Acts 10:7

οἰκετῶν : one related to the οἶκος, a milder and a narrower term than δοῦλος, which would simply denote ownership; more closely associated with the family than other servants, οἰκέτας τε καὶ δούλους, cf. Romans 14:4; 1 Peter 2:18. εὐσεβῆ : not of itself showing that the soldier had entered into any relationship with the Jews, but in connection with Acts 10:2 it can scarcely imply less than in the case of Cornelius; of each it might be said, as of St. Paul in his service of Christ, δουλεύων τῷ Κ. μετὰ πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης (Acts 20:19), and both master and servant were about to become οἰκέται of a nobler household: οἰκεῖοι τοῦ Θεοῦί and συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων; see Acts 11:14. προσκαρτερούντων, see above on chap. Acts 1:14. A good reference is given by Wendt to Dem., 1386, 6, θεραπείνας τὰς Νεαίρᾳ τότε προσκαρτερούσας (so too Polyb., xxiv., 5, 3); but see on the other hand Blass, in loco. Kuinoel supposes that they acted as house-sentries, but there is no need to limit the service to that; cf. Acts 8:13, and LXX, Susannah, ver 6.