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Acts 10:9-16
New English Translation

9 About noon[a] the next day, while they were on their way and approaching[b] the city, Peter went up on the roof[c] to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came over him.[d] 11 He[e] saw heaven[f] opened[g] and an object something like a large sheet[h] descending,[i] being let down to earth[j] by its four corners. 12 In it[k] were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles[l] of the earth and wild birds.[m] 13 Then[n] a voice said[o] to him, “Get up, Peter; slaughter[p] and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!”[q] 15 The voice[r] spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not consider[s] ritually unclean!”[t] 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.[u]

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 10:9 tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”
  2. Acts 10:9 tn The participles ὁδοιπορούντων (hodoiporountōn, “while they were on their way”) and ἐγγιζόντων (engizontōn, “approaching”) have been translated as temporal participles.
  3. Acts 10:9 sn Went up on the roof. Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.
  4. Acts 10:10 tn The traditional translation, “he fell into a trance,” is somewhat idiomatic; it is based on the textual variant ἐπέπεσεν (epepesen, “he fell”) found in the Byzantine text but almost certainly not original.
  5. Acts 10:11 tn Grk “And he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
  6. Acts 10:11 tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
  7. Acts 10:11 tn On the heavens “opening,” see Matt 3:16; Luke 3:21; Rev 19:11 (cf. BDAG 84 s.v. ἀνοίγω 2). This is the language of a vision or a revelatory act of God.
  8. Acts 10:11 tn Or “a large linen cloth” (the term was used for the sail of a ship; BDAG 693 s.v. ὀθόνη).
  9. Acts 10:11 tn Or “coming down.”
  10. Acts 10:11 tn Or “to the ground.”
  11. Acts 10:12 tn Grk “in which.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.
  12. Acts 10:12 tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate. See also Gen 6:20, as well as the law making such creatures unclean food in Lev 11:2-47.
  13. Acts 10:12 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
  14. Acts 10:13 tn Grk “And there came.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  15. Acts 10:13 tn Grk “a voice to him”; the word “said” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
  16. Acts 10:13 tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (thuson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.
  17. Acts 10:14 tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akathartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.sn Peter insisted he would not violate the law by eating anything defiled and ritually unclean. These food laws were one of the practices that distinguished Jews from their Gentile neighbors. The practice made table fellowship with Gentiles awkward. For an example of Jewish attitudes to this, see Dan 1:8-16; 1 Macc 1:41-64; Letter of Aristeas 142; Tacitus, History 5.5.
  18. Acts 10:15 tn Grk “And the voice.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
  19. Acts 10:15 tn Or “declare.”
  20. Acts 10:15 sn For the significance of this vision see Mark 7:14-23; Rom 14:14; Eph 2:11-22. God directed this change in practice.
  21. Acts 10:16 tn Or “into the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
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Acts 10:34-47
New English Translation

34 Then Peter started speaking:[a] “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people,[b] 35 but in every nation[c] the person who fears him[d] and does what is right[e] is welcomed before him. 36 You know[f] the message[g] he sent to the people[h] of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace[i] through[j] Jesus Christ[k] (he is Lord[l] of all)— 37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced:[m] 38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth,[n] that[o] God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He[p] went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,[q] because God was with him.[r] 39 We[s] are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea[t] and in Jerusalem. They[u] killed him by hanging him on a tree,[v] 40 but[w] God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen,[x] 41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen,[y] who ate and drank[z] with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He[aa] commanded us to preach to the people and to warn[ab] them[ac] that he is the one[ad] appointed[ae] by God as judge[af] of the living and the dead. 43 About him all the prophets testify,[ag] that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins[ah] through his name.”

The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on[ai] all those who heard the message.[aj] 45 The[ak] circumcised believers[al] who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished[am] that[an] the gift of the Holy Spirit[ao] had been poured out[ap] even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising[aq] God. Then Peter said, 47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did,[ar] can he?”[as]

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 10:34 tn Grk “Opening his mouth Peter said” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  2. Acts 10:34 tn Grk “God is not one who is a respecter of persons,” that is, “God is not one to show partiality” (cf. BDAG 887 s.v. προσωπολήμπτης). L&N 88.239 translates this verse “I realize that God does not show favoritism (in dealing with people).” The underlying Hebrew idiom includes the personal element (“respecter of persons”) so the phrase “in dealing with people” is included in the present translation. It fits very well with the following context and serves to emphasize the relational component of God’s lack of partiality. The latter is a major theme in the NT: Rom 2:11; Eph 2:11-22; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1; 1 Pet 1:17. This was the lesson of Peter’s vision.
  3. Acts 10:35 sn See Luke 24:47.
  4. Acts 10:35 tn Or “shows reverence for him.”
  5. Acts 10:35 tn Grk “works righteousness”; the translation “does what is right” for this phrase in this verse is given by L&N 25.85.sn Note how faith and response are linked here by the phrase and does what is right.
  6. Acts 10:36 tn The subject and verb (“you know”) do not actually occur until the following verse, but have been repeated here because of the requirements of English word order.
  7. Acts 10:36 tn Grk “the word.”
  8. Acts 10:36 tn Grk “to the sons.”
  9. Acts 10:36 sn Peace is a key OT concept: Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15; also for Luke: Luke 1:79; 2:14; Acts 9:31. See also the similar phrase in Eph 2:17.
  10. Acts 10:36 tn Or “by.”
  11. Acts 10:36 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
  12. Acts 10:36 sn He is Lord of all. Though a parenthetical remark, this is the theological key to the speech. Jesus is Lord of all, so the gospel can go to all. The rest of the speech proclaims Jesus’ authority.
  13. Acts 10:37 tn Or “proclaimed.”
  14. Acts 10:38 sn The somewhat awkward naming of Jesus as from Nazareth here is actually emphatic. He is the key subject of these key events.
  15. Acts 10:38 tn Or “how.” The use of ὡς (hōs) as an equivalent to ὅτι (hoti) to introduce indirect or even direct discourse is well documented. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5 lists Acts 10:28 in this category.
  16. Acts 10:38 tn Grk “power, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
  17. Acts 10:38 tn The translation “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” is given in L&N 22.22.sn All who were oppressed by the devil. Note how healing is tied to the cosmic battle present in creation. Christ’s power overcomes the devil and his forces, which seek to destroy humanity.
  18. Acts 10:38 sn See Acts 7:9.
  19. Acts 10:39 tn Grk “And we.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
  20. Acts 10:39 tn Grk “the land of the Jews,” but this is similar to the phrase used as the name of the province of Judea in 1 Macc 8:3 (see BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b).
  21. Acts 10:39 tn Grk “in Jerusalem, whom they killed.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “him” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
  22. Acts 10:39 tn Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the 1st century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23. The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.
  23. Acts 10:40 tn The conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied in the context. This is technically asyndeton, or lack of a connective, in Greek.
  24. Acts 10:40 tn Grk “and granted that he should become visible.” The literal Greek idiom is somewhat awkward in English. L&N 24.22 offers the translation “caused him to be seen” for this verse.
  25. Acts 10:41 tn Or “the witnesses God had previously chosen.” See Acts 1:8.
  26. Acts 10:41 sn Ate and drank. See Luke 24:35-49.
  27. Acts 10:42 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
  28. Acts 10:42 tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn,” and such a meaning is highly probable in this context where a reference to the judgment of both the living and the dead is present. The more general meaning “to testify solemnly” does not capture this nuance.
  29. Acts 10:42 tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
  30. Acts 10:42 tn Grk “that this one is the one,” but this is awkward in English and has been simplified to “that he is the one.”
  31. Acts 10:42 tn Or “designated.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “the one appointed by God as judge” for this phrase.
  32. Acts 10:42 sn Jesus has divine authority as judge over the living and the dead: Acts 17:26-31; Rom 14:9; 1 Thess 5:9-10; 1 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5.
  33. Acts 10:43 tn Or “All the prophets testify about him.” Although modern English translations tend to place “about him” after “testify” (so NIV, NRSV) the phrase “about him” has been left at the beginning of v. 43 for emphatic reasons.
  34. Acts 10:43 sn Forgiveness of sins. See Luke 24:47; also Acts 14:23; 19:4; 9:42; 11:17; 16:31. The gospel is present in the prophetic promise, Rom 1:1-7. The message is in continuity with the ancient hope.
  35. Acts 10:44 tn Or “came down on.” God now acted to confirm the point of Peter’s speech.
  36. Acts 10:44 tn Or “word.”
  37. Acts 10:45 tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
  38. Acts 10:45 tn Or “The Jewish Christians”; Grk “The believers from the circumcision.”
  39. Acts 10:45 sn The Jewish Christians who were with Peter were greatly astonished because they thought the promise of the Spirit would be limited only to those of Israel. God’s plan was taking on fresh dimensions even as it was a reflection of what the prophets had promised.
  40. Acts 10:45 tn Or “because.”
  41. Acts 10:45 tn That is, the gift consisting of the Holy Spirit. Here τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumatos) is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Spirit.
  42. Acts 10:45 sn The gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out. Cf. the account in Acts 2, especially 2:33. Note also Joel 2:17-21 and Acts 11:15-18.
  43. Acts 10:46 tn Or “extolling,” “magnifying.”
  44. Acts 10:47 tn Grk “just as also we.” The auxiliary verb in English must be supplied. This could be either “have” (NIV, NRSV) or “did” (NASB). “Did” is preferred here because the comparison Peter is making concerns not just the fact of the present possession of the Spirit (“they received the Spirit we now possess”), but the manner in which the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house received the Spirit (“they received the Spirit in the same manner we did [on the day of Pentecost]”).
  45. Acts 10:47 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “can he?” The question is rhetorical. Peter was saying these Gentiles should be baptized since God had confirmed they were his.
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