Acts 11:5
What does Acts 11:5 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 11:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 11:5 means
Peter began his defense by recalling his prayer experience in Joppa, where he entered a trance and saw a profound vision. This vision involved a large sheet descending from heaven, held by four corners, implying it was divinely sent and contained something significant. The setting of prayer emphasizes his spiritual receptivity, while the trance indicates a supernatural communication from God. This was the foundational experience that would reorient his understanding of purity and the inclusion of Gentiles.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even unto me:
KJV
King James Version · 1611I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even unto me:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949I was in the town of Joppa, at prayer: and falling into a deep sleep, I saw in a vision a vessel like a great cloth let down from heaven, and it came down to me:
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`I was in the city of Joppa praying, and I saw in a trance a vision, a certain vessel coming down, as a great sheet by four corners being let down out of the heaven, and it came unto me;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752I was in the city of Joppe praying: and I saw in an ecstasy of mind a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. And it came even unto me.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in an ecstasy I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending like a great sheet, let down by four corners out of heaven, and it came even to me:
Context
This verse begins Peter's detailed explanation of his actions, starting with the divine initiation of his journey to Cornelius. His description of the vision serves as the primary theological justification for his later association with Gentiles. This serves an important contextual purpose, allowing his audience in Jerusalem to retrace the divine commands that led him to disregard traditional Jewish distinctions, which he will continue to recount in the following verses until verse 10.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 22:17
And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,
- Ezekiel 2:9
And when I looked, behold, a hand was put forth unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;
- Acts 11:5
I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even unto me:
- Jeremiah 1:11
Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree.
- Amos 7:4
Thus the Lord Jehovah showed me: and, behold, the Lord Jehovah called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1
I must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
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