Re the timing of Cornelius’ vision and
the events in Acts, chapter 10:
Caesar Gaius
died Sivan 1, 26 CE [May 8, 26 CE.]
Considering the events surrounding the death of Caesar Gaius as portrayed by
Josephus it is certainly not unlikely that the record related in Acts 10 must
be dated prior to the death of Caesar Gaius. Consider especially Josephus’
words “But for [Cornelius] Sabinus, although Claudius not only set him at
liberty, but gave him leave to retain his former command in the army, yet… he
fell upon his sword, and killed himself.” Cf. Cornelius Sabinus as referenced
by Josephus in his
Antiquities XIX:1:7-8, 14-15 & XIX:4:4-6. Cf. also Julius Lupus as
referenced by Josephus
in his Antiquities XIX:2:4 and Julius as referenced in Acts 27:2-3.
[Legend: All [bracketed words
below] are added comments of mine. All emphasis in bold font are likewise added emphasis in order to bring
out the time and place related events of this text passage. Improvements upon
the KJV translation (Acts 10:30) are indicated with red
font.]
Acts 10:1There(1161) was2258
a certain5100 man435in1722Caesarea2542 called3686
Cornelius,2883 a centurion1543 of1537
the band4686 called2564 the Italian2483band,[“1. Centurion n. An officer commanding a century in the Roman army. 2. Century. n. A unit of the Roman
army.”]
Acts 10:2A
devout2152man, and2532
one that feared5399 God2316 with4862
all3956 his848 house,3624
which(5037) gave4160 much4183
alms1654 to the3588 people,2992
and2532 prayed1189 to God2316
always.1275
Acts 10:3He
saw1492 in1722 a vision3705
evidently5320about5616the ninth1766hour5610[2-3 PM]of the3588day2250
an angel32 of God2316 coming in1525
to4314 him,846 and2532
saying2036 unto him,846 Cornelius.2883
Acts 10:4And1161 when he3588
looked816 on him,846 he(2532)
was1096 afraid,1719 and said,2036
What5101 is2076 it, Lord?2962
And1161 he said2036 unto him,846
Thy4675 prayers4335 and2532
thine4675 alms1654 are come up305
for1519 a memorial3422 before1799
God.2316
Acts 10:6He3778 lodgeth3579
with3844 one5100 Simon4613
a tanner,1038 whose3739 house3614
is2076 by3844 the sea side:2281 he3778
shall tell2980 thee4671 what5101
thou4571 oughtest1163 to do.4160
Acts 10:7And1161 when5613
the3588 angel32 which spake2980
unto Cornelius2883 was departed,565 he called5455
two1417 of his848 household servants,3610 and2532
a devout2152 soldier4757 of them that waited on him continually;4342, 846
Acts 10:8And2532 when he had declared1834 all537these things unto them,846he
sent649them846to1519Joppa.2445 [The distance, as the crow flies, from Caesarea to Joppe is
about 60 km (40 miles)]
Acts 10:9On(1161)the3588morrow,1887[evidently the
morrow of the 5th Day of the week] as they1565 went on their journey,3596 and2532
drew nigh1448 unto the3588 city,4172
Peter4074 went up305 upon1909
the3588 housetop1430 to pray4336
about4012the sixth1623hour:5610[i.e. between 11-12 AM on the 5th Day of
the week:]
Acts 10:10And1161 he
became1096 very hungry,4361 and2532
would2309 have eaten:1089 but1161
while they1565 made ready,3903 he fell1968
into1909 a(846) trance,1611
Acts 10:11And2532
saw2334 heaven3772 opened,455
and2532 a certain5100 vessel4632
descending2597 unto1909 him,846
as it had been5613 a great3173 sheet3607
knit1210 at the four5064 corners,746
and2532 let down2524 to1909
the3588 earth:1093
Acts 10:12Wherein1722, 3739 were5225
all manner3956 of fourfooted beasts5074 of the3588
earth,1093 and2532 wild beasts,2342
and2532 creeping things,2062 and2532
fowls4071 of the3588 air.3772
Acts 10:13And2532
there came1096 a voice5456 to4314
him,846 Rise,450 Peter;4074
kill,2380 and2532 eat.5315
Acts 10:14But1161
Peter4074 said,2036 Not so,3365
Lord;2962 for3754 I have never3763
eaten5315 any thing3956 that is common2839 or2228
unclean.169
Acts 10:15And2532
the voice5456spake unto4314
him846 again3825 the(1537)
second time,1208 What3739 God2316
hath cleansed,2511that call not thou common.2840, 3361, 4771
Acts 10:16(1161) This5124 was1096 done(1909)
thrice:5151 and2532 the3588
vessel4632 was received up353 again3825
into1519 heaven.3772
Acts 10:17Now1161
while5613 Peter4074 doubted1280
in1722 himself1438 what5101
this vision3705 which3739 he had seen1492
should mean,1498, 302 (2532)
behold,2400 the3588 men435
which were sent649 from575 Cornelius2883
had made inquiry1331 for Simon's4613 house,3614
and stood2186 before1909 the3588
gate,4440
[Notice that it took these men until past noon
to arrive at their destination.]
Acts 10:18And2532
called,5455 and asked4441 whether1487
Simon,4613 which was surnamed1941 Peter,4074
were lodged3579 there.1759
Acts 10:20Arise450
therefore,235 and get thee down,2597 and2532
go4198 with4862 them,846
doubting1252 nothing:3367 for1360
I1473 have sent649 them.846
Acts 10:21Then1161
Peter4074 went down2597 to4314
the3588 men435 which were sent649 unto4314
him846 from575 Cornelius;2883
and said,2036 Behold,2400 I1473
am1510 he whom3739 ye seek:2212
what5101is the3588 cause156 wherefore1223,
3739 ye are come?3918
Acts 10:22And1161 they3588
said,2036 Cornelius2883 the centurion,1543 a just1342
man,435 and2532 one that feareth5399 God,2316
and5037 of good report3140 among5259
all3650 the3588 nation1484
of the3588 Jews,2453 was warned from God5537 by5259
a holy40 angel32 to send for3343
thee4571 into1519 his848
house,3624 and2532 to hear191
words4487 of3844 thee.4675
Acts 10:23Then3767
called he them in,1528, 846 and
lodged3579them. And1161on the3588morrow1887
[evidently the morrow of the 6th
Day of the week]Peter4074 went away1831
with4862 them,846 and2532
certain5100 brethren80 from575
Joppa2445 accompanied4905 him.846
Acts 10:24And2532the3588morrow
after1887 [evidently – consider the distance and the time it took the
servants of Cornelius to arrive to Peter (cf. v. 17 above!) - the morrow of the
7th Day of the week, i.e. Shabbat]they entered1525
into1519 Caesarea.2542[Notice that,
having left Joppa on “the morrow,” i.e. in the AM, of the 6th Day,
the party likely arrived outside Caesarea before sunset on the 6th
Day, i.e. prior to the beginning of the Seventh Day Shabbat.] And1161 Cornelius2883
waited for2258, 4328 them,846 and had called together4779 his848
kinsmen4773 and2532 near316
friends.5384
Acts 10:25And1161 as5613 Peter4074
was1096 coming in,1525 Cornelius2883
met4876 him,846 and fell down4098
at1909 his feet,4228 and worshipped4352him.
Acts 10:26But1161
Peter4074 took him up,1453, 846 saying,3004
Stand up;450 I myself also2504, 846 am1510
a man.444
Acts 10:27And2532 as
he talked with4926 him,846 he went in,1525
and2532 found2147 many4183
that were come together.4905
Acts 10:28And5037 he said5346
unto4314 them,846 Ye5210
know1987 how5613 that it is2076
an unlawful thing111 for a man435 that is a Jew2453
to keep company,2853 or2228 come unto4334
one of another nation;246 but2532 God2316
hath showed1166 me1698 that I should not call3004 any3367
man444 common2839 or2228
unclean.169
Acts 10:29Therefore1352 (2532)
came2064 I untoyou
without gainsaying,369 as soon as I
was sent for:3343 I ask4441 therefore3767
for what5101 intent3056 ye have sent for3343 me?3165
Acts 10:30And2532
Cornelius2883 said,5346from575the Fourth5067Day2250[In Textus
Receptus, i.e. the original Greek manuscripts, this is clearly a reference to
the Fourth Day of the week!] I have been2252 fasting3522
until3360 this5026 hour;5610
and2532 at the3588 ninth1766
hour5610 I prayed4336 in1722
my3450 house,3624 and,2532
behold,2400 a man435 stood2476
before1799 me3450 in1722
bright2986 clothing,2066
Acts 10:31And2532
said,5346 Cornelius,2883 thy4675
prayer4335 is heard,1522 and2532
thine4675 alms1654 are had in remembrance3415 in the sight1799
of God.2316
Acts 10:32Send3992 therefore3767
to1519 Joppa,2445 and2532
call hither3333 Simon,4613 whose3739
surname is1941 Peter;4074 he3778
is lodged3579 in1722 the house3614
of one Simon4613 a tanner1038
by3844 the sea side:2281 who,3739
when he cometh,3854 shall speak2980 unto thee.4671
Acts 10:33Immediately1824
therefore3767 I sent3992 to4314
thee;4571 and5037 thou4771
hast well2573 done4160 that thou art come.3854 Now3568
therefore3767 are we all here
present3918, 2249, 3956 before1799 God,2316
to hear191 all things3956 that are commanded4367 thee4671
of5259 God.2316
Acts 10:34Then1161
Peter4074 opened455his
mouth,4750 and said,2036 Of1909
a truth225 I perceive2638 that3754
God2316 is2076 no3756
respecter of persons:4381
Acts 10:35But235 in1722 every3956
nation1484 he that feareth5399 him,846
and2532 worketh2038 righteousness,1343 is2076
accepted1184 with him.846
Acts 10:36The3588
word3056 which3739God
sent649 unto the3588 children5207
of Israel,2474 preaching2097
peace1515 by1223 Jesus2424
Christ:5547 (he3778 is2076
Lord2962 of all:)3956
Acts 10:37That word,4487Isay,
ye5210 know,1492 which was published1096 throughout2596
all3650Judea,2449 and began756
from575Galilee,1056 after3326
the3588 baptism908 which3739
John2491 preached;2784
Acts 10:38How5613
God2316 anointed5548 Jesus2424
of575 Nazareth3478 with the Holy40 Ghost4151
and2532 with power:1411 who3739
went about1330 doing good,2109 and2532
healing2390 all3956 that were oppressed2616 of5259
the3588 devil;1228 for3754
God2316 was2258 with3326
him.846
Acts 10:39And2532 we2249 are2070
witnesses3144 of all things3956 which3739
he did4160 both5037 in1722
the3588 land5561 of the3588
Jews,2453 and2532 in1722Jerusalem;2419 whom3739
they slew337 and hanged2910 on1909
a tree:3586
Acts 10:41Not3756 to all3956
the3588 people,2992 but235
unto witnesses3144 chosen before4401 of5259
God,2316even to us,2254
who3748 did eat4906 and2532
drink with4844 him846 after he846
rose450 from1537 the dead.3498
Acts 10:42And2532 he
commanded3853 us2254 to preach2784
unto the3588 people,2992 and2532
to testify1263 that3754 it is2076
he846 which was ordained3724 of5259
God2316tobe the Judge2923 of quick2198
and2532 dead.3498
Acts 10:43To him5129
give all the prophets witness,3140, 3956, 3588,
4396 that through1223
his846 name3686 whosoever3956
believeth4100 in1519 him846
shall receive2983 remission859 of sins.266
Acts 10:44While Peter4074
yet2089 spake2980 these5023
words,4487 the3588 Holy40
Ghost4151 fell1968 on1909
all3956 them which heard191 the3588
word.3056
Acts 10:45And2532
they of the circumcision which believed4103,
1537, 4061 were astonished,1839
as many as3745 came with4905 Peter,4074
because3754 that on1909 the3588
Gentiles1484 also2532 was poured out1632 the3588
gift1431 of the3588 Holy40
Ghost.4151
Acts 10:46For1063
they heard191 them846 speak2980
with tongues,1100 and2532 magnify3170
God.2316 Then5119 answered611
Peter,4074
Acts 10:47Can1410
any man5100 forbid2967 (3385) water,5204 that these5128
should not3361 be baptized,907 which3748
have received2983 the3588 Holy40
Ghost4151 as well as2531, 2532 we?2249
Acts 10:48And5037 he commanded4367
them846 to be baptized907 in1722
the3588 name3686 of the3588
Lord.2962 Then5119 prayed2065
they him846 to tarry1961 certain5100
days. 2250