Acts 10:9-33

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 10:9-18

Cornelius had received positive orders from heaven to send for Peter, whom otherwise he had not heard of, or at least not heeded; but here is another difficulty that lies in the way of bringing them together?the question is whether Peter will come to Cornelius when he is sent for; not as if he thought it below him to come at a beck, or as if he were afraid to preach his doctrine to a polite man as Cornelius was: but it sticks at a point of conscience. Cornelius is a very worthy man, and has... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 10:19-33

We have here the meeting between Peter the apostle, and Cornelius the centurion. Though Paul was designed to be the apostle of the Gentiles, and to gather in the harvest among them, and Peter to be the apostle of the circumcision, yet it is ordered that Peter shall break the ice, and reap the first-fruits of the Gentiles, that the believing Jews, who retained too much of the old leaven of ill-will to the Gentiles, might be the better reconciled to their admission into the church, when they... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 10:9-16

10:9-16 On the next day, when they were on the way and when they were getting near the city, about midday Peter went up to the housetop to pray. He became hungry and he wanted something to eat. When they were preparing the meal a trance came upon him. He saw the heavens opened and he saw a kind of vessel coming down. It was like a great sheet and it was let down by the four corners to the earth. On it there were all four-footed animals, all animals that creep on the earth and all that fly in... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 10:17-33

10:17-33 When Peter was at a loss in his own mind to know what this vision could mean, look you, the men who had been sent by Cornelius had asked their way to Simon's house and stood at the door. They spoke and asked if Simon who was also called Peter was lodging there. When Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look you, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and go with them without any hesitation, because it is I who sent them." So Peter came down to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 10:9

On the morrow, as they went on their journey ,.... From Caesarea to Joppa; Joppa is said to be six and thirty miles distant from Caesarea; so far Caesarea was from Lydda, but it seems to be further from Joppa; for according to Josephus F2 Antiqu. l. 13. c. 13. , from Joppa to Antipatris were a hundred and fifty furlongs, which are almost nineteen miles, and from thence to Caesarea were twenty six miles; unless there was a nearer way by the sea shore, as there was a way by that from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 10:10

And he became very hungry ,.... It being in the middle of the day, when it was usual to eat; and perhaps he had ate nothing that day, for those were reckoned the most religious persons, who eat nothing before the Minchah: and would have eaten ; though the Jews say F5 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Sabbat. ib. , a man ought not to eat near the Minchah, not even the least, lest he should continue at it, and so neglect his prayers: but while they made ready , while Simon's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 10:11

And saw heaven opened ,.... Not literally, as at the baptism of Christ, and the stoning of Stephen; but in a visionary way, and which was an emblem of the opening and revealing the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles, which in other ages was not made known, as it now and afterwards was: and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet : which seems to represent the church of God, whose original is from heaven, and consists of persons born from above, who have... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 10:12

Wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth ,.... Not as if they were painted upon it, and these were only pictures and representations of them made on the linen sheet; but as if they really add actually were upon it alive; since Peter is afterwards called upon to kill and eat: and these design four-footed beasts of every kind, that are tame, as distinct from the wild ones, after mentioned, as horses, camels, oxen, sheep, hogs, dogs, &c.; and wild beasts ; lions,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 10:13

And there came a voice to him ,.... Formed by an angel, or rather by Christ himself: rise, Peter, kill and eat ; he might be on his knees when he fell into this trance, being at prayer, and therefore is bid to rise; and he is called by name, the more to encourage him to do as he was ordered; and he is bid to kill and eat of all the creatures without distinction, which were represented to him in the sheet; and the design of this was to teach him, that both the distinction between clean... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 10:14

But Peter said, not so, Lord ,.... God forbid I should do this, so contrary to the law of God, and to my own practice, throughout the whole course of my life: for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean ; in a ceremonial sense, which was in common use with Gentiles, but unclean by the law of Moses: this shows that Peter as yet closely adhered to the ceremonial law, nor did he know that it was abolished by Christ; and notwithstanding the commission given to him and the rest... read more

Group of Brands