Acts 11:8 kjv
But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
Acts 11:8 nkjv
But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.'
Acts 11:8 niv
"I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'
Acts 11:8 esv
But I said, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'
Acts 11:8 nlt
"'No, Lord,' I replied. 'I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure or unclean. '
Acts 11 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 10:14 | But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything common or unclean." | Peter's initial objection in the original vision |
| Lev 11:4 | Nevertheless, among those that chew the cud or have a split hoof, you shall not eat these: ...the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. | Source of Mosaic dietary laws, forbidden foods |
| Deut 14:3 | You shall not eat any abomination. | Prohibition of detestable things |
| Eze 4:14 | Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I have never defiled myself...nor has unclean meat come into my mouth." | Ezekiel's adherence to purity laws |
| Dan 1:8 | But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine that he drank. | Resolve to maintain dietary purity |
| Mark 7:18-19 | And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him...Thus he declared all foods clean." | Jesus declaring all foods clean |
| Matt 15:11 | It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person. | Internal defilement matters most |
| Acts 10:15 | And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common." | God's redefinition of clean and common |
| Acts 15:7-9 | After much debate, Peter stood up and said...God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them...by giving them the Holy Spirit...making no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. | Jerusalem Council confirms Gentile inclusion, no distinction |
| Rom 14:14 | I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. | Food purity redefined by conscience |
| Rom 14:20 | Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. | Christian freedom and consideration for others |
| Col 2:16-17 | Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. | Old Covenant rituals are shadows, not essentials |
| Heb 9:10 | (concerning food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation). | Ceremonial laws as temporary regulations |
| 1 Tim 4:4-5 | For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. | God's creation is good; sanctified by prayer |
| Titus 1:15 | To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but even their minds and their consciences are defiled. | Purity comes from within |
| Jer 31:31-34 | "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah..." | Prophecy of the New Covenant replacing old |
| Isa 66:17 | "Those who sanctify and purify themselves...eating pig's flesh, detestable things, and mice, shall come to an end together," declares the LORD. | Illustrates the severity of Mosaic defilement, before the new revelation |
| 2 Cor 3:6 | ...who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. | Spirit-led New Covenant vs. Law's letter |
| Acts 2:38-39 | And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized...For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." | God's inclusive calling for "all who are far off" |
| John 21:18 | Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you and bring you where you do not wish to go. | Peter learning to follow God's surprising path |
Acts 11 verses
Acts 11 8 Meaning
Acts 11:8 records Peter's emphatic objection during his vision, where he vehemently states that he has never allowed anything ritually 'common' or 'unclean' to enter his mouth. This verse reflects his deep-seated adherence to the Mosaic dietary laws, which for centuries had been a foundational element of Jewish identity and religious purity. It reveals Peter's initial reluctance and even shock at the divine command that appeared to contradict his lifelong understanding of God's precepts concerning ceremonial clean and unclean distinctions.
Acts 11 8 Context
Acts 11:8 is a pivotal line within Peter's defensive account to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. Having returned from his unprecedented mission to the Gentile centurion Cornelius, Peter faced scrutiny from circumcised believers who heard that he had "gone in to uncircumcised men and had eaten with them" (Acts 11:3). Peter, therefore, recounts the entire extraordinary vision from Acts 10 where a sheet descended from heaven containing all kinds of "four-footed animals and reptiles and birds of the air." This specific verse is Peter's spontaneous protest to the divine command "Rise, Peter; kill and eat," mirroring his initial reaction as recorded in Acts 10:14. It highlights the profound cultural and religious barrier Peter had to overcome—one ingrained from birth—before he could embrace God's expansive plan for Gentile inclusion into the nascent Christian community without adherence to the full Mosaic Law. The historical context is a Jewish believer steeped in generations of strict legalistic observance, confronted by a new revelation that transcended these very traditions to establish a unified body in Christ.
Acts 11 8 Word analysis
- But I said, ‘Not so, Lord,’: Peter's immediate and emphatic objection (μὴ δαμῶς, mē damōs), meaning "By no means!" or "Certainly not!" This strong negation reveals his internal conflict and deep-seated conviction concerning his religious practices. Though he addresses God as "Lord" (Κύριε, Kyrie), acknowledging divine authority, his response reflects a struggle between that authority and his understanding of previous divine commands (the Law). This highlights the radical nature of the new revelation, which challenged his prior theological framework.
- for nothing common or unclean: This phrase encapsulates the core of Peter's objection, referencing categories defined by Mosaic Law.
- common (κοινὸν, koinon): Refers to things ritually defiled or profaned. In a Jewish context, 'common' food was that which was not prepared according to specific purity regulations, rendering it unfit for consumption by a devout Jew. It does not necessarily mean intrinsically bad but separated from ritual purity.
- or unclean (ἢ ἀκάθαρτον, ē akatharton): Denotes something inherently ritually impure or forbidden according to the Levitical laws (e.g., specific animals listed in Lev 11). These were not just profaned by association but were forbidden in themselves.
- The juxtaposition of koinon and akatharton emphasizes Peter's comprehensive adherence to all purity standards—both that which was rendered impure and that which was inherently so.
- has ever entered my mouth. (ουδεπoτε εισηλθεν εις το στομα μου, oudepote eisēlthen eis to stoma mou): This statement serves as Peter's testimony of his lifelong, meticulous obedience to the Mosaic dietary laws. It demonstrates his sincere piety and deep reverence for the Law, underscoring the spiritual crisis he experienced in the vision. It conveys the unblemished record he held regarding his purity, making the divine command all the more unsettling and transformative for him.
Acts 11 8 Bonus section
- The phrase "Not so, Lord" ("Μὴ δαμῶς, Κύριε") highlights Peter's dilemma: his conviction was so strong that it initially overruled his recognition of divine authority. This demonstrates that even God's closest disciples can initially misunderstand or resist new revelations that challenge their entrenched traditions.
- This verse marks a critical juncture in early church history, symbolizing the dismantling of ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law, specifically dietary laws, as a prerequisite for salvation or fellowship within the Christian community. It sets a theological precedent for the universal outreach of the gospel.
- Peter's experience serves as an archetypal lesson in discerning God's ongoing revelation and willingness to discard human traditions (even those once divinely sanctioned) when God introduces a new covenantal order. It required a profound humility for Peter to yield to this surprising command.
Acts 11 8 Commentary
Acts 11:8 is more than just Peter's refusal to eat; it's a profound statement of his steadfast commitment to the Jewish identity defined by the Mosaic Law. His "Not so, Lord" highlights the immense barrier that God Himself needed to dismantle within His chosen vessel before the Gospel could truly transcend cultural and religious boundaries. This deeply personal response underscores the magnitude of the shift from the Old Covenant's external regulations of purity to the New Covenant's internal purification by Christ, extending grace to all people without prior legalistic conformity. It powerfully illustrates how God orchestrates events, even repeatedly (as the vision occurred three times), to overcome deep-seated prejudices and lead His servants into broader understanding of His will. Peter's momentary resistance perfectly sets the stage for God's radical redefinition of "clean" not based on ceremonial law, but on His divine declaration and the spiritual cleansing through faith in Christ, opening the doors wide for the Gentiles. This incident exemplifies the truth that God often challenges our comfortable, traditional understandings to reveal a more expansive and inclusive divine plan.