Acts 10:11
What does Acts 10:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 10:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 10:11 means
In his trance, Peter saw the heavens open and a large sheet-like vessel descending, lowered by its four corners to the earth. This imagery emphasizes the heavenly origin and divine authority of the vision. The sheet's expansive size and descent to earth symbolize God's intention to bring a universal message, breaking through earthly barriers and human distinctions. This sets the stage for the controversial contents within the sheet.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth:
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And he saw the heavens opening, and a vessel coming down, like a great cloth let down on the earth,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and he doth behold the heaven opened, and descending unto him a certain vessel, as a great sheet, bound at the four corners, and let down upon the earth,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And he saw the heaven opened and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great linen sheet let down by the four corners from heaven to the earth:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890and he beholds the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as a great sheet, [bound] by [the] four corners [and] let down to the earth;
Context
Building on Peter's trance, this verse describes the initial visual of his profound vision. The opening of heaven and the descending sheet are powerful symbols of divine communication and a deliberate act from God. This imagery immediately precedes the revelation of what is contained within the sheet, which will present a direct challenge to Peter's deeply held Jewish beliefs about purity.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ephesians 1:10
unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say,
- John 1:51
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
- Galatians 2:15
We being Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
- Matthew 8:11
And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:
- Ephesians 3:6
to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
- Ezekiel 1:1
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourthmonth, in the fifthdayof the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
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