Bible Dictionaries
Cornelius

Holman Bible Dictionary

(cawr nee' lih uhss) A centurion in the Roman army who lived at Caesarea (Acts 10:1 ). Although he was a Gentile, he was a worshiper of the one true God. He also treated the Jewish people with kindness and generosity. After an angel appeared to this pious soldier, he sent to Joppa for Simon Peter, who came to him with the message of forgiveness of sins through faith in the crucified and risen Christ. Cornelius became a Christian as a result of this incident. His conversion marked the beginning of the church's missionary activity among Gentiles. It also helped to set the stage for an important early controversy in the church, for it raised the question of the possibility of salvation for those who were not Jews. See Peter; Acts .