Acts 10 25

Acts 10:25 kjv

And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

Acts 10:25 nkjv

As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

Acts 10:25 niv

As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.

Acts 10:25 esv

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

Acts 10:25 nlt

As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him.

Acts 10 verses

Acts 10 25 Meaning

As Peter entered the house, Cornelius, overwhelmed with reverence and expectation, met him with a profound gesture of obeisance, prostrating himself at Peter's feet and offering what Peter perceived as worship due only to God. This immediate action highlights Cornelius's humility and fervent piety, yet simultaneously underscores a critical theological boundary: true worship is reserved for God alone, and even apostles are but men.

Acts 10 25 Context

Acts chapter 10 marks a pivotal moment in early Christian history: the initial evangelization of Gentiles and their inclusion into the people of God without first converting to Judaism. Before this verse, God prepares both Cornelius, a Roman Centurion in Caesarea, and Peter, a Jewish apostle, for this encounter. Cornelius, a devout and God-fearing man, had a vision of an angel instructing him to send for Peter. Concurrently, Peter had a vision of a sheet containing all kinds of clean and unclean animals, with a voice telling him to eat, thereby breaking down traditional dietary laws and, by extension, the social barriers between Jews and Gentiles. Peter then travels from Joppa to Caesarea at the request of Cornelius's men. This verse, Acts 10:25, captures the moment Peter arrives at Cornelius's house, immediately before the momentous interaction and Peter's subsequent sermon and the Holy Spirit's outpouring on the Gentiles. Cornelius’s eager reception is framed by his earlier divine encounter, fueling his extreme reverence for Peter, whom he perceived as a divine messenger.

Acts 10 25 Word analysis

• When Peter was coming in (Ὡς δὲ ἐγένετο εἰσελθεῖν τὸν Πέτρον, Hōs de egeneto eiselthein ton Petron):

  • Ὡς (Hōs): "As, when, just as." Implies immediate action upon arrival.
  • δὲ (de): "But, and, moreover." A conjunction indicating sequence or slight contrast.
  • ἐγένετο εἰσελθεῖν (egeneto eiselthein): "it came to pass to enter." An impersonal construction highlighting the event's occurrence.
  • τὸν Πέτρον (ton Petron): "Peter." Peter, the prominent apostle, now crossing a significant cultural and theological boundary. His very presence in a Gentile home was extraordinary for a devout Jew. This was an active choice prompted by divine instruction, not social custom.

• Cornelius met him (συναντήσας αὐτῷ ὁ Κορνήλιος, synantēsas autō ho Kornēlios):

  • συναντήσας (synantēsas): Aorist participle from synantaō, "to meet, to encounter, to happen upon." It implies that Cornelius actively went out to meet Peter, possibly even rushing to greet him at the threshold, indicating great anticipation and eagerness. This highlights his respectful initiative.
  • αὐτῷ (autō): "him." Referring to Peter.
  • ὁ Κορνήλιος (ho Kornēlios): "Cornelius." The Gentile centurion, known as a devout man (Acts 10:2, 22), now displaying profound humility.

• and fell down at his feet (πεσὼν ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας, pesōn epi tous podas):

  • πεσὼν (pesōn): Aorist participle from piptō, "to fall down, to prostrate oneself." This gesture signifies deep humility, submission, or supplication. It's used in various contexts in the Bible: people falling at Jesus' feet in petition (Mk 5:22), soldiers falling to the ground when confronting Jesus (Jn 18:6), and John falling before angels (Rev 19:10, 22:8). The original context is crucial; it does not always denote worship but often profound reverence.
  • ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας (epi tous podas): "at the feet." A specific and potent form of prostration.

• and worshipped him (προσεκύνησεν, prosekynēsen):

  • προσεκύνησεν (prosekynēsen): Aorist indicative from proskyneō, "to worship, to bow down, to do obeisance, to adore." This is the pivotal word. While proskyneō can sometimes mean mere reverence or homage to a human (e.g., Joseph's brothers bowing to him in Gen 42:6 LXX), in many New Testament contexts, particularly when associated with "falling down," it carries the weight of religious worship appropriate for deity. Peter's immediate reaction in the next verse (Acts 10:26) clearly demonstrates that he interpreted Cornelius's action as falling into the category of divine worship, which is exclusively reserved for God. This action of Cornelius stands as a polemic against any deification of human beings, which was common in Roman culture (e.g., emperor worship), firmly re-establishing that the God of Abraham is the sole object of worship.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "When Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him": This phrase captures the immediate, eagerly anticipated moment of encounter. Cornelius's proactive meeting highlights his earnestness, preparedness, and perhaps an awareness of Peter's divinely ordained role as messenger. It shows an expectant readiness from the Gentile host, having gathered his family and friends.
• "and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him": This combined action describes an extraordinary level of reverence. Cornelius's spiritual fervor and anticipation, combined with Roman cultural inclinations toward respecting authority figures with grand gestures, likely led him to this extreme display. While intended as a gesture of profound respect for a perceived divine messenger, Peter's subsequent rebuke indicates it crossed a critical theological line into worship exclusively reserved for God. This emphasizes the vital boundary between honoring spiritual authority and the exclusive adoration due to the Creator.

Acts 10 25 Bonus section

The episode in Acts 10:25-26 serves as a critical boundary marker against human veneration within the church, applicable across all ages. It distinctly contrasts the reverence due to God with the respect given to fellow human beings, regardless of their spiritual stature or authority. The quick response from Peter ('Stand up; I too am a man!') underlines the absolute singularity of God's right to proskyneō (worship/profound adoration). This immediate correction from Peter resonates with similar rebukes given by angels in Revelation (19:10; 22:9), solidifying a consistent biblical teaching against the worship of any created being. It also underscores a vital lesson in leadership: true spiritual authority redirects all glory to God and refuses any form of deification from followers, fostering humility in leadership and preventing spiritual dependency on humans rather than God. This incident prevents the potential development of cults of personality around apostles or spiritual leaders.

Acts 10 25 Commentary

Acts 10:25 presents a dramatic intersection of cultural respect and theological truth. Cornelius, a man of sincere faith and piety, approaches Peter with an overwhelming sense of reverence, understandable given his prior angelic vision and the perceived divine mission of Peter. His action of falling at Peter's feet and "worshipping" (Greek proskyneō) him, while culturally signifying deep respect or honor, immediately triggered Peter's apostolic understanding of proper divine worship. Peter, deeply rooted in the monotheistic Jewish tradition, instantly recognized the impropriety of accepting such a gesture, as human beings, even prophets and apostles, are not to be worshipped. This encounter serves as a foundational lesson that while we can respect and honor those in spiritual authority, the unique act of worship, adoration, and ultimate submission belongs solely to God. This principle stands against any form of human idolatry or the deification of charismatic figures, reinforcing the singularity of God as the object of our devotion. The scene sets the stage for Peter to articulate this truth explicitly in the very next verse, emphasizing the humility of God's chosen instruments.