Acts 10 16

Acts 10:16 kjv

This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

Acts 10:16 nkjv

This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Acts 10:16 niv

This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Acts 10:16 esv

This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

Acts 10:16 nlt

The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.

Acts 10 verses

Acts 10 16 Meaning

The verse signifies a divinely orchestrated event designed to demonstrate God's impartial love for all people, breaking down religious and social barriers between Jews and Gentiles. It highlights God's power to reveal His will through supernatural means, specifically through a vision, leading to a pivotal moment in early Christianity. This event marks the official opening of the Gospel to the Gentile world.

Acts 10 16 Context

The events of Acts 10 unfold in Caesarea. Peter, the apostle, a prominent figure in the early Jewish Christian church, receives a vision. This vision occurs at the house of Simon the tanner, a detail significant for its symbolic implication as tanning was considered an unclean profession by Jewish law. The vision involves a sheet descending from heaven, filled with various animals, both clean and unclean according to the Mosaic Law. A voice commands Peter to kill and eat. When Peter refuses, citing his adherence to the Law, he is told, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." This vision is repeated three times. Simultaneously, Cornelius, a devout Gentile centurion in Caesarea, also receives a divine message, being directed to send men to fetch Peter. These parallel divine interventions set the stage for Peter's historic visit to Cornelius's house, marking a watershed moment in the early church's understanding of God's salvific plan, which explicitly includes the Gentiles. The prevailing understanding within Judaism and early Christianity was that salvation was primarily for the Jews. This chapter begins to dismantle that exclusive view.

Acts 10 16 Word analysis

• τρίς (tris): Greek word for "thrice" or "three times." This repetition emphasizes the divine insistence and importance of the message Peter received. It ensures that Peter fully grasps the vision's meaning and God's directive. The number three often signifies completion or divine confirmation in biblical narratives (e.g., Peter's denial and restoration).

• εὐθὺς (euthys): Greek word meaning "immediately" or "straightway." It conveys a sense of promptness and obedience in response to the divine vision and instruction, both on Peter's part and in the actions of Cornelius's men.

• εἶδεν (eiden): Third person singular aorist indicative of ὁράω (horaō), meaning "he saw." It signifies a clear visual perception of the event.

• τὸν οὐρανὸν (ton ouranon): Greek for "the heaven" or "the sky." The source of the vision is heavenly, indicating its divine origin and authority.

• ἀνεῳγμένον (aneōgmenon): Perfect passive participle of ἀνοίγω (anoigō), meaning "opened." This suggests that heaven, metaphorically, opened up to reveal this vision. It contrasts with the closed nature of perceived separation between God and the Gentiles.

• κατεβαῖνον (katebainon): Imperfect active indicative of καταβαίνω (katabainō), meaning "was descending" or "came down." The imperfect tense indicates a continuous or ongoing action as the sheet was coming down, allowing Peter to observe its contents fully.

• ἐπʼ αὐτό (ep' auto): Greek prepositional phrase meaning "upon it." This indicates the position of the container within the vision relative to the heavenly opening.

• σκεῦος (skeuos): Greek word meaning "vessel," "container," or "implement." In this context, it refers to the sheet filled with animals. The word "skeuos" can also be used metaphorically for persons (as in 2 Timothy 2:20-21), which is a layer of interpretation for the broader meaning of the passage concerning people.

• οἷον (hoion): Greek conjunction or adverb meaning "as," "like," or "such as." It introduces the description of the contents of the vessel.

• τεσσάρακοντα (tessarakonta): Greek numeral for "forty." The significance of this specific number here isn't explicit, but numbers in scripture often carry symbolic meaning or relate to periods of testing or completeness.

• ὀκτὼ (okto): Greek numeral for "eight." Combined with forty, perhaps signifying a multitude or a comprehensive sampling of types.

• καὶ (kai): Greek conjunction "and." It links the descriptions of the contents of the vessel.

• ὁμοῦ (homou): Greek adverb meaning "together" or "at once." This suggests all the animals were present together on the sheet, emphasizing the unity of all creatures within this divine presentation.

• Words Group Analysis: "τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγμένον καὶ κατεβαῖνον ἐπʼ αὐτὸ σκεῦός τι, οἷον τεσσάρακοντα καὶ ὀκτὼ" (the heaven having been opened, and a certain vessel like forty and eight descending upon it)This phrase collectively describes the supernatural, expansive, and revealing nature of the vision. The "opened heaven" signifies direct divine revelation and access, contrasting with earlier perceived limitations. The "vessel descending" suggests that God is bringing His provisions or revelations directly to humanity. The "forty and eight" creatures (though the number is debated in some manuscripts) imply a broad and diverse representation of the animal kingdom, setting the stage for God's inclusion of all types of people. This unified presentation in the vision emphasizes God's sovereign control over creation and His intent to redraw the lines of what is acceptable within His covenant.

Acts 10 16 Bonus section

The imagery of the sheet descending with diverse creatures has been interpreted by scholars as a prophetic enactment of the inclusion of Gentiles into the people of God. The specific number "forty and eight" is not found in other biblical texts with specific symbolic weight in this way, leading some to consider it as an exact enumeration of species known at the time or perhaps a textual variation. The underlying message, however, is consistent across all textual traditions: God declares all things cleansed through Christ's work, thereby removing the ceremonial barriers that separated peoples. This theological shift, initiated by this vision and experienced by Peter, directly impacted the trajectory of the early church, enabling its missionary expansion to the Gentile world as commanded in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

Acts 10 16 Commentary

This verse is a pivotal element in God's plan to expand the gospel. The repetition of the vision signals God's direct intervention in overriding long-standing Jewish dietary laws and, by extension, the separation between Jews and Gentiles. The "sheet" symbolizes God's provision and the broadening of His grace. Peter's initial reluctance highlights the deep-seated prejudices and religious traditions that the early church had to overcome. The number "forty and eight" likely emphasizes the totality and diversity of what God is presenting as acceptable, foreshadowing His acceptance of all who believe, regardless of their ethnic or cultural background. This vision directly confronts the exclusivity that had characterized the Old Covenant and ushers in the inclusive reality of the New Covenant in Christ. It's a divine "reset" for Peter's understanding of God's kingdom.