{Devout} (euseb(8873)). Old word from eu (well) and
sebomai (to worship, to reverence), but rare in the N.T. ( Ac
10:2,7  2Pe 2:1 ). It might refer to a worshipful pagan ( Ac
17:23 , sebasmata, objects of worship), but connected with "one
that feared God" (phoboumenos ton theon) Luke describes "a
God-fearing proselyte" as in  10:22,35 . This is his usual term
for the Gentile seekers after God ( 13:16, 26  17:4,17 , etc.),
who had come into the worship of the synagogue without
circumcision, and were not strictly proselytes, though some call
such men "proselytes of the gate" (cf.  Ac 13:43 ); but clearly
Cornelius and his family were still regarded as outside the pale
of Judaism ( 10:28,34  11:1,8  15:7 ). They had seats in the
synagogue, but were not Jews. {Gave much alms} (poi(936e)
eleemosunas pollas). Doing many alms (the very phrase in  Mt
6:2 ), a characteristic mark of Jewish piety and from a Gentile
to the Jewish people. {Prayed} (deomenos). Begging of God.
Almsgiving and prayer were two of the cardinal points with the
Jews (Jesus adds fasting in his picture of the Pharisee in  Mt
6:1-18 ).