English Standard Version
Acts 10:28
28And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Acts 10:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.
Context of Acts 10:28
26But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man." 27And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me." 30And Cornelius said, "Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing
Read all of Acts 10Acts 10:28 word by word
ἔφη τε πρὸς αὐτούς· ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ὡς ἀθέμιτόν ἐστιν ἀνδρὶ Ἰουδαίῳ κολλᾶσθαι ἢ προσέρχεσθαι ἀλλοφύλῳ· κἀμοὶ ὁ θεὸς ἔδειξεν μηδένα κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον λέγειν ἄνθρωπον,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andτεte · and/bothG5037
- he saidφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Yeσύsu · youG4771
- knowἐπίσταμαιepistamai · to know/understandG1987
- how thatὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- it is an unlawful thingἀθέμιτοςathemitos · unlawfulG111
- for a manἀνήρanēr · manG435
- that isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- a JewἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- to keep companyκολλάωkollaō · to joinG2853
- orἤē · orG2228
- come untoπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
- one of another nationἀλλόφυλοςallophulos · foreignG246
- butκαίkai · andG2532
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- hath shewedδεικνύωdeiknuō · to showG1166
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- I shouldλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- notμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
- any manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- commonκοινόςkoinos · common: unsanctifiedG2839
- uncleanἀκάθαρτοςakathartos · uncleanG169
Cross-references for Acts 10:28
- Acts 11:2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying,
- Acts 22:21And he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
- John 4:9The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
- John 18:28Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.
- Galatians 2:12For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.
- Acts 10:15And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common."
- Acts 11:9But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.'
- Acts 15:8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,
- Isaiah 65:5who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you." These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
- Ephesians 3:6This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Commentaries on Acts 10:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing, etc. - He addressed the whole company, among whom, it appears, there were persons well acquainted with Jewish customs; probably some of them were Jewish proselytes. But God hath showed me, etc. - He now began to understand the import of the vision which he saw at Joppa. A Gentile is not to be avoided because he is a Gentile; God is now taking down the partition wall which separated them from the Jews.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28It is an unlawful thing - This was not explicitly enjoined by Moses, but it seemed to be implied in his institutions, and was, at any rate, the common understanding of the Jews. The design was to keep them a separate people. To do this, Moses forbade alliances by contract, or marriage, with the surrounding nations, which were idolatrous. See Leviticus 18:24-30; Deuteronomy 7:3-12; compare Ezra 9:11-12. This command the Jews perverted, and explained it as…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-33Verses 19-33 When we see our call clear to any service, we should not be perplexed with doubts and scruples arising from prejudices or former ideas. Cornelius had called together his friends, to partake with him of the heavenly wisdom he expected from Peter. We should not covet to eat our spiritual morsels alone. It ought to be both given and taken as kindness and respect to our kindred and friends, to invite them to join us in religious exercises…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 25-2925-29. as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him--a mark of the highest respect. fell down at his feet, and worshipped him--In the East this way of showing respect was customary not only to kings, but to others occupying a superior station; but among the Greeks and Romans it was reserved for the gods. Peter, therefore, declines it as due to no mortal [Grotius]. "Those who claim to have succeeded Peter, have not imitated this part of his conduct" [Alford]…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 10:28
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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