Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
Parallel translations
- WEB He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, “What is it, Lord?” He said to him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
- NASB And he looked at him intently and became terrified, and said, “What is it, lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and charitable gifts have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
- NLT Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel. And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The angel told the frightened Cornelius that his prayers and gifts had risen as a memorial before God. God noticed and welcomed his devotion.
Overview
The angel assures Cornelius that his worship and generosity have come up before God like an acceptable offering. This does not mean he was saved by works, for he still needs to hear the gospel, but that God graciously regarded his seeking heart. The Lord honors those who seek him and now answers by sending the message of salvation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Phil 4:6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Heb 6:10For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
- Acts 10:31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.
- Mal 3:16At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD and honored His name.
- Ps 141:2May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering.
- Rev 8:4And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel.
- Luke 1:12–13When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
- Heb 13:16And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Phil 4:18I have all I need and more, now that I have received your gifts from Epaphroditus. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
- Dan 10:11He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man who is highly precious. Consider carefully the words that I am about to say to you. Stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had said this to me, I stood up trembling.
- Matt 26:13Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
- Luke 1:29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
- 1 Sam 3:10Then the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
- 2 Chr 32:24In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. So he prayed to the LORD, who spoke to him and gave him a sign.
- Isa 43:26Remind Me, let us argue the matter together. State your case, so that you may be vindicated.
- 2 Chr 6:33then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house I have built is called by Your Name.
- Acts 22:10Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
- Isa 45:19I have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right.
- Luke 24:5As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?
- Acts 9:5–6“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.
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Original language
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