Four days ago - See the notes on Acts 10:23.

Until this hour - The ninth hour, or three o'clock, p. m. See Acts 10:3.

A man - Called, in Acts 10:3, an angel. He had the appearance of a man. Compare Mark 16:5.

In bright clothing - See the notes on Matthew 28:3.

Four days ago I was fasting until this hour - It was then about three o'clock in the afternoon; and it appears that Cornelius had continued his fasts from three o'clock the preceding day to three o'clock the day following; not that he had fasted four days together, as some supposes for even if he did fast four days consecutively, he ate one meal on each day. It is however necessary to remark that the word νηϚευων, fasting is wanting in ABC, one other; the Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, and Vulgate; but it has not been omitted in any edition of the Greek Testament.

And Cornelius said,.... The Syriac version adds, "to him", to the apostle; the following he said, in a very submissive and humble manner:

four days ago I was fasting unto this hour; in the Greek text it is, "from the fourth day unto this hour I was fasting": which looks as if he had been fasting four days, and was still fasting at that hour; though the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions leave out the phrase "I was fasting": but the sense which our version and others give is the truest; that four days ago, or reckoning four days back, Cornelius was fasting on that day, until such time in that day as now it was in this present day; and which perhaps might be the ninth hour, or three o'clock in the afternoon: the account of days exactly agrees; as soon as Cornelius had had the vision, he sends men to Joppa, which was one day; on the morrow they came to Joppa, which makes two days; Peter lodged them all night there, and the next day set out on the journey with them, so you have three days; and the day after that, which was the fourth, he entered into Caesarea, and came to Cornelius's house, where he now was:

and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house; which was one of the stated times of prayer; See Gill on Acts 3:1.

And behold a man stood before me in bright clothing; or "in a white garment", as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read: which was an emblem of the excellency, glory, and purity of the angel, and of the divine majesty in him: he calls him a man, because he appeared in the form of one, as angels used to do.

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.

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.

10:30 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, St. Peter set out; and on the fourth, came to Cesarea.

30-33. Four days ago-the messengers being despatched on the first; on the second reaching Joppa (Ac 10:9); starting for Cæsarea on the third; and on the fourth arriving.

10:19-33 When we see our call clear to any service, we should not be perplexed with doubts and scruples arising from prejudices or former ideas. Cornelius had called together his friends, to partake with him of the heavenly wisdom he expected from Peter. We should not covet to eat our spiritual morsels alone. It ought to be both given and taken as kindness and respect to our kindred and friends, to invite them to join us in religious exercises. Cornelius declared the direction God gave him to send for Peter. We are right in our aims in attending a gospel ministry, when we do it with regard to the Divine appointment requiring us to make use of that ordinance. How seldom ministers are called to speak to such companies, however small, in which it may be said that they are all present in the sight of God, to hear all things that are commanded of God! But these were ready to hear what Peter was commanded of God to say.