Acts 10:28
in Acts 10He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean:
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.
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This verse in Acts 10
Commentary
15 notes on this verseFor even Peter, although he had been sent to instruct them, and had been constrained by a vision to that effect, spake nevertheless with not a little hesitation, saying to them: "Ye know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company with, or to come unto, one of another nation; but God hath shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I without gainsaying; " indicating by these words, that he would not have come to them unless he had been commanded.
This site's exposition
You know how unlawful it is
on Acts 10:28-29
Peter names the barrier first: You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him, a custom of the day with no written commandment behind it. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean, the voice's words about the animals now applied to people. He still asks why have you sent for me?
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
For which reason we think that no one is to be hindered from obtaining grace by that law which was already ordained, and that spiritual circumcision ought not to be hindered by carnal circumcision, but that absolutely every man is to be admitted to the grace of Christ, since Peter also in the Acts of the Apostles speaks, and says, "The Lord hath said to me that I should call no man common or unclean."
He knew this from the first, and plans his discourse beforehand with a view to it. Gentiles? What Gentiles henceforth? They were no longer Gentiles, the Truth being come. It is nothing wonderful, he says, if before the act of baptism they received the Spirit: in our own case this same happened. Peter shows that not as the rest either were they baptized, but in a much better way. This is the reason why the thing takes place in this manner, that they may have nothing to say, but even in this way may account them equal with themselves.
"And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. 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 showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean." Observe, he straightway speaks of the mercy of God, and points out to them that it is a great grace that God has shown them. Observe also how while he utters great things, at the same time he speaks modestly. For he does not say, We, being men who do not deign to keep company with any such, have come to you: but what says he? "Ye know" - God commanded this - "that it is against law to keep company with, or come unto, one of another nation." Then he goes on to say, "And to me God has shown" - this he says, that none may account the thanks due to him - "that I should call no man" - that it may not look like obsequiousness to him, "no human being," says he - "common or unclean." Do you mark Peter's freedom from all vainglory? But, that he is sent of God, this indeed he mentions; of the manner in which he was sent, he speaks not at present; when the need has arisen, seeing he had said, "Ye know that it is unlawful for a man that is a Jew to keep company with, or to come unto, one of another nation," he simply adds, "but to me God hath shown," etc. There is nothing of vainglory here. "All ye," he says, "know." He makes their knowledge stand surety for him.
A commentator
Ammonius of AlexandriaCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.28 · Written before 300.
proposed
We must note that God himself ordered the Christian people not to call anyone common or unclean but to associate with them as those who hope most of all for faith in Christ.
Besides, the Lord would not have been censured for partaking of food with Jews, but with heathens, from whose board the Jewish discipline excludes (its disciples).
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
And God showed me that no man should be called common or unclean. He undoubtedly showed this when the angelic voice sounded: What God has purified, do not call common.
He discusses the love of God for mankind and shows that God granted them great gifts, and at the same time speaks of something great, yet speaks with humility. Because he did not say: "People! We have come to you, though we consider it unworthy …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And he said unto them,....
Cornelius declares the directions God gave to him to send for Peter, and that it was purely in obedience to those directions that he had sent for him. Then we are right in our aims, in sending for and attending on a gospel-ministry, when we did it with a regard to the divine appointment instituting that ordinance and requiring us to make use of it.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
Ye 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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Ye know it is . . . unlawful . . . for . . . a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation, &c.--There was no express prohibition to this effect, and to a certain extent intercourse was certainly kept up. (See the Gospel history, towards the end).
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
It 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 Lev 18:24-30; Deu 7:3-12; compare Ezr 9:11-12. This command the Jews perverted, and explained it as referring to contact of all kinds, even to the exercise of friendly offices and commercial transactions. Compare Joh 4:9. Of another nation - Greek: another tribe. It refers here to all who were not Jews. God hath showed me - Compare Act 15:8-9. He had showed him by the vision, Act 10:11-12. Any man common or unclean - See the notes on Act 10:14. That no man was to be regarded as excluded from the opportunity of salvation, or was to be despised and abhorred. The gospel was to be preached to all; the barrier between Jews and Gentiles was broken down, and all were to be regarded as capable of being saved.
The words behind it
25 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἔφη | ephe | He was saying | G5346 → | 66 times |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτούς· | autous | them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὑμεῖς | humeis | You yourselves | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐπίστασθε | epistasthe | know | G1987 → | 14 times |
| ὡς | hos | how | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ἀθέμιτόν | athemiton | unlawful | G111 → | |
| ἐστιν | estin | it is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἀνδρὶ | andri | for a man | G435 → | 216 times |
| Ἰουδαίῳ | ioudaio | Jewish | G2453 → | 192 times |
| κολλᾶσθαι | kollasthai | to unite himself | G2853 → | 12 times |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| προσέρχεσθαι | proserchesthai | to come near | G4334 → | 86 times |
| ἀλλοφύλῳ· | allophulo | to [someone] foreign; | G246 → | |
| κἀμοὶ | kamoi | And to me | G1473 →G2532 → | 839 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἔδειξεν | edeixen | has shown | G1166 → | |
| μηδένα | medena | nothing | G3367 → | 90 times |
| κοινὸν | koinon | common | G2839 → | 14 times |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| ἀκάθαρτον | akatharton | unclean | G169 → | 32 times |
| λέγειν | legein | to call | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἄνθρωπον, | anthropon | man, | G444 → | 549 times |
ἔφηHe was saying
epheG5346 →66 times
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτούς·them;
autousG846 →5565 times
ὑμεῖςYou yourselves
humeisG4771 →2973 times
ἐπίστασθεknow
epistastheG1987 →14 times
ὡςhow
hosG5613 →500 times
ἀθέμιτόνunlawful
athemitonG111 →
ἐστινit is
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἀνδρὶfor a man
andriG435 →216 times
ἸουδαίῳJewish
ioudaioG2453 →192 times
κολλᾶσθαιto unite himself
kollasthaiG2853 →12 times
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
προσέρχεσθαιto come near
proserchesthaiG4334 →86 times
ἀλλοφύλῳ·to [someone] foreign;
allophuloG246 →
κἀμοὶAnd to me
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
ἔδειξενhas shown
edeixenG1166 →
μηδέναnothing
medenaG3367 →90 times
κοινὸνcommon
koinonG2839 →14 times
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
ἀκάθαρτονunclean
akathartonG169 →32 times
λέγεινto call
legeinG3004 →1325 times
ἄνθρωπον,man,
anthroponG444 →549 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 18:28Then they led Jesus away from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
it leads to
- John 18:33
Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
- John 19:9
and he went back into the Praetorium. “Where are You from?” he asked. But Jesus gave no answer.
- Matthew 27:27
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company around Him.
- Mark 15:1–5
Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.
- John 18:33
Through
John 4:9“You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
it leads to
- 2 Kings 17:24–41
Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in…
- John 8:48
The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”
- Matthew 10:5
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.
- 2 Kings 17:24–41
Through
John 4:27Just then His disciples returned and were surprised that He was speaking with a woman. But no one asked Him, “What do You want from her?” or “Why are You talking with her?”
it leads to
- Luke 7:39
When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she…
- Luke 7:39
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies7
About Acts
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ammonius of Alexandria, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.28; Bede, Commentary on Acts; Cyprian, Epistle LVIII; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book III; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 24; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 23; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, On Modesty and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.