[6] Cornelius is 'characterized as a pious man with a godfearing household' (verses 2, 7), and 'his piety is borne out by actions both charitable and religious' (10:2).

[11] In the story recorded in this section, Saint Peter had a vision of a sheet full of animals being lowered from heaven.

The command was repeated two more times, along with the voice saying, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" (verse 15) and then the sheet was taken back to heaven (Acts 10:16).

He does so, and mentions the vision as he speaks to Cornelius, saying "God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean" (Acts 10:28, KJV).

Peter is instructed to "go with them, doubting nothing" (Greek: μηδεν διακρινομενος, mēden diakrinomenos, in verse 20),[18] an ambiguous verb with double meaning which can simply mean 'without hesitation' (as rendered in the New Revised Standard Version), or without doubt as to the lawfulness of doing so,[19] but also has the sense 'without making distinctions', 'without discrimination' (already implicit in Peter welcoming his gentile guests in verse 23).

[6] The constant repetition of narrative detail emphasizes Peter's dilemma (as in his vision) and helps readers to unfold with him the gradual steps of the new stage in God's plan for the non-Jews.

By then, Peter had already made the connection with the animal vision, that the prohibition against calling anything 'common or unclean' is not about food but about people he associates with (verse 28).

[21] At a precise concluding point of the sermon, the Holy Spirit intervened that 'all who heard the word' (verse 44) experienced the same charismatic experience as the Jewish disciples.