Peter wanted to hear from Cornelius himself why he had been summoned. Gill notes that Peter did not ask "as ignorant of the true cause," since the messengers had already told him. Rather, "he was willing to have it from the mouth of Cornelius himself; not only for further confirmation's sake, but for order sake." Matthew Henry says Peter asks "wherein he might be serviceable to them." Peter also made clear that he came "without gainsaying," which Barnes explains as "without hesitation or reluctance." His question opened the door for Cornelius to tell what God had done.

Cornelius told the whole story: four days earlier, while he prayed at the ninth hour, "a man stood before me in bright clothing" and said his prayer was heard and that he should send for Peter (Acts 10:30-32). He ended, "Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God" (Acts 10:33). Peter then began to speak: "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34).

Peter had just reminded the gathering that "it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation" (Acts 10:28). Barnes says this separation "was not explicitly enjoined by Moses, but it seemed to be implied in his institutions." Gill, by contrast, says it was "forbidden by the law of Moses" (Deuteronomy 7:2) and by the traditions of the elders, "which carry the matter further than the law did."

"Without gainsaying" translates the Greek anantirrhetos, which Thayer defines as "without contradiction." It appears only here in the New Testament. Gill explains it as coming "readily and cheerfully, without objecting to it, or saying one word against it."

Peter's question brought two stories together. Peter had his vision of clean and unclean; Cornelius had his angel. When Cornelius told his side, Peter saw what God had been doing all along and declared, "God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him" (Acts 10:34-35).

Peter heard it from a Gentile's own lips, in a Gentile's own house. The question "for what intent ye have sent for me?" opened the way for the gospel to reach this Gentile household (Acts 10:44; Acts 11:18).