PETER'S VISION

Passage: Acts 10:9-23

Key verse: 13

NIV

Peter’s Vision(A)

9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof(B) to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.(C) 11 He saw heaven opened(D) and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

14 “Surely not, Lord!”(E) Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”(F)

15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”(G)

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

17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision,(H) the men sent by Cornelius(I) found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision,(J) the Spirit said(K) to him, “Simon, three[a] men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”(L)

21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”

22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man,(M) who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.”(N) 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius’s House

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers(O) from Joppa went along.(P)

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Footnotes
  1. Acts 10:19 One early manuscript two; other manuscripts do not have the number.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Peter's Vision

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, (A)Peter went up (B)on the housetop about (C)the sixth hour[a] to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into (D)a trance 11 and saw (E)the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; (F)for I have never eaten anything that is (G)common or (H)unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, (I)“What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what (J)the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, (K)the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering (L)the vision, (M)the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and (N)accompany them without hesitation,[b] for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and (O)God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by (P)a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and (Q)to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and (R)some of (S)the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

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Footnotes
  1. Acts 10:9 That is, noon
  2. Acts 10:20 Or accompany them, making no distinction
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Get up, Peter. Kill and eat! (9-16)

Peter was visiting Simon the tanner in Joppa. One day while waiting for lunch, he was praying on the roof. He fell into a kind of trance, and dreamed about a large sheet full of unclean animals, the kind he had been trained from his youth never to eat. When a voice from heaven said, 'Get up Peter. Kill and eat,' he objected. God rebuked him. He should not call unclean that which God has cleansed. God was breaking his Jewish pride and legalism.

2. Three men from Cornelius (17-23a)

While Peter was thinking about the vision, the men Cornelius had sent arrived. They were Gentiles, and they had been sent to Peter by God, for God was personally opening a door into his kingdom for the Gentile world. Peter was obedient to God's Spirit. He ignored Jewish tradition, welcomed the Gentiles into his home as his guests, and ate with them.

Prayer: Lord, make my conscience a slave to your word, not a slave to my own feelings and ideas. Help me to obey your Spirit.

One Word: Follow God's word, not feelings