Acts 10:14

Acts 10:14 Meaning and Explanation

But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

King James Version (KJV)

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Peter refuses: he has never eaten anything common or unclean.

What Does Acts 10:14 Mean?

Peter's protest is the protest of a faithful man — Ezekiel answered almost the same way when tested (Ezekiel 4:14). His whole life has been shaped by the food laws that marked Israel as set apart, and he will not lightly let them go. Yet there is a strain in his words: Not so, Lord — refusal addressed to the very one he calls Lord.

Our most settled instincts of conscience can be sincere, rooted in Scripture, and still due for the Lord's enlarging. Peter is not rebuked for his faithfulness; he is being led through it to something wider. When obedience and habit collide, the question is always which voice is speaking now.

Acts 10:14 in the Original Language

koinos (κοινός), 'common' -- ritually ordinary or defiled; unfit for a people set apart as holy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 10:14

What does Acts 10:14 mean?

Peter refuses: he has never eaten anything common or unclean.

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