Acts 11:8

But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.

But {G1161} I said {G2036}, Not so {G3365}, Lord {G2962}: for {G3754} nothing {G3956} common {G2839} or {G2228} unclean {G169} hath {G1525} at any time {G3763} entered {G1525} into {G1519} my {G3450} mouth {G4750}.

I said, ‘No, sir! Absolutely not! Nothing unclean or treif has ever entered my mouth!’

‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth.

Acts 11:8 (KJV): "But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth."

Context

This verse is part of Peter's explanation to the apostles and brethren in Jerusalem concerning why he had associated with and preached the gospel to Gentiles in Caesarea. He is recounting the vision he received on the rooftop in Joppa, detailed in Acts chapter 10. In this vision, Peter saw a great sheet filled with all manner of fourfooted beasts, wild beasts, creeping things, and fowls of the air, and a voice commanded him to kill and eat. His response, recorded here and echoed in Acts 10:14, reveals his adherence to the Jewish dietary laws as prescribed in the Old Testament, which prohibited the consumption of certain animals deemed "unclean." His protest, "Not so, Lord," highlights the depth of his ingrained religious and cultural understanding.

Key Themes

  • Adherence to the Law: Peter's immediate reaction demonstrates his strict observance of the Mosaic Law, particularly the dietary regulations that distinguished between clean and unclean foods (Leviticus 11).
  • Resistance to Change: His firm refusal, even when commanded by a voice he recognizes as the Lord's, shows the human tendency to resist divine instruction that challenges long-held traditions or deeply ingrained beliefs.
  • The Abolition of Ceremonial Law: This verse sets the stage for God's revelation that the ceremonial distinctions, including dietary laws, which served to separate Israel from other nations, were being superseded in the new covenant. The vision's true purpose was to declare that Gentiles, previously considered "unclean" or "common" by Jewish standards, were now acceptable to God through faith in Christ, without needing to fully convert to Judaism first. Peter later articulates this understanding in Acts 10:28.

Linguistic Insights

The King James Version uses the terms "common" and "unclean." The Greek word for "common" is koinos (κοινός), which in this context refers to something ceremonially defiled or ritually impure, often through contact with something or someone considered "unclean." The word for "unclean" is akathartos (ἀκάθαρτος), which refers to something inherently impure or prohibited, particularly according to the Law's specifications.

Reflection

Peter's initial protest in Acts 11:8 reminds us that God's plans often challenge our comfort zones, traditions, and even deeply held religious views. His vision, and Peter's eventual understanding of it, was pivotal in opening the door for the gospel to spread to the Gentiles. It teaches us the importance of being open to God's leading, even when it contradicts our expectations or requires us to step outside familiar boundaries. Just as God declared what was previously considered unclean to be clean, the gospel message breaks down barriers, declaring all who come to Christ by faith to be accepted and cleansed, regardless of their background (see Galatians 3:28).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Romans 14:14

    I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that [there is] nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him [it is] unclean.

  • Hosea 9:3

    They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean [things] in Assyria.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:14

    For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

  • Ezra 9:11

    Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

  • Ezra 9:12

    Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave [it] for an inheritance to your children for ever.

  • Mark 7:2

    And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

  • Leviticus 11:47

    To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

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