Acts 11:8

But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:1-18 The imperfect state of human nature strongly appears, when godly persons are displeased even to hear that the word of God has been received, because their own system has not been attended to. And we are too apt to despair of doing good to those who yet, when tried, prove very teachable. It is the bane and damage of the church, to shut out those from it, and from the benefit of the means of grace, who are not in every thing as we are. Peter stated the whole affair. We should at all times bear with the infirmities of our brethren; and instead of taking offence, or answering with warmth, we should explain our motives, and show the nature of our proceedings. That preaching is certainly right, with which the Holy Ghost is given. While men are very zealous for their own regulations, they should take care that they do not withstand God; and those who love the Lord will glorify him, when made sure that he has given repentance to life to any fellow-sinners. Repentance is God's gift; not only his free grace accepts it, but his mighty grace works it in us, grace takes away the heart of stone, and gives us a heart of flesh. The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See Acts 10:9-33.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3, 4. Thou wentest in … But Peter rehearsed the matter, &c.—These objectors scruple not to demand from Peter, though the first among the apostles, an explanation of his conduct; nor is there any insinuation on Peter's part of disrespect towards his authority in that demand—a manifest proof that such authority was unknown both to the complainers and to himself.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

St. Peter here avoucheth that he had lived in this ceremonial righteousness, though he thought himself far from being institled thereby.

Hath at any time entered into mouth; he abstained from all the appearances of that evil.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But I said, not so, Lord,.... For he took the voice he heard to be the voice of the Lord, and yet he was not obedient to the heavenly vision, and even though he was an hungry; which shows what a strict observer he was of the ceremonies of the law, and how much he was prejudiced in favour of them:

for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth; he had not suffered anything to come within his lips; he had not even tasted, and much less ate anything that was forbidden by the ceremonial law, so strictly had he observed it.

Geneva Study Bible

But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 11:8. εἰσῆλθεν, cf. Matthew 15:11; Matthew 15:17. Blass sees in the phrase “locutio hebraismum redolens,” cf. Acts 8:35; on the other hand the Hebraistic πᾶν of Acts 10:14 is omitted (Weiss).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - Ever for at any time, A.V. Acts 11:8