Acts 10:21

Act 10:21. Ὃν ζητεῖτε, whom ye seek) So courage was imparted to those seeking Peter.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I am he whom ye seek--This seems to have been said without any communication being made to Peter regarding the men or their errand.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 21. Which were sent unto him from Cornelius] This clause is wanting in almost every MS. of worth, and in almost all the versions.

Behold, I am he whom ye seek] A sudden, unexpected speech, like the address of AEneas to Dido; when the cloud in which he was involved suddenly dissipated, and he appeared with the exclamation,

__________ coram, quem quaeritis, adsum!

AEn. lib. i. 595.

What is the cause therefore ye are come?] He still did not know the full import of the vision; but being informed by the Holy Spirit that three men were seeking him, and that he should go with them, without scruple, he instantly obeyed; and finding them at the door, desired to know why they sought him.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. Behold, I am he whom ye seek. Luke declareth now how ready Peter was to obey; secondly, that he understood at length, by the messengers, to what end the vision was showed unto him. For he heareth that he is called by Cornelius, a man that is a Gentile, whom he would have counted profane, and unworthy of his company, unless his judgment had been corrected with this voice, “That which God calleth pure, judge not thou to be common.” This is to be wise indeed, when as abandoning all vain confidence, and correcting our stubbornness, the authority of God doth so pull us unto it, and doth so possess our minds, that we count nothing right but that which it prescribeth.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

21. Then (And) Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius] The last seven words are not in the oldest Greek texts, and are clearly an addition of later date to make the text quite clear.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then Peter went down to the men,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "from the third floor"; to the place where the men were: the following clause,

which were sent unto him from Cornelius, is not in Beza's most ancient copy, nor in the Alexandrian copy, nor in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions:

and said, behold, I am he whom ye seek; without being called by any of the family he came down, and without being informed in that way who the men were inquiring for; it being suggested to him by the Spirit of God, he declared himself to be the person they were seeking after: and put this question to them,

what is the cause wherefore ye are come? for that was not intimated to him by the Spirit; it was only told him there were three men seeking him, and he was bid to go with them, without any scruple or hesitation; but what they came for, or he was to go with them about, was not suggested.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?

Ver. 21. Peter went down] He sent not for them up, much less made he them to wait three days at the gate (as that pope did Henry the emperor) before they could have a hearing.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Peter being in no small consternation, and not perfectly knowing whither all this tended, makes the more exact inquiry.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And for then, A.V.; the men for the men which were sent unto him from Coffins, A.V. and T.R.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Observe here, 1. The messengers whom Cornelius sent to St. Peter, two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier. All soldiers are not rude: but some are religious. Behold a devout soldier under a devout captain, and two household-servants whom their master’s example had rendered humble and modest.

Observe, 2. The just and laudable, not false and flattering character, which they gave of their master Cornelius; That he was a just man, one that feared God, and one of Good report among all the nation of the Jews. It is both the duty and commendation of servants, give to their master’s due honour: and, when called to it, their deserved character.

Observe, 3. How St. Peter’s doubts being resolved, he disputes no further, delays no longer, but hastens immediately to Cornelius: When once God’s command is plain, we must not dispute, but dispatch; we must no longer object, but obey.

Observe, 4. The reverence given by Cornelius to St. Peter; he fell down at his feet and worshipped him. It seems to be more than a civil reverence which he gave him: It looks as if Cornelius took him for an angel in human shape, or a person sent immediately from heaven to him; and accordingly he prostrates himself before the apostle: But St. Peter would by no means receive any undue honour or respect from him, assuring him, That he was but a man, and God’s messenger sent unto him. Whatever Peter’s pretended successor challenges as his due, of reverence and homage, St. Peter himself would not suffer Cornelius to lie at his feet, much less to kiss his feet: The ambassador would not run away with the honour which belonged to the prince that sent him.

Observe, 5. How St. Peter acquaints Cornelius, that that partition-wall betwixt the Jews and Gentiles, which was erected and set up by God’s command, was now by the same authority pulled down and removed; and that no man is now unclean by any ceremonial uncleanness, because he is not circumcised: and might converse with, and be conversed with as freely as if born a Jew.

Since the coming of Christ, no person or nation is legally or ceremonially unclean; but every nation, or even person, by nature, morally unclean.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21, 22. He knows nothing, as yet, of the nature of their mission, neither does he yet understand any better than before the meaning of the vision. (21) " Then Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom you are seeking. What is the cause for which you are come? (22) And they said, Cornelius, a centurion, a just man, and one who fears God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by a holy angel to send for you into his house, and to hear words from you. " Upon hearing these words, the whole truth at once flashed upon the mind of Peter, and the agencies which for two days had been preparing to uproot his prejudice, sprang upon it with their combined force. No less than an angel from God has sent these men to call me into the house of a Gentile, to preach the gospel to him. My vision of clean and unclean beasts is explained. God has cleansed the Gentiles, and I am no longer to call them unclean. The Spirit has commanded me to go with these men, without doubting. The authority of God, of an angel, of the Holy Spirit, all impel me. I can resist no longer. His prejudice is gone, and doubtless he feels a new thrill of joy as his heart tremulously enlarges to take the whole world within the embrace of his philanthropy.

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους ἀπὸ τοῦ Κορνηλίου πρὸς αὐτόν omitted with אABDELP, and unrepresented in Vulg.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.