And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
God could have sent an angel to teach Cornelius directly, but instead, He sends Cornelius to a human messenger, Peter. This highlights God's intentional design to use ordinary people and His ordained ministry for spreading the Gospel, even to Gentiles.
And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
An angel has just appeared to a devout Roman centurion named Cornelius, revealing that his prayers and alms have been noticed by God. The angel instructs Cornelius to send men to the coastal city of Joppa to find a man named Simon Peter, who will then tell him what he needs to do. This divine encounter is the beginning of God's plan to bring the gospel to the Gentile nations, breaking down the barriers between Jews and non-Jews.
An angel appears to Cornelius with a divine message, yet the instructions aren't to perform a miracle. Instead, Cornelius is told to send for a man. Why?
It's incredible to see how God orchestrates events, even when He employs supernatural means like angelic visits. Cornelius sees a vision and is told by an angel, "send men to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter." God could have revealed the gospel directly through the angel. However, He chose to use a human messenger – an apostle, Peter – to deliver the message.
This highlights a core principle in God's work: He often uses ordinary means, like human messengers and the preaching of His Word, to accomplish His extraordinary purposes. Even with direct divine intervention, God honors and works through the structures and people He has appointed.
Cornelius was a Gentile, a Roman centurion, and by all appearances, not yet a follower of the God of Israel. Yet, an angel tells him his prayers and alms have been noticed. How is this possible?
The angel's message to Cornelius – that his prayers and alms have been remembered – is a profound testament to God's grace. Cornelius, a Gentile, was seeking God earnestly, fearing Him, and living a life of remarkable integrity and generosity. While he didn't yet have the full revelation of Jesus Christ, God saw his sincerity and his earnest seeking.
God honors genuine seeking and a life lived according to the light one has. Cornelius's devotion wasn't based on a complete understanding of the gospel, but on his fear of God and his earnest pursuit of Him. This set the stage for God to reveal Himself more fully through Peter. It shows that God draws near to those who draw near to Him, even before they fully understand His plan.
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This event marks a pivotal moment when God explicitly breaks down the barriers between Jewish and Gentile believers, paving the way for the explosive expansion of Christianity.
c. 4 BCE - c. 30 CE
Life of Cornelius
Cornelius, a devout Roman centurion, lives in Caesarea Maritima. Despite his Gentile background and military service, he fears God and practices justice and mercy.
c. 30 CE
Cornelius' Vision
Cornelius has a divine vision where an angel instructs him to send for Peter in Joppa.
c. 30 CE— this verse
Peter's Vision and Journey
While praying in Joppa, Peter has a vision of a sheet with animals, symbolizing that God makes no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. He then agrees to go with Cornelius' messengers.
c. 30 CE
Meeting in Caesarea
Peter travels to Caesarea, meets Cornelius and his household, and preaches the Gospel to them.
c. 30 CE
Pentecost and Gentile Inclusion
The Holy Spirit is poured out on Cornelius and his household as Peter is still speaking, demonstrating God's acceptance of Gentiles.
c. 49 CE
Council of Jerusalem
The early church leaders debate and affirm the inclusion of Gentiles without requiring them to become Jews first.
This passage describes a similar divine instruction where Ananias is directed to find Saul (who would become Paul) in Damascus, mirroring the specific instructions given here for Peter in Joppa. Both instances highlight God's direct intervention in guiding individuals to key figures for His purposes.
Isaiah 55:8-9These verses emphasize that God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, which is relevant because Cornelius, a Gentile, is being directed to a Jewish apostle, bridging a significant cultural and religious divide. This shows God's expansive plan beyond human expectations.
Matthew 28:19-20The Great Commission, where Jesus instructs His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, is directly fulfilled by this event. Cornelius’s seeking of Peter and Peter’s eventual mission to the Gentiles represent a pivotal moment in the early church’s obedience to this command.
Galatians 3:28This verse states there is 'neither Jew nor Greek,' reflecting the theological shift that this event with Cornelius signifies. God is breaking down barriers, showing that salvation in Christ is for everyone, regardless of their background, and this episode is a practical demonstration of that truth.
ellicottActs 10:5: "And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:"
(5, 6) Call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter. —The circumstances of the communication present, it is obvious, a striking parallelism with those attendant on the revelation to Ananias in Acts 9:10-17 . To those who regard both narratives as fictitious, the resemblance will appear as characteristic of St. Luke’s style as a writer. Admitting, however, the possibility of a divine guidance being given by a s…
jfbActs 10:5: "And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:"
- send to Joppa … for one Simon, &c.—(See on [1985]Ac 9:11).
God could have sent an angel to teach Cornelius directly, but instead, He sends Cornelius to a human messenger, Peter. This highlights God's intentional design to use ordinary people and His ordained ministry for spreading the Gospel, even to Gentiles.
An angel has just appeared to a devout Roman centurion named Cornelius, revealing that his prayers and alms have been noticed by God. The angel instructs Cornelius to send men to the coastal city of Joppa to find a man named Simon Peter, who will then tell him what he needs to do. This divine encounter is the beginning of God's plan to bring the gospel to the Gentile nations, breaking down the barriers between Jews and non-Jews.
An angel has just appeared to a devout Roman centurion named Cornelius, revealing that his prayers and alms have been noticed by God. The angel instructs Cornelius to send men to the coastal city of Joppa to find a man named Simon Peter, who will then tell him what he needs to do. This divine encounter is the beginning of God's plan to bring the gospel to the Gentile nations, breaking down the barriers between Jews and non-Jews.
"And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”" — God could have sent an angel to teach Cornelius directly, but instead, He sends Cornelius to a human messenger, Peter. This highlights God's intentional design to use ordinary people and His ordained…
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Last reviewed October 2026