Acts 11:8 Meaning and Explanation
“But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Peter protests: nothing common or unclean has ever entered his mouth.
What Does Acts 11:8 Mean?
Peter answers heaven with a contradiction — Not so, Lord — backed by a lifetime of evidence. His scruple is real devotion: the food laws had marked Israel as holy among the nations, and Peter has never once broken them. Even in a vision he will not lightly let go of what God once commanded.
There is honesty worth imitating here: Peter speaks his objection to the Lord instead of hiding it. But the verse also shows how a faithful past can resist a greater present — Not so and Lord sit uneasily in one sentence. If He is Lord, He may lead beyond what we have always done; and He is patient with the struggle, repeating the lesson three times.
Acts 11:8 in the Original Language
koinos (κοινός), 'common' -- ordinary or ritually impure, unfit for holy use.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 11:8
What does Acts 11:8 mean?
Peter protests: nothing common or unclean has ever entered his mouth.