New King James Version
Acts 10:11
11and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.
Acts 10:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
- New International Version (NIV)He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners.
Context of Acts 10:11
9The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
Read all of Acts 10Acts 10:11 word by word
καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγμένον καὶ καταβαῖνον σκεῦός τι ὡς ὀθόνην μεγάλην τέσσαρσιν ἀρχαῖς καθιέμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- sawθεωρέωtheōreō · to see/experienceG2334
- heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- openedἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
- a certainτιςtis · oneG5100
- vesselσκεῦοςskeuos · vesselG4632
- descendingκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
- untoἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- it had been a greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
- sheetὀθόνηothonē · sheetG3607
- knitδέωdeō · to bindG1210
- at the fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
- cornersἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
- let downκαθίημιkathiēmi · to lowerG2524
- the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
Cross-references for Acts 10:11
- Acts 7:56and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
- Ezekiel 1:1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
- Luke 3:21When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.
- John 1:51And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
- Revelation 4:1After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
- Revelation 11:19Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
- Revelation 19:11Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
- Genesis 49:10The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
- Isaiah 11:6“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them.
- Isaiah 19:23In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians.
- Isaiah 43:6I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
- Isaiah 56:8The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.”
- Matthew 8:11And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 13:47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,
- John 11:52and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
- John 12:32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
Commentaries on Acts 10:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11And saw heaven opened - His mind now entirely spiritualized, and absorbed in heavenly contemplation, was capable of discoveries of the spiritual world; a world which, with its , or plenitude of inhabitants, surrounds us at all times; but which we are incapable of seeing through the dense medium of flesh and blood, and their necessarily concomitant earthly passions. Much, however, of such a world and its economy may be apprehended by him who is purified…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11And saw heaven opened - Acts 7:56. See the notes on Matthew 3:16. This language is derived from a common mode of speaking in the Hebrew Scriptures, as if the sky above us was a solid, vast expanse, and as if it were opened to present an opportunity for anything to descend. It is language that is highly figurative. And a certain vessel - See the notes on Acts 9:15. As it had been - It is important to mark this expression. The sacred writer does not say…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-18Verses 9-18 The prejudices of Peter against the Gentiles, would have prevented his going to Cornelius, unless the Lord had prepared him for this service. To tell a Jew that God had directed those animals to be reckoned clean which were hitherto deemed unclean, was in effect saying, that the law of Moses was done away. Peter was soon made to know the meaning of it. God knows what services are before us, and how to prepare us; and we know the meaning of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-16God gave Peter the same vision three times to confirm it was true (see Genesis 41:32; 2 Corinthians 13:1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-169-16. upon the housetop--the flat roof, the chosen place in the East for cool retirement. the sixth hour--noon.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 10:11
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries