What Does Acts 10:30 Mean in the King James?
And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Prayer’s direction becomes visible when a man stands before the one who has been praying.
THE MEANING
Your prayer is not sealed inside a private room: this verse places it within the possibility of an encounter. The house and ninth hour hold that encounter inside ordinary space and time, while fasting makes the body part of the moment. Inward address and visible presence meet here.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It loosens the belief that a private, ordinary room is too commonplace for encounter; here, the presence appears in the house.
THE ROOT
προσεύχομαι
proseuchomai
GROWS FROM
πρός + εὔχομαι (pros + euchomai)
Toward or to + pray, wish, or make a vow; together, to address in prayer.
“prayed” in this verse is proseuchomai. The verb carries a direction: prayer is address toward someone. The related noun for “prayers” in Acts 10:4 names the same petitions as having come before God.
ALSO GROWS
proseuchē: Prayer
προσευχή
This noun names prayer itself from the same word-family, as in Acts 10:4.
euchomai: Pray, wish, or vow
εὔχομαι
The underlying verb shows the family’s range as petition or address.
λαμπρᾷ
lamprā
GROWS FROM
λαμπ-
lamp-
Shine; be bright.
“bright” in this verse is lamprā. The clothing is described through radiance, and the word belongs to the same family as shining and a lamp or torch. The figure’s appearance is marked by light.
ALSO GROWS
lampō: Shine
λάμπω
This verb names the act of shining from the same family as the word for “bright.”
lampas: Lamp or torch
λαμπάς
This noun carries the same light-family into an object that shines.
THE PATTERN
Prayer is directed toward God and can become a point of encounter within the hidden room of daily life.
O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.THE THREAD
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.The word for “prayed” here and the word for “prayers” in Acts 10:4 belong to the same Greek word-family. That link gives the house-prayer a direction beyond the room: its petitions have come before God.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us