10:17 Now while Peter was puzzling over 1 what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was 2 and approached 3 the gate. 10:18 They 4 called out to ask if Simon, known as Peter, 5 was staying there as a guest. 10:19 While Peter was still thinking seriously about 6 the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look! Three men are looking for you. 10:20 But get up, 7 go down, and accompany them without hesitation, 8 because I have sent them.” 10:21 So Peter went down 9 to the men and said, “Here I am, 10 the person you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 10:22 They said, “Cornelius the centurion, 11 a righteous 12 and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, 13 was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message 14 from you.” 10:23 So Peter 15 invited them in and entertained them as guests.
On the next day he got up and set out 16 with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa 17 accompanied him.
1 tn Or “was greatly confused over.” The term means to be perplexed or at a loss (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπορέω).
2 tn Grk “having learned.” The participle διερωτήσαντες (dierwthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
3 tn BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 has “ἐπί τι approach or stand by someth. (Sir 41:24) Ac 10:17.”
sn As Peter puzzled over the meaning of the vision, the messengers from Cornelius approached the gate. God’s direction here had a sense of explanatory timing.
4 tn Grk “and.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun by supplying the pronoun “they” as the subject of the following verb.
5 tn Grk “Simon, the one called Peter.” This qualification was necessary because the owner of the house was also named Simon (Acts 9:43).
6 tn The translation “think seriously about” for διενθυμέομαι (dienqumeomai) is given in L&N 30.2. Peter was “pondering” the vision (BDAG 244 s.v.).
7 tn Grk “But getting up, go down.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
8 tn The term means “without doubting” or “without deliberation.” It is a term of conscience and discernment. In effect, Peter is to listen to them rather than hesitate (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 6).
9 tn Grk “Peter going down to the men, said.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
10 tn Grk “Behold, it is I whom you seek,” or “Behold, I am the one you seek.” “Here I am” is used to translate ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι (idou egw eimi).
11 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
12 tn Or “just.”
13 tn The phrase τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (tou eqnou" twn Ioudaiwn) is virtually a technical term for the Jewish nation (1 Macc 10:25; 11:30, 33; Josephus, Ant. 14.10.22 [14.248]). “All the Jewish people,” while another possible translation of the Greek phrase, does not convey the technical sense of a reference to the nation in English.
sn The long introduction of Cornelius by his messengers is an attempt to commend this Gentile to his Jewish counterpart, which would normally be important to do in the culture of the time.
14 tn Grk “hear words.”
15 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
sn When Peter entertained them as guests, he performed a culturally significant act denoting acceptance.
16 tn Or “went forth.”
17 sn Some of the brothers from Joppa. As v. 45 makes clear, there were Jewish Christians in this group of witnesses.