Acts 10:17

Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate.

The timing of all events is ordered by the infinite God; and it is obvious in Acts that the inspired prophets and evangelists of the apostolic age regarded the timing of events with the utmost attention. Thus, it appeared in Acts 5:9 that the return of the young men who had buried Ananias, their feet being that very moment "at the door," was one of the circumstances that enabled Peter to know that Sapphira would also die. Here also, the appearance of the three messengers from Cornelius coinciding so exactly with a vision repeated three times to Peter, certainly must have assisted the apostle in relating the two occurrences.

It would appear from the time of their arrival that Cornelius had not delayed his response to the angel's command, a noon arrival of his emissaries in Joppa being just about the earliest that was possible in view of the distance.