Acts 10:2-4

10:2 He ¹  was a devout, God-fearing man, ²  as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people ³  and prayed to God regularly. 10:3 About three o’clock one afternoon ⁴  he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God ⁵  who came in ⁶  and said to him, “Cornelius.” 10:4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius ⁷  replied, ⁸  “What is it, Lord?” The angel ⁹  said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity ¹⁰  have gone up as a memorial ¹¹  before God.

Acts 10:34-35

10:34 Then Peter started speaking: ¹²  “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, ¹³  10:35 but in every nation ¹⁴  the person who fears him ¹⁵  and does what is right ¹⁶  is welcomed before him.

[10:2]  ¹ tn In the Greek text this represents a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[10:2]  ² sn The description of Cornelius as a devout, God-fearing man probably means that he belonged to the category called “God-fearers,” Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 43-44, and Sir 11:17; 27:11; 39:27.

[10:2]  ³ tn Or “gave many gifts to the poor.” This was known as “giving alms,” or acts of mercy (Sir 7:10; BDAG 315-16 s.v. ἐλεημοσύνη).

[10:3]  ⁴ tn Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.

[10:3]  ⁵ tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[10:3]  ⁶ tn The participles εἰσελθόντα (eiselqonta) and εἰπόντα (eiponta) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον (angelon): “an angel who came in and said.”

[10:4]  ⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ⁸ tn Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.

[10:4]  ⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ¹⁰ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:4]  ¹¹ sn The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices (Ps 141:2; Sir 35:6; 50:16).

[10:34]  ¹² tn Grk “Opening his mouth Peter said” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:34]  ¹³ tn Grk “God is not one who is a respecter of persons,” that is, “God is not one to show partiality” (cf. BDAG 887 s.v. προσωπολήμπτης). L&N 88.239 translates this verse “I realize that God does not show favoritism (in dealing with people).” The underlying Hebrew idiom includes the personal element (“respecter of persons”) so the phrase “in dealing with people” is included in the present translation. It fits very well with the following context and serves to emphasize the relational component of God’s lack of partiality. The latter is a major theme in the NT: Rom 2:11; Eph 2:11-22; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1; 1 Pet 1:17. This was the lesson of Peter’s vision.

[10:35]  ¹⁴ sn See Luke 24:47.

[10:35]  ¹⁵ tn Or “shows reverence for him.”

[10:35]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “works righteousness”; the translation “does what is right” for this phrase in this verse is given by L&N 25.85.