Acts 10:35

“But in every nation, etc.] In any Gentile nation in the Roman empire, and in any part, even in Scythia, or in the most uncultivated parts of the universe, as well as in Judea: he that feareth him; God, not with a slavish fear, or with the fear of punishment to be inflicted by him, with a fear of hell and damnation, with which Cain, Pharaoh, Judas, and even the devils themselves have feared him; nor with an hypocritical fear; but with a godly filial fear; which is a new covenant blessing, springs from the love of God, is a grace implanted in the soul and regeneration, and includes all true religion, both external and internal; and faith among the rest, without which it is impossible to please…”

“But in every nation--not (observe), in every religion; according to a common distortion of these words. he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness--This being the well-known phraseology of the Old Testament in describing the truly godly man, within the pale of revealed religion, it cannot be alleged that Peter meant it to denote a merely virtuous character, in the heathen sense; and as Peter had learned enough, from the messengers of Cornelius and from his own lips, to convince him that the whole religious character of this Roman officer had been moulded in the Jewish faith, there can be no doubt that the apostle intended to describe exactly such saintship--in its internal spirituality…”

“But in every nation ... - This is given as a reason for what Peter had just said, that God was no respecter of persons. The sense is, that he now perceived that the favors of God were not confined to the Jew, but might be extended to all others on the same principle. The remarkable circumstances here - the vision to him, and to Cornelius, and the declaration that the alms of Cornelius were accepted - now convinced him that the favors of God were no longer to be confined to the Jewish people, but might be extended to all. This was what the vision was designed to teach, and to communicate this knowledge to the apostles was an important step in their work of spreading the gospel. In every…”

“But in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness - He that, first, reverences God, as great, wise, good, the cause, end, and governor of all things; and secondly, from this awful regard to him, not only avoids all known evil, but endeavours, according to the best light he has, to do all things well; is accepted of him - Through Christ, though he knows him not. The assertion is express, and admits of no exception. He is in the favour of God, whether enjoying his written word and ordinances or not. Nevertheless the addition of these is an unspeakable blessing to those who were before in some measure accepted. Otherwise God would never have sent an angel from heaven to direct…”

“in: Act 15:9; Isa 56:3-8; Rom 2:13, Rom 2:25-29, Rom 3:22, Rom 3:29, Rom 3:30, Rom 10:12, Rom 10:13; Co1 12:13; Gal 3:28; Eph 2:13-18, Eph 3:6-8; Phi 3:3; Col 1:6, Col 1:23-27, Col 3:11 feareth: Act 10:2, Act 9:31; Job 28:28; Psa 19:9, Psa 85:9, Psa 111:10; Pro 1:7, Pro 2:5, Pro 3:7, Pro 16:6; Ecc 12:13; Co2 7:1; Eph 5:21; Jo1 2:29 is: Gen 4:5-7; Hos 8:13; Luk 1:28 \*marg. Eph 1:6; Heb 11:4-6 Acts 10:36”