Acts 11:9

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’

American Standard Version (1901)

But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.

Bible in Basic English

But the voice, coming a second time from heaven, said, What God has made clean, do not you make common.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the voice answered again from heaven: What God hath made clean, do not thou call common.

Free Bible Version

The voice from heaven spoke again, and said, ‘Don't you call unclean what God has made clean!’

Geneva Bible 1599

But the voyce answered me the seconde time from heauen, The things that God hath purified, pollute thou not.

King James (Authorized) Version

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

Plain English Version

Then I heard that voice from the sky again. It said, ‘If God says that something is good, don’t say it is no good.’

Translation for Translators

God spoke from heaven to me a second time, ‘I am God, so if I have made something acceptable to eat, do not say that it is not acceptable to eat!’

Unlocked Literal Bible

But the voice answered again from heaven, “What God has declared clean, do not call unclean.”

Noah Webster Bible

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

World English Bible

But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’

Young's Literal Translation

and a voice did answer me a second time out of the heaven, What God did cleanse, thou — declare not thou common.

Context

Peter’s Report at Jerusalem

⁸‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’⁹But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’

Summary

In Acts 11:9, Peter receives a vision from God that challenges his understanding of clean and unclean foods. This vision serves as a metaphor for the inclusion of Gentiles in the Christian community, breaking down barriers of cultural and religious exclusivity. It signifies God's acceptance of all people, regardless of their background or ethnicity, into the family of believers. This pivotal moment in Peter's life marks a significant shift in the early church's mission to spread the Gospel to all nations, fulfilling the prophecy of God's salvation reaching the ends of the earth.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

But the voice answered me again from heaven,.... From whence the former voice came, and was the voice of the Lord, or of an angel of the Lord, and which answered him again, or a second time; not that it said to him a second time kill and eat, but what follows; what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common; that is, had declared to be clean and fit for use, and did not defile, and could not defile the man into whose mouth it entered, and therefore ought not to be pronounced unclean, and of a defiling nature; this Jesus Christ did, who is God over all blessed for ever, and by whose death an end was put to the ceremonial law, and the distinctions of meats by it; Mat 15:11.

Acts 11:9

Peter’s Report at Jerusalem

⁸‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’⁹But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’

American Standard Version (1901)

But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.

Bible in Basic English

But the voice, coming a second time from heaven, said, What God has made clean, do not you make common.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the voice answered again from heaven: What God hath made clean, do not thou call common.

Free Bible Version

The voice from heaven spoke again, and said, ‘Don't you call unclean what God has made clean!’

Geneva Bible 1599

But the voyce answered me the seconde time from heauen, The things that God hath purified, pollute thou not.

King James (Authorized) Version

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

Plain English Version

Then I heard that voice from the sky again. It said, ‘If God says that something is good, don’t say it is no good.’

Translation for Translators

God spoke from heaven to me a second time, ‘I am God, so if I have made something acceptable to eat, do not say that it is not acceptable to eat!’

Unlocked Literal Bible

But the voice answered again from heaven, “What God has declared clean, do not call unclean.”

Noah Webster Bible

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

World English Bible

But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’

Young's Literal Translation

and a voice did answer me a second time out of the heaven, What God did cleanse, thou — declare not thou common.