Cornelius

Cornelius (kor-NEE-lee-us) was a Roman army officer who welcomed Peter, a follower of Jesus, into his home. His household’s reception of the Christian message is an important moment in Acts: people who were not Jewish received the Holy Spirit and were baptized.

A soldier who prayed

Acts calls Cornelius a centurion, an officer who commanded soldiers. He prayed to God and helped people in need. His messengers described him as respected by Jewish people. His Roman name and regiment do not establish his exact birthplace or ancestry.

The meeting with Peter

After a vision instructed him to invite Peter, Cornelius sent two servants and a soldier to find him. Meanwhile, Peter received a vision that prepared him to enter a non-Jewish household. Cornelius assembled relatives and friends for the visit.

Peter told them about Jesus and forgiveness through him. The Holy Spirit came upon the listeners, surprising the Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter. They were baptized and invited Peter to stay. When Peter later explained the encounter in Jerusalem, the believers recognized that God had also granted life to people outside the Jewish community (Acts 11:1–18).

Where he lived

Caesarea (see-zuh-REE-uh) was a coastal city in the Roman world. Its ruins lie beside modern Caesarea in Israel, roughly thirty miles north of Tel Aviv. The map marks the ancient city area, not an identified house belonging to Cornelius.

What is unknown

Acts gives no age, birth date, death date, or account of his later career. Traditions about later church offices do not supply a verified lifespan. He is distinct from the later pope also named Cornelius. The portrait is an imagined historical illustration; its specific face, age, clothing, and home are not documented.

Explore Caesarea on the map.

Read further

Acts 10–11, NIV; BiblicalTraining: Cornelius; Israel Nature and Parks Authority: Caesarea.