Acts 10:15 kjv
And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
Acts 10:15 nkjv
And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common."
Acts 10:15 niv
The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
Acts 10:15 esv
And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common."
Acts 10:15 nlt
But the voice spoke again: "Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean."
Acts 10 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 11:47 | Distinction between clean and unclean | Core of the Mosaic dietary laws |
| Deut 14:3-21 | Lists of clean and unclean animals | Specific examples of forbidden foods |
| Isa 65:4 | Eating detestable things | Old Testament condemnation of unclean foods |
| Dan 1:8 | Daniel purposed not to defile himself | Daniel’s adherence to purity laws |
| Matt 15:11 | What goes into the mouth does not defile | Jesus teaches about inner purity over outer |
| Matt 15:16-20 | All foods are clean; defilement from the heart | Jesus expands on the true nature of defilement |
| Mark 7:15-23 | Nothing outside can defile a man | Mark echoes Jesus’ teaching on food purity |
| Mark 7:19 | Declares all foods clean | Explicit statement about the change in food laws |
| Acts 10:1 | Cornelius a devout man, giving alms, praying always | Context for Peter’s vision |
| Acts 10:9-16 | Peter’s vision of the great sheet | The specific vision Peter received |
| Acts 10:17 | Peter doubted the meaning of the vision | Peter’s initial confusion |
| Acts 10:28 | You yourselves know it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with a foreigner | The barrier the vision overcomes |
| Acts 10:34-35 | God shows no partiality; accepts those who fear Him | God’s acceptance of Gentiles |
| Acts 11:1-18 | Peter explains the vision to the Jerusalem believers | The significance of the vision is widely shared |
| Rom 14:14 | I am convinced by the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself | Paul affirms the purity of all foods |
| Rom 14:17 | For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace | True worship transcends food restrictions |
| Rom 14:20 | Everything is clean, but it is wrong for anyone to become a stumbling block | Cautionary note about causing others to stumble |
| 1 Cor 6:12-13 | All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful | Paul's nuance on Christian liberty |
| 1 Cor 10:23-25 | Eat anything sold in the meat market | Paul's practical application of food liberty |
| 1 Cor 10:27 | If one of the unbelievers invites you...eat anything set before you | Gentile believers can participate in meals |
| Gal 2:11-14 | Peter’s later dissimulation in Antioch | Shows the ongoing tension regarding Jewish practices |
| Eph 2:11-22 | The Gentiles are no longer strangers, but fellow citizens | Unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ |
| Col 2:16 | Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink | Challenging external legalistic regulations |
| Heb 9:10 | Ordinances related to foods and drink | Old covenant rituals concerning food |
| Heb 10:1-18 | The insufficiency of the old covenant sacrifices | The superiority of Christ’s sacrifice |
| Rev 21:27 | Nothing unclean will ever enter it | Future state where only the pure enter |
Acts 10 verses
Acts 10 15 Meaning
The vision conveyed to Peter in Acts 10:15 signifies a divine declaration that nothing God has made pure is to be considered common or unclean. This pivotal revelation dismantles ceremonial distinctions between clean and unclean foods, thereby paving the way for the inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian covenant without requiring adherence to the Mosaic dietary laws.
Acts 10 15 Context
Acts 10 unfolds a crucial turning point in early Christianity: the explicit inclusion of Gentiles. Peter, a leading apostle, experiences a profound vision in Joppa. While waiting for his meal, a sheet descends from heaven containing all manner of animals, birds, and reptiles, many of which were considered unclean under Mosaic Law. A voice commands Peter to "Kill and eat." This vision occurs as Cornelius, a devout Roman centurion and Gentile, is also receiving divine instruction to send for Peter. The chapter bridges the gap between Jewish believers, bound by the Law, and the Gentile world, previously separated by strict purity codes.
Acts 10 15 Word Analysis
"Then" (εἶτα - eita): Indicates sequence, connecting this event to what preceded it.
"a voice" (φωνὴ - phōnē): Refers to the audible communication of God’s message.
"said" (εἶπεν - eipen): Simple past tense verb indicating direct speech.
"to him" (πρός αὐτόν - pros auton): Direct object of the speaking.
"What" (Τί - Ti): Interrogative pronoun.
"God" (ὁ Θεός - ho Theos): The supreme being, the source of the revelation.
"has cleansed" (εκαθάρισεν - ekatharisen): Aorist tense, indicating a completed action in the past or a timeless truth being declared. This is key to the meaning of the verse.
"you" (σύ - sy): Peter, the direct recipient.
"call" (κοινόν - koinon): This is the crucial word. It means common, ordinary, or unclean. Here, it refers to the status of things deemed unclean by the Mosaic Law.
"common" (κοινόν - koinon): Repeated for emphasis, highlighting the core concept being overturned.
"Do" (ποιεῖτε - poieite): Present tense verb, suggesting a command to cease the practice of declaring things common.
Word Group Analysis:
- "What God has cleansed you must not call common." This phrase encapsulates the entire decree. The perfect tense of "cleansed" implies a divine act that supersedes human categorization of impurity. The imperative "must not call common" directly prohibits the perpetuation of the old distinction.
Acts 10 15 Bonus Section
The timing of Peter’s vision is critical. He was already grappling with hunger, a natural human state that primes him to receive instruction about sustenance. Furthermore, Cornelius’s parallel spiritual receptivity indicates God’s sovereign orchestration of events to bring about this integration. The concept of "common" (koinon) is deeply tied to ritual purity within Judaism, and God’s act of cleansing abolishes the need for such ritualistic separations between believers. This theological shift liberates the Gospel to transcend ethnic and cultural boundaries, making it truly universal. The "unclean" animals represented the Gentiles who were considered ritually impure and thus segregated from Jewish society and worship. Peter's subsequent explanation to the believers in Jerusalem (Acts 11:1-18) highlights the transformative impact of this divine communication.
Acts 10 15 Commentary
This verse is a cornerstone in understanding the unfolding of God's plan for the inclusion of Gentiles. Peter's vision wasn't merely about food but a symbolic representation of people. God declares through this revelation that the barriers separating Jews and Gentiles, particularly those established by the Mosaic dietary laws, were now rendered obsolete in Christ. The early church wrestled with this transition, as seen in later disputes about whether Gentiles needed to follow Jewish customs. This divine pronouncement grants Peter, and by extension the entire nascent church, the authority to embrace and welcome uncircumcised believers into the fellowship of Christ, free from the ceremonial distinctions of the Old Covenant.