Acts 11:9
New International Version
“The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’

New Living Translation
“But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’

English Standard Version
But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’

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

Berean Literal Bible
But for a second time the voice answered out of heaven, 'What God has cleansed, you do not call unholy.'

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

New King James Version
But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’

New American Standard Bible
But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’

NASB 1995
“But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’

NASB 1977
“But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’

Legacy Standard Bible
But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider defiled.’

Amplified Bible
But the voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘What God has cleansed and pronounced clean, no longer consider common (unholy).’

Christian Standard Bible
But a voice answered from heaven a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call impure.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But a voice answered from heaven a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call common.’”

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

Contemporary English Version
The voice from heaven spoke to me again, "When God says that something can be used for food, don't say it isn't fit to eat."

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"A voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Don't say that the things which God has made clean are impure.'

Good News Translation
The voice spoke again from heaven, 'Do not consider anything unclean that God has declared clean.'

International Standard Version
Then the voice from heaven answered a second time, 'You must stop calling common what God has made clean!'

Majority Standard Bible
But the voice spoke to me from heaven a second time, ?Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.?

NET Bible
But the voice replied a second time from heaven, 'What God has made clean, you must not consider ritually unclean!'

New Heart English Bible
But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, 'What God has cleansed, do not call unclean.'

Webster's Bible Translation
But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Weymouth New Testament
"But a voice answered, speaking a second time from the sky, "'What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy.'

World English Bible
But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and a voice answered me a second time out of Heaven, What God cleansed, you do not declare common.

Berean Literal Bible
But for a second time the voice answered out of heaven, 'What God has cleansed, you do not call unholy.'

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.

Smith's Literal Translation
And a voice answered me of a second time from heaven, What God cleansed, profane not.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the voice answered again from heaven: What God hath made clean, do not thou call common.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then the voice responded a second time from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, you shall not call common.’

New American Bible
But a second time a voice from heaven answered, ‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.’

New Revised Standard Version
But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But again the voice from heaven said to me, What God has cleansed, do not call unclean.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And again a voice said to me from Heaven: 'Whatever God has purified, you shall not make defiled.'
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But the voice answered me a second time from heaven, What God has cleansed, you must not call common.

Godbey New Testament
And a voice a second time was heard from heaven, Whatsoever things God has cleansed, consider thou not unconsecrated.

Haweis New Testament
But the voice replied the second time from heaven, What God hath cleansed, call not thou common.

Mace New Testament
but the voice from heaven address'd it self to me again, and said, don't call that impure, which God has purified.

Weymouth New Testament
"But a voice answered, speaking a second time from the sky, "'What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy.'

Worrell New Testament
But a voice answered a second time out of the heaven, 'What God cleansed, make not common.'

Worsley New Testament
And the voice answered me a second time from heaven, What God hath cleansed do not thou call polluted.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



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.’ 10This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven.…

Cross References
Acts 10:15
The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

Mark 7:18-19
“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, / because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)

Matthew 15:11
A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

Romans 14:14
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

1 Timothy 4:4-5
For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Genesis 9:3
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.

Leviticus 11:1-47
The LORD spoke again to Moses and Aaron, telling them, / “Say to the Israelites, ‘Of all the beasts of the earth, these ones you may eat: / You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. ...

Deuteronomy 14:3-21
You must not eat any detestable thing. / These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat, / the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. ...

Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. / “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Ezekiel 4:14
“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have not eaten anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”

Hosea 9:3
They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.

Daniel 1:8
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.

Matthew 15:17-20
“Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated? / But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. / For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. ...

Colossians 2:16-17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.

Galatians 2:11-14
When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. / For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group. / The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. ...


Treasury of Scripture

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

What.

Acts 10:28,34,35
And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean…

Acts 15:9
And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

1 Timothy 4:5
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

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Clean Cleanse Cleansed Common Consider Declare Heaven Impure Longer Purified Regard Second Sky Speaking Time Unclean Unholy Voice What
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Clean Cleanse Cleansed Common Consider Declare Heaven Impure Longer Purified Regard Second Sky Speaking Time Unclean Unholy Voice What
Acts 11
1. Peter, being accused for preaching to the Gentiles,
5. makes his defense;
18. which is accepted.
19. The gospel being spread in Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch,
22. Barnabas is sent to confirm them.
26. The disciples are first called Christians at Antioch.
27. They send relief to the brothers in Judea in time of famine.














But the voice spoke from heaven a second time
This phrase indicates divine communication, emphasizing the importance of the message. In biblical narratives, a voice from heaven often signifies God's direct intervention or revelation, as seen in the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:17). The repetition "a second time" underscores the necessity for Peter to understand and accept the message, highlighting the significance of divine patience and insistence.

‘Do not call anything impure
The term "impure" refers to the Jewish dietary laws outlined in Leviticus 11, which distinguished between clean and unclean animals. This distinction was central to Jewish identity and religious practice. The command challenges Peter's understanding of purity, which was deeply rooted in the Mosaic Law. This phrase signifies a shift from the old covenant to the new covenant, where external rituals are replaced by internal transformation.

that God has made clean.’
This statement reveals God's sovereign authority to redefine purity. It signifies the inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian faith, as God declares them clean through faith in Christ, not adherence to the Law. This echoes Jesus' teaching in Mark 7:18-19, where He declared all foods clean, foreshadowing the abolition of dietary restrictions. It also aligns with the prophecy in Isaiah 49:6, where salvation is extended to the ends of the earth, indicating the universal scope of the Gospel.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Peter
The apostle who receives the vision and is the central figure in this passage. He is a key leader in the early church and is known for his role in spreading the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles.

2. Voice from Heaven
Represents God's direct communication with Peter, emphasizing divine authority and instruction.

3. Vision of the Sheet
A pivotal event where Peter sees a sheet filled with various animals, symbolizing the breaking down of Jewish dietary laws and the inclusion of Gentiles in God's plan.

4. Joppa
The place where Peter is staying when he receives the vision. It is a coastal city in Judea, significant for its role in the early church's expansion.

5. Cornelius
Although not directly mentioned in this verse, Cornelius is a Gentile centurion whose household is the first to receive the Holy Spirit, illustrating the fulfillment of the vision.
Teaching Points
Divine Authority and Revelation
God's voice from heaven signifies His ultimate authority and the importance of divine revelation in guiding the church's mission.

Breaking Down Barriers
The vision challenges cultural and religious barriers, urging believers to embrace inclusivity and unity in Christ.

Obedience to God's Command
Peter's willingness to follow God's instruction, despite his initial hesitation, serves as a model for obedience and faithfulness.

Redefining Purity
The passage redefines purity from a focus on external rituals to an emphasis on the heart and spiritual cleanliness.

Mission to the Gentiles
This event marks a significant shift in the early church's mission, highlighting the universal scope of the Gospel.Verse 9. - A voice answered the second time out of for the voice answered me again from, A.V. and T.R.; make for call, A.V.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

the voice
φωνὴ (phōnē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5456: Probably akin to phaino through the idea of disclosure; a tone; by implication, an address, saying or language.

spoke
Ἀπεκρίθη (Apekrithē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 611: From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. to respond; by Hebraism to begin to speak.

from
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

heaven
οὐρανοῦ (ouranou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.

a second [time],
δευτέρου (deuterou)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 1208: Second; with the article: in the second place, for the second time. As the compare of duo; second.

‘Do not call anything impure
κοίνου (koinou)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2840: To make unclean, pollute, desecrate, mid: I regard (treat) as unclean. From koinos; to make profane.

that
(Ha)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

has made clean.’
ἐκαθάρισεν (ekatharisen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2511: To cleanse, make clean, literally, ceremonially, or spiritually, according to context. From katharos; to cleanse.


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