Acts 10:30

Four days ago (ἀπὸ τετάρτης ἡμέρας) Lit., from the fourth day; reckoning backward from the day on which he was speaking. I was fasting, and The best texts omit. At the ninth hour I prayed (τὴν ἐννάτην προσευχόμενος) Lit., praying during the ninth hour. With the omission of I was fasting, and, the rendering is as Rev., Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer.

Acts 10:30-33 . And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting — The first of these days he had the vision; the second, his messengers came to Joppa; on the third, Peter set out; and on the fourth, came to Cesarea; until this hour — Cornelius does not intend to declare by this how long he had fasted; but he tells him when he, being fasting, saw the vision, which was four days before, at the same hour of the day. And at the ninth hour — An hour of solemn prayer, being the time of offering the evening sacrifice, see Acts 3:1 . I prayed, and behold a man stood before me — A man in appearance, but an angel in reality, as in Acts 10:3 ; in bright clothing — Such as Christ’s was, when he was transfigured; and that of the two angels, who appeared at his resurrection, Luke 24:4 ; and at his ascension, Acts 1:10 ; showing their relation to the world of light. And said, Thy prayer is heard — Doubtless he had been praying for instruction how to worship and serve God in the most acceptable manner; and thy alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God — Who looks not merely on the outward gift, but on the inward affection from which it proceeds, and the intention with which it is offered. Send, therefore, to Joppa, &c. — See note on Acts 10:4-6 . Immediately, therefore, I sent — As I was directed; and thou hast well done that thou art come — To us, though we are Gentiles.

Observe, faithful ministers do well in going to those that are willing and desirous to receive instruction from them. Now, therefore, are we all here present before God — The language this of every truly Christian congregation; to hear all things that are commanded thee of God — To know and do whatsoever he shall require of us. In this spirit ought every one that would profit by the word of God, to attend upon it.

Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; Cornelius does not intend to declare by this how long he had fasted; but he tells him when he, being fasting, saw the vision, which was four days before, at the same time of the day. The ninth hour, which was a time of prayer, it being the time of offering the evening sacrifice: see Acts 3:1 . A man, in appearance, but an angel indeed, as in Acts 10:3 . In bright clothing; why angels appeared in bright or white raiment, see Acts 1:10 .

Acts 10:30 . Ἀπὸ , from ) from the beginning of the day, which, counting backwards, is the fourth day, up to the present day and this hour of the day.— τετάρτης , fourth ) The first day (counting backwards, the fourth) was the day of the vision and of sending the messengers: the second, was the day of the arrival of the messengers: the third, the day of the setting out of Peter: the fourth, the day of his arrival at Cornelius’ house [ Acts 10:3 ; Acts 10:9 ; Acts 10:23-24 ].— ἤμην νηστεύων , I was fasting ) It is not meant that he fasted for four days, but on the fourth day, counting backwards. [These acts were praiseworthy; yet Cornelius recounts them with humble simplicity.—V. g.— τὴν ἐννάτην ὥραν , the ninth hour ) Cornelius may have imitated the Israelites in this respect: ch. Acts 3:1 , “Peter and John went up—into the temple at the hour of prayer , being the ninth hour.”—V. g.]

And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until {m} this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, (m) He does not mean the very hour at the present time (as it was nine o'clock when he spoke to Peter), but the like, that is, about nine o'clock the other day.

Verse 30. - Until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer for I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour I prayed , A.V. and T.R.; apparel for clothing , A.V. Four days ago . This was the fourth day (see ver. 23, note). Until this hour , etc. The reading of the R.T. is not adopted by Meyer or Alford, and the R.V. is unintelligible. The A.V. seems to give the meaning clearly and accurately. Until this hour probably denotes the sixth hour, midday, as in ver. 9. Peter's journey would naturally have been taken in the cool of the early morning. Starting at 5 or 6 a.m., five hours, with perhaps an hour's halt, would bring him to the end of his fifteen miles' journey by 11 or 12 a.m. Apparel . The same phrase, ἐσθὴς λαμπρά , is used by St. Luke (Luke 23:11). In the description of the transfiguration a stronger expression is used , ἐξαστράπτων , dazzling. Acts 10:30

30 . Four days ago I was fasting until this hour , &c.] The oldest MSS. have “Four days ago until this hour I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house.” This makes the time of Peter’s arrival to be after the ninth hour of the day. The prayer-service to which Cornelius refers had begun and been continued for some time before the appearance of the angel. in bright clothing ] See above, Acts 1:10 , note.

Acts 10:30 . The correct view is that which has been the usual one since Chrysostom (held by Erasmus, Beza, Grotius, Bengel, Kuinoel, Olshausen): Four days ago I was fasting until this hour ( i.e. until the hour of the day which it now is), and was praying at the ninth hour , ἀπὸ τετάρτης ἡμέρας is quarto abhinc die , on the fourth day from the present (counting backwards), and the expression is to be explained as in John 11:18 ; John 21:8 ; Revelation 14:20 (see Winer, p. 518 f. [E. T. 697 f.]. Comp. Exodus 12:15 , ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἡμέρας : on the first day before. Cornelius wishes to indicate exactly (1) the day and hour when he had seen the vision,—namely, on the fourth day before, and at the ninth hour; and (2) in what condition he was when it occurred,—namely, that he had been engaged that day in an exercise of fasting , which he had already continued up to the very hour of that day, which it now was; and in connection with this exercise of fasting, he had spent the ninth hour of the day—the prayer-hour—in prayer , and then the vision had surprised him, καὶ ἰδοὺ κ . τ . λ . Incorrectly, Heinrichs, Neander, de Wette render: For four days I fasted until this hour (when the vision occurred, namely, the ninth hour), etc. Against this view it may be decisively urged that in this way Cornelius would not specify at all the day on which he had the vision, and that ταύτης cannot mean anything else than the present hour. ἐνώπ . τ . Θεοῦ ] Acts 10:3 . Revelation 16:19 .

(30) I was fasting until this hour. —The hour is not stated, but the facts of the case imply that it could not have been much before noon, and may have been later. Assuming that Cornelius in his fasts observed the usage of devout Jews, we may think of his vision as having been on the second day of the week, and Peter’s on the fifth. It is probable, accordingly, that the meeting in the house of Cornelius took place on the Sabbath. Allowing some hours for the conference, of which we have probably but a condensed report, the outpouring of the Spirit, the subsequent baptism, and the meal which must have followed on it, may have coincided with the beginning of the first day of the week. In bright clothing.—The phrase is the same as that used by St. James (Acts 2:2-3). The same adjective is employed by St. John to describe the raiment of the angels (Revelation 15:6), and of the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 19:8).