Acts 10 32

Acts 10:32 kjv

Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

Acts 10:32 nkjv

Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.'

Acts 10:32 niv

Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.'

Acts 10:32 esv

Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.'

Acts 10:32 nlt

Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.'

Acts 10 verses

Acts 10 32 Meaning

Acts 10:32 is a direct instruction from God, delivered by an angel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion. It commands Cornelius to send messengers to Joppa to summon Peter, specifically identifying him by his full name, Peter, and his lodging situation at the house of a tanner named Simon by the sea. This divine directive sets in motion the crucial encounter between Peter and Cornelius, which profoundly shapes the early Christian understanding of the inclusion of Gentiles into the covenant people of God.

Acts 10 32 Context

Acts chapter 10 marks a pivotal moment in the expansion of the early Church, narrating the conversion of Cornelius and his household—the first recorded Gentile conversions through direct apostolic preaching, not preceded by Judaic proselytism. The chapter begins with Cornelius, a devout Roman centurion, experiencing a vision of an angel who commands him to send for Simon Peter from Joppa. Simultaneously, Peter in Joppa has his transformative vision of the sheet containing all manner of ritually unclean animals, followed by a divine voice instructing him to "kill and eat," signifying that God has cleansed what was once considered defiled. Acts 10:32 directly transmits the angel's precise instruction to Cornelius, guiding his messengers to locate Peter, whose lodging at a tanner's house already signaled a significant step beyond traditional Jewish purity customs. Historically, Joppa was a busy port city and the trade of a tanner, which involved handling dead animals, was considered ritually defiling for devout Jews, making Peter's stay there a tangible symbol of the dismantling of ritualistic barriers. This verse, therefore, bridges Cornelius's divinely initiated search with Peter's preparation to receive God's expanded mission to the Gentiles.

Acts 10 32 Word analysis

• Send (πέμψον - pempson): This is an aorist active imperative verb, meaning a direct and urgent command. It signifies an act of commission, dispatching individuals on a specific task.
• therefore (οὖν - oun): A postpositive conjunction, indicating a logical consequence or a continuation from a previous statement. Here, it connects Cornelius's immediate action to the angel's preceding instruction (Acts 10:5).
• to Joppa (εἰς Ἰόππην - eis Ioppēn): "Joppa" (modern Jaffa) was an ancient port city on the Mediterranean coast of Judea. Its significance lies as a strategic hub and a place Peter was already ministering (Acts 9:36-43), preparing him for this next divine appointment.
• and call (καὶ μεταπέμψαι - kai metapempsai): "Call for" is also an aorist middle infinitive used imperatively, denoting the purpose of sending. It means to summon, send for, or invite someone to come.
• Simon (Σίμωνα - Simōna): Refers to the original name of the Apostle Peter. The repeated mention of "Simon" twice in the verse clarifies the identity of both Peter and his host.
• who is surnamed (τὸν ἐπικαλούμενον - ton epikaloumenon): A present passive participle, meaning "who is called by the additional name of" or "who bears the appellation." It denotes a secondary or distinguishing name, emphasizing that this is the renowned apostle.
• Peter (Πέτρον - Petron): The Aramaic name Cephas, given by Jesus, meaning "rock" or "stone" (Jn 1:42, Matt 16:18). It signifies his unique apostolic authority and identity within the early Church.
• he is lodging (ξενίζεται - xenizetai): A present passive indicative verb, meaning "he is entertained as a guest," "he is a guest," or "he is staying." It indicates temporary residence and receiving hospitality, significant given the host.
• in the house (ἐν οἰκίᾳ - en oikia): Denotes the specific location within which Peter is residing, emphasizing a private dwelling rather than a public inn.
• of Simon, a tanner (Σίμωνος βυρσέως - Simōnos byrseōs): Crucial detail. A tanner was a craftsperson who processed animal hides, making leather. This trade involved handling dead animals and using strong, unpleasant chemicals, making it ritually unclean (tameh) for strict Jews according to Levitical law (Lev 11:39-40, Num 19:11-22) and an occupation often located outside city limits due to smell and perceived impurity. Peter, a devout Jew, staying in such a home signals his openness to God's broader work even before the rooftop vision. This detail prefigures the dismantling of purity barriers central to Acts 10.
• by the sea (παρὰ θάλασσαν - para thalassan): Provides a specific geographical detail that would aid in locating the house. Tanners often set up shop near water sources for their trade, reinforcing the realism of the setting.

Words-group analysis:

• "Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon": This phrase functions as a clear, divinely authoritative command. It illustrates God's active involvement in orchestrating events and bringing key figures together, laying the groundwork for the radical expansion of the Gospel.
• "Simon who is surnamed Peter": This complete identification ensures no confusion regarding which Simon is to be summoned. It highlights his apostolic stature and the divine call on his life, linking him back to Jesus's commissioning.
• "he is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea": This highly descriptive phrase is central to Luke's narrative strategy. It provides precise location data while subtly foreshadowing the dramatic challenge to Jewish purity laws that is about to unfold. Peter's willingness to lodge with a tanner already demonstrates a degree of openness that prepares him for his encounter with Cornelius and the subsequent realization that "God shows no partiality" (Acts 10:34).

Acts 10 32 Bonus section

The specific address provided to Cornelius in Acts 10:32—lodging at the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea in Joppa—serves multiple layers of purpose beyond mere logistics. It reinforces Luke's careful and often geographically precise narration, which historically has been affirmed. From a symbolic standpoint, the tanner's house stands as a significant textual cue, signifying God's direct intervention in dismantling ritual barriers that had long separated Jews from Gentiles. Before Peter received his own revelatory vision (Acts 10:9-16), his presence in this "unclean" environment already challenged Jewish legalistic traditions regarding purity, laying groundwork for his subsequent acceptance of a Gentile invitation. It speaks to God's methodology of progressively revealing His will and preparing His servants, using their circumstances (even seemingly inconvenient or culturally taboo ones) to shape their understanding for a larger mission. This deliberate detail in the text is a literary and theological masterstroke, efficiently communicating the tension of the old covenant and the radical inclusivity of the new.

Acts 10 32 Commentary

Acts 10:32 is a remarkable instance of divine specificity and foreshadowing. The precise instructions given to Cornelius to summon Peter, including the exact address at a tanner's house by the sea in Joppa, highlight God's meticulous oversight in directing the course of redemptive history. This verse is not merely an itinerary; it is pregnant with theological significance. Peter's choice of lodging, mentioned twice by Luke (Acts 9:43, 10:32), reveals a key aspect of his character at this juncture: a degree of practical independence from the most rigid interpretations of Jewish purity laws, which would typically preclude a devout Jew from staying in a tanner's ritually "unclean" home. This openness, subtly embedded in the detail of the verse, pre-positions Peter both geographically and spiritually for the monumental shift represented by the inclusion of uncircumcised Gentiles into the Church without first becoming Jewish proselytes. It emphasizes God's providence and the Spirit's preparatory work, not only in Cornelius's heart but also in Peter's, to overcome deeply ingrained cultural and religious barriers. The divine specificity guarantees the right meeting at the right time and place, for the right purpose: to launch the multi-ethnic church.