuteronomy 10:20
You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.
- Joshua 24:14
Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
- Luke 4:8
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
- 1 Samuel 7:3
Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts…
- Deuteronomy 6:13–14
Through
Isaiah 42:8I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.
it leads to
- Exodus 34:14
For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 48:11
For My own sake, My very own sake, I will act; for how can I let Myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another.
- Isaiah 43:11
I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior but Me.
- Exodus 34:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
On this chapter
About Acts
This page draws on 11 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); Ammonius of Alexandria, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.26-27; Arator, ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1; 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.