Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 10:3

"He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius." — Acts 10:3 (ASV)

He saw in a vision. (See Barnes' notes on Acts 9:10).

Evidently. Openly; manifestly.

About the ninth hour. About three o'clock, p.m. This was the usual hour of evening worship among the Jews.

An angel of God. (See Barnes' notes on Matthew 1:20).

Compare Hebrews 1:14. This angel was sent to signify to Cornelius that his alms were accepted by God as an evidence of his piety, and to direct him to send for Peter to instruct him in the way of salvation. The importance of the occasion—the introduction of the gospel to a Gentile, and hence to the entire Gentile world—was probably the chief reason why an angel was commissioned to visit the Roman centurion. Compare Acts 16:9-10.