The Meaning of Acts 10:17 Explained

Acts 10:17

KJV: Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,

YLT: And as Peter was perplexed in himself what the vision that he saw might be, then, lo, the men who have been sent from Cornelius, having made inquiry for the house of Simon, stood at the gate,

Darby: And as Peter doubted in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold also the men who were sent by Cornelius, having sought out the house of Simon, stood at the gate,

ASV: Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now  while  Peter  doubted  in  himself  what  this vision  which  he had seen  should mean,  behold,  the men  which  were sent  from  Cornelius  had made enquiry  for Simon's  house,  and stood  before  the gate, 

What does Acts 10:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 10:17-33 - Jew And Gentile Meet
It should be carefully noted that the mental impression which was produced by Peter's vision was corroborated by the fact of the knocking and inquiring group at Peter's door. This is God's invariable method. For us all, as we contemplate taking a new and important step in life, there are the urging of the Spirit, the impression or vision of duty, and the knock or appeal of outward circumstances.
Evidently Cornelius had gathered to his quarters in the barracks his kinsmen and a number of intimate friends, who were as eager as he to discover the will of God. They remained quietly waiting until the party from Joppa had completed their thirty-mile journey. Peter had taken the precaution of bringing with him six brethren, evidently with the expectation that the events of that day would not only create a new era, but would also be called into serious question.
The welcome that Cornelius gave was very significant. That a high-born Roman should prostrate himself before a Jewish evangelist was unprecedented, though it revealed the true reverence and humility of Cornelius's soul; but the noble simplicity of Peter's reply was also a revelation of the true greatness of the Apostle, and ought to have more obviously influenced his would-be successors. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 10

1  Cornelius, a devout man, being commanded by an angel, sends for Peter,
11  who by a vision is taught not to despise the Gentiles;
17  and is commanded by the Spirit to go with the messenger to Caesarea
25  Cornelius shows the occasion of his sending for him
34  As he preaches Christ to Cornelius and his company,
44  the Holy Spirit falls on them, and they are baptized

Greek Commentary for Acts 10:17

Was much perplexed in himself [en heautōi diēporei)]
Imperfect active of diaporeō intensive compound (dia thoroughly, and a privative and poros way), to be completely at a loss to know what road to take. Old verb, but in N.T. only in Luke and Acts. Page notes that Luke is singularly fond of verbs compounded with dia See note on Luke 9:7 and note on Acts 2:12. When out of the ecstasy he was more puzzled than ever. [source]
Might be [an eiē)]
Optative with an in indirect question simply retained from the direct (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 1021, 1044). See note on Acts 17:18, for the direct and note on Luke 1:62 for the indirect It is the conclusion of a fourth class condition. Having made inquiry (dierōtēsantes). First aorist active participle of dierōtaō another compound of dia to ask one after another, to ask through, old verb, but only here in the N.T. It took diligent inquiry to find the obscure house of Simon the tanner. Stood before the gate Second aorist active indicative of ephistēmi intransitive. Note repetition of epi The messengers stopped right at the folding gates of the passage (pulōna) which led from the street to the inner court or house. [source]
Having made inquiry [dierōtēsantes)]
First aorist active participle of dierōtaō another compound of dia to ask one after another, to ask through, old verb, but only here in the N.T. It took diligent inquiry to find the obscure house of Simon the tanner. [source]
Stood before the gate [epestēsan epi ton pulōna)]
Second aorist active indicative of ephistēmi intransitive. Note repetition of epi The messengers stopped right at the folding gates of the passage (pulōna) which led from the street to the inner court or house. [source]
Doubted [διηπόρει]
See on Luke 9:7. [source]
In himself []
On reflection, as compared with his ecstatic state. [source]
Had made inquiry [διερωτήσαντες]
“Having inquired out;” having asked their way through ( διά ) streets and houses, until they found the dwelling of the tanner, who was an obscure man, and not easily found. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 10:17

Luke 15:26 He inquired [επυντανετο]
Imperfect middle, inquired repeatedly and eagerly.What these things might be (τι αν ειη ταυτα — ti an eiē tauta). Not “poor” Greek as Easton holds, but simply the form of the direct question retained in the indirect. See the direct form as the apodosis of a condition of the fourth class in Acts 17:18. In Acts 10:17 we have the construction with αν ειη — an eiē of the direct retained in the indirect question. So also in Luke 1:62: See Robertson, Grammar, p. 1044. [source]
Luke 15:26 What these things might be [τι αν ειη ταυτα]
Not “poor” Greek as Easton holds, but simply the form of the direct question retained in the indirect. See the direct form as the apodosis of a condition of the fourth class in Acts 17:18. In Acts 10:17 we have the construction with αν ειη — an eiē of the direct retained in the indirect question. So also in Luke 1:62: See Robertson, Grammar, p. 1044. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 10:17 mean?

While then in himself was perplexed - Peter what - might be the vision that he had seen behold the men - having been sent from - Cornelius having inquired for the house of Simon stood at the gate
Ὡς δὲ ἐν ἑαυτῷ διηπόρει Πέτρος τί ἂν εἴη τὸ ὅραμα εἶδεν ἰδοὺ οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ ἀπεσταλμένοι ὑπὸ τοῦ Κορνηλίου διερωτήσαντες τὴν οἰκίαν Σίμωνος ἐπέστησαν ἐπὶ τὸν πυλῶνα

Ὡς  While 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὡς 
Sense: as, like, even as, etc.
ἑαυτῷ  himself 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
διηπόρει  was  perplexed 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διαπορέω  
Sense: to be entirely at loss, to be in perplexity.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Πέτρος  Peter 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Πέτρος  
Sense: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
ἂν  - 
Parse: Particle
Root: ἄν  
Sense: has no exact English equivalent, see definitions under AV.
εἴη  might  be 
Parse: Verb, Present Optative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ὅραμα  vision 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ὅραμα  
Sense: that which is seen, spectacle.
  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
εἶδεν  he  had  seen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
ἰδοὺ  behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
ἄνδρες  men 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀνήρ  
Sense: with reference to sex.
οἱ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀπεσταλμένοι  having  been  sent 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀποστέλλω 
Sense: to order (one) to go to a place appointed.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Κορνηλίου  Cornelius 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Κορνήλιος  
Sense: a Roman centurion of the Italian cohort stationed in Caesarea who converted to Christianity.
διερωτήσαντες  having  inquired  for 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: διερωτάω  
Sense: to ask through.
οἰκίαν  house 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: οἰκία  
Sense: a house.
Σίμωνος  of  Simon 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Σίμων  
Sense: Peter was one of the apostles.
ἐπέστησαν  stood 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐφίστημι  
Sense: to place at, place upon, place over.
ἐπὶ  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
πυλῶνα  gate 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: πυλών  
Sense: a large gate: of a palace.