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them practical help. Cornelius’s actions drew God’s favorable attention, and they serve
as an example for us.

Act 10:5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

Joppa is another seaport were Jews preferred to stay. It is a smaller, natural seaport, thirty
miles south of Caesarea. Cornelius, a soldier high in the Roman aristocracy sends for Peter, a
low-class, Jewish fishermen.

Act 10:6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee
what thou oughtest to do.

Since these men are not from Joppa and Peter is lodging temporarily in the city, the angel is
exact in describing Peter’s location. He does not want Cornelius’ men to be wasting time
searching for him. Because Joppa is not Peter’s hometown and very few people knew where he
was staying, it would have been difficult for the men to find him if they had not been directed
by the angel.

CORNELIUS OBEYS

Act 10:7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his
household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

Cornelius obeys immediately. He sends three men (verse 19) to find Peter and bring him to
Caesarea.

Act 10:8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

Apparently, these men start their journey late in the day and have to stop and spend the night

on their way to Joppa (verse 9).

PETER’S VISION(9-23)

The next day, as Peter is on the housetop praying, he has a vision of a sheet lowered to the
earth filled with animals that, according to Jewish tradition, are unclean. This happens three
times accompanied by a voice from heaven. As Peter is pondering the meaning of this vision,
the men Cornelius has sent arrive. Peter goes with them to Caesarea.

THE HOUSETOP

Act 10:9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter
went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

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