The Meaning of Acts 10:31 Explained

Acts 10:31

KJV: And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

YLT: and he said, Cornelius, thy prayer was heard, and thy kind acts were remembered before God;

Darby: and said, Cornelius, thy prayer has been heard, and thy alms have come in remembrance before God.

ASV: and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  said,  Cornelius,  thy  prayer  is heard,  and  thine  alms  are had in remembrance  in the sight  of God. 

What does Acts 10:31 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 10:31

Is heard [eisēkousthē)]
Sort of timeless first aorist passive indicative as is “are had in remembrance” (emnēsthēsan See note on Acts 10:4 “are gone up for a memorial”). [source]
Said [φησι]
Rev., saith. The historical present, giving vividness to the narrative. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 10:31 mean?

and said Cornelius has been heard your - prayer the alms of you have been remembered before - God
καὶ φησίν Κορνήλιε εἰσηκούσθη σου προσευχὴ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἐμνήσθησαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ

φησίν  said 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φημί  
Sense: to make known one’s thoughts, to declare.
Κορνήλιε  Cornelius 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: Κορνήλιος  
Sense: a Roman centurion of the Italian cohort stationed in Caesarea who converted to Christianity.
εἰσηκούσθη  has  been  heard 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰσακούω  
Sense: to give heed to, comply with admonition, to obey.
σου  your 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
προσευχὴ  prayer 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: προσευχή  
Sense: prayer addressed to God.
ἐλεημοσύναι  alms 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Plural
Root: ἐλεημοσύνη  
Sense: mercy, pity.
σου  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ἐμνήσθησαν  have  been  remembered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: μιμνῄσκομαι  
Sense: to remind.
ἐνώπιον  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐνώπιον  
Sense: in the presence of, before.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.