Acts 10 2

Acts 10:2 kjv

A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

Acts 10:2 nkjv

a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.

Acts 10:2 niv

He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

Acts 10:2 esv

a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.

Acts 10:2 nlt

He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God.

Acts 10 verses

Acts 10 2 Meaning

Acts 10:2 describes Cornelius as a righteous man whose life was marked by deep piety and obedience to God. He feared God alongside his entire household, indicating a pervasive spirituality in his home. His devotion was further demonstrated through extensive charitable giving to those in need and a consistent commitment to prayer. These actions showcased a sincere pre-conversion spirituality, revealing a Gentile man attuned to God's presence and will.

Acts 10 2 Context

Acts chapter 10 marks a pivotal moment in early Christianity: the official opening of the Gospel to the Gentiles. Up until this point, the Church was primarily Jewish, with outreach efforts mainly directed towards Jews and Samaritan half-Jews. Peter, a prominent apostle, still adhered to Jewish dietary laws and cultural customs that restricted close interaction with Gentiles.

The context immediately preceding this verse is God preparing both Cornelius and Peter for this monumental shift. In the verses following Acts 10:2, Cornelius receives a vision instructing him to send for Peter. Concurrently, Peter receives a vision in Joppa where he is commanded to eat unclean animals, symbolically breaking down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles. These dual visions demonstrate God's clear intent to bring salvation to the non-Jewish world, with Cornelius being the divinely chosen firstfruits of this Gentile harvest. Acts 10:2, by detailing Cornelius's existing piety, shows God's initiative in reaching out to those already seeking Him, even if they lacked full knowledge of Christ. It sets the stage for demonstrating that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ, not simply through moral living, while also affirming that God recognizes and draws those who sincerely seek Him.

Acts 10 2 Word analysis

• A devout man (ἀνὴρ εὐσεβής - anēr eusebēs):

  • ἀνὴρ (anēr): man. Simple, indicating an adult male.
  • εὐσεβής (eusebēs): devout, pious, God-fearing, reverent. This word implies a proper attitude towards God, demonstrated through reverence, worship, and observance of religious duties. It goes beyond mere morality, suggesting an active spiritual life directed towards God. In classical Greek, it conveyed acting correctly towards gods or parents. Here, it refers to sincere, active worship of the one true God.

• and one that feared God (καὶ φοβούμενος τὸν θεόν - kai phoboumenos ton theon):

  • φοβούμενος (phoboumenos): present participle, fearing. From φοβέομαι (phobeomai), to fear, to reverence. This is a common biblical expression (phobos kyriou, "fear of the Lord" in the Septuagint and NT) for proper reverence, awe, and humble obedience to God. It's not a cowering dread, but a respectful awe that leads to moral uprightness and adherence to divine will.
  • τὸν θεόν (ton theon): the God. The definite article indicates a specific God, implying the one true God, Yahweh. This term often designates a "God-fearer," a recognized social category in the Hellenistic world, referring to Gentiles who had abandoned paganism, worshipped the God of Israel, observed some Jewish customs (like prayer and almsgiving), but had not fully converted (e.g., circumcision).

• with all his house (σὺν παντὶ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ - syn panti tō oikō autou):

  • σὺν (syn): with.
  • παντὶ (panti): all, whole, entire.
  • τῷ οἴκῳ (tō oikō): the house, household, family. This signifies that Cornelius's piety was not isolated but extended to and influenced his entire household – his family, servants, and retainers. This highlights his spiritual leadership and the pervasive nature of his devotion within his immediate sphere of influence, preparing the way for a corporate salvation experience.

• which gave much alms (ποιῶν ἐλεημοσύνας πολλὰς - poiōn eleēmosynas pollas):

  • ποιῶν (poiōn): present participle, doing, making, giving.
  • ἐλεημοσύνας (eleēmosynas): plural of ἐλεημοσύνη (eleēmosynē), alms, charitable deeds, acts of mercy. This emphasizes practical compassion and generosity towards the needy. Almsgiving was a central aspect of Jewish piety and righteous living. "Much" (πολλὰς) indicates significant and regular contributions, demonstrating his genuine concern for others.

• to the people (τῷ λαῷ - tō laō):

  • τῷ λαῷ (tō laō): the people. In this context, it likely refers to the Jewish people or the poor in the region, aligning with Jewish traditions of charity. It specifies the recipients of his generosity, affirming his integration, to some extent, within the broader community and adhering to local ethical norms regarding generosity.

• and prayed to God always (καὶ δεόμενος τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ παντός - kai deomenos tou theou dia pantos):

  • δεόμενος (deomenos): present participle, praying, entreating. From δέομαι (deomai), to pray, to beg.
  • τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou): of the God.
  • διὰ παντός (dia pantos): through all time, constantly, always, at all times. This highlights his habitual and consistent communication with God. It indicates a disciplined and fervent prayer life, reflecting a continuous reliance on and seeking of God. This continuous spiritual communication likely was a key factor in preparing him to receive the angelic revelation.

Acts 10 2 Bonus section

Cornelius was a centurion in the Italian Cohort, a unit of the Roman army. This detail is significant as it places him within the heart of the Roman administration and military, embodying Gentile authority and power. His piety as a Gentile Roman military officer, deeply steeped in a pagan system, further underscores the remarkable nature of his devotion and God's expansive plan to save people from every nation and walk of life. This narrative begins to dismantle deep-seated prejudices among the early Jewish believers, illustrating that God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34) and welcomes all who fear Him and do what is right, through Christ Jesus. His story prepares the church for its global mission, signaling a new era of inclusivity that would define Christianity.

Acts 10 2 Commentary

Acts 10:2 presents Cornelius not merely as a good person but as one remarkably open to God and committed to pious living, even without full knowledge of Jesus Christ. His description as "devout" and "fearing God" signifies a Gentile who had moved beyond pagan polytheism to worship the one true God of Israel. This status of a "God-fearer" was common in the Roman Empire, indicating Gentiles attracted to the ethical monotheism of Judaism but not fully converting, often due to rites like circumcision. Cornelius exemplified the best of this group.

The pervasiveness of his faith ("with all his house") indicates true spiritual leadership and a unified household committed to this devotion, laying groundwork for their collective salvation. His acts of charity ("much alms") and persistent prayer ("always") are concrete manifestations of his inner piety, demonstrating that his fear of God was not theoretical but practical and expressed through love for others and direct communion with God.

While Cornelius's actions were commendable and recognized by God, this verse powerfully shows that even such exemplary moral and religious sincerity did not suffice for salvation. He still needed to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, highlighting that salvation is by grace through faith, revealed and proclaimed, not simply earned by good works or ethical living. God's response to Cornelius's prayers and alms was not immediate salvation but a divine arrangement for him to receive the explicit message of Christ, confirming that God seeks those who seek Him and graciously draws them into the full light of the Gospel.