Acts 10:21

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?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Spirit - See the notes on Acts 8:29. Compare Isaiah 65:24, "And it shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer," etc.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. 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.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

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

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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.

Geneva Study Bible

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?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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.

Bengel's Gnomen

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

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - And for then, A.V.; the men for the men which were sent unto him from Coffins, A.V. and T.R. Acts 10:21