Acts 11 9

Acts 11:9 kjv

But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Acts 11:9 nkjv

But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.'

Acts 11:9 niv

"The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.'

Acts 11:9 esv

But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.'

Acts 11:9 nlt

"But the voice from heaven spoke again: 'Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.'

Acts 11 verses

Acts 11 9 Meaning

This verse encapsulates God's clear, authoritative instruction to Peter during a vision, overriding traditional Jewish dietary and purity laws. It signifies that distinctions previously considered unclean or "common" by human religious tradition were now declared permissible and purified by divine decree. Fundamentally, this divine pronouncement was a critical step in preparing Peter for the radical inclusion of Gentiles into the early Christian community, removing barriers that separated Jew from non-Jew.

Acts 11 9 Context

Acts chapter 11 opens with Peter's return to Jerusalem, where he faces criticism from Jewish believers (those "of the circumcision") for having eaten with uncircumcised Gentiles at the house of Cornelius in Caesarea. These believers upheld traditional Jewish purity laws and perceived Peter's actions as a transgression against the Law of Moses. In response, Peter meticulously recounts the entire sequence of events, beginning with the vision on the rooftop. Acts 11:9 is a direct quotation of the second repetition of God's command within that vision, presented by Peter as divine justification for his interaction with Gentiles. This explanation underscores the pivotal theological shift God was initiating for the early Church—the inclusion of Gentiles not as proselytes who must convert to Judaism, but as full and equal members of the Body of Christ by faith.

Acts 11 9 Word analysis

• But the voice (Ἀλλὰ φωνὴ - Alla phōnē): The conjunction "but" (Ἀλλά) emphasizes a strong contrast, indicating a divine counter-argument to Peter's earlier resistance to eating the "unclean" animals. "Voice" (φωνή) indicates direct, audible communication from a divine source, emphasizing authority and intentionality. It's a hallmark of divine revelation, recalling instances like Mount Sinai.
• answered (ἀπεκρίθη - apekrithē): Implies Peter had previously spoken or offered an objection (as seen in Acts 10:14). God's "answer" is direct and specific, engaging with Peter's human perspective.
• a second time (ἐκ δευτέρου - ek deuterou): The repetition stresses the unwavering nature of God's command and reinforces its significance. It signals God's patience but also firmness in teaching Peter a crucial truth. Peter needed this emphasis to overcome deeply ingrained traditions.
• from heaven (ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ - ek tou ouranou): Explicitly indicates the divine origin and supreme authority of the command. This is not an earthly pronouncement but a word directly from God himself, leaving no room for human counter-argument on its legitimacy.
• What God (Ἃ ὁ Θεὸς - Ha ho Theos): "What" refers to the specific objects shown in the vision, the previously deemed unclean animals. The inclusion of "God" (ὁ Θεὸς) stresses His ultimate authority as the definer of cleanness and uncleanness, establishing new boundaries.
• has made clean (ἐκαθάρισεν - ekathárisen): This is a decisive aorist verb (Greek tense). Katharizó means "to make clean," "purify." The past tense signifies a completed action by God; He has already purified. This declaration by God is the purification, rendering former categories obsolete under the new covenant.
• do not call (μὴ κοίνου - mē koinou): A strong prohibitory command. The present imperative "do not be calling" implies stopping a present action or mindset. Peter is being told to fundamentally change his categorical thinking.
• common (koinou - κοινοῦ): From koinóō, meaning to make common, profane, or defile. In Jewish thought, "common" referred to something ritually impure, non-kosher, or secular—unfit for sacred use or consumption. This command directly challenges Peter's ingrained understanding of what renders a person or object defiled.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "But the voice answered... from heaven": This phrase asserts ultimate divine authority directly challenging Peter's preconceived notions. The celestial origin leaves no doubt regarding the binding nature of the command.
• "What God has made clean": Emphasizes God's sovereign prerogative to define purity. This isn't Peter making a judgment, but God himself issuing a decisive re-classification, reversing long-standing religious codes with his inherent power to declare things holy or clean.
• "do not call common": This command is pivotal. It prohibits Peter from applying former Jewish purity laws in judgment. It directly confronts Peter's immediate objection (Acts 10:14), dismantling the ritual distinctions between pure and impure foods, and by extension, between Jew and Gentile, whom these laws also symbolically separated.

Acts 11 9 Bonus section

The phrase "What God has made clean, do not call common" carries profound theological implications far beyond its immediate dietary context. It foreshadows the abolition of the ceremonial Law, specifically purity and food laws, as shadows fulfilled in Christ (Col 2:16-17; Heb 9:9-10). The divine cleansing here signifies the work of the Holy Spirit who removes the "commonness" of sin and unrighteousness, making individuals, both Jew and Gentile, fit for God's presence and kingdom (Tit 1:15). This declaration established a radical new standard for fellowship, rooted in Christ's finished work and God's sovereign acceptance, challenging human-made distinctions that often hinder the spread of the Gospel. It calls believers to re-examine what they label as "common" or "unclean" in their own lives and societies, particularly concerning other people whom God has redeemed.

Acts 11 9 Commentary

Acts 11:9 is not merely about dietary regulations; it is a foundational declaration of the universality of the Gospel and the dismantling of the spiritual barriers separating people groups. Peter's vision, culminating in this divine utterance, radically shifted his understanding and that of the early Church concerning Gentiles. God's act of "making clean" refers to His redemptive power through Christ that sanctifies and purifies, making previously "unclean" people (Gentiles) fully acceptable into His covenant. This single verse provided Peter the divine mandate to break from centuries of Jewish tradition that had fostered separation, leading to the evangelization of Cornelius's household and affirming God's inclusive plan for salvation extending beyond Israel. It highlights that true purity comes from God's decree and a regenerated heart, not from external ritual observance.