Acts 11:9 Meaning and Explanation
“But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The voice answers from heaven: what God has cleansed, Peter must no longer call common.
What Does Acts 11:9 Mean?
The voice replies with the sentence on which the whole chapter turns: What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. The verdict belongs to God alone. Peter's categories are not dismissed as worthless; they are overruled by a divine act — God has cleansed.
Here is the gospel in miniature: cleansing is God's work, and our labels must yield to it. Through the work of Christ, God was purifying hearts by faith, Gentile as well as Jew (15:9). Whenever we are tempted to write off a person or a people, this voice still answers from heaven: where God has cleansed, no one may hang an unclean sign.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 11:9
What does Acts 11:9 mean?
The voice answers from heaven: what God has cleansed, Peter must no longer call common.