And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance
English Standard Version (ESV)
God uses Peter's very real hunger as the backdrop for a supernatural encounter. The "trance" wasn't just an absence of mind, but a profound spiritual transport that made Peter's physical needs secondary to a divine revelation.
And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Peter waited for his meal, a hunger he felt deeply, he was overcome by a trance. This supernatural state, where his senses were suspended, served as a divine prelude to a radical vision. While he was in this extraordinary state, God began to reveal a profound shift in His plan concerning who belonged to Him.
Peter was hungry, but something else was happening – a deep connection with God was about to unfold. Discover how our physical needs can sometimes align with spiritual opportunities.
In Acts 10:10, Peter is experiencing intense hunger after a period of fasting and prayer. This physical state, combined with his earnest prayer, creates a unique openness. The text uses the Greek word ekstasis, often translated as 'trance' or 'ecstasy'. This wasn't just daydreaming; it was a state where his normal senses were suspended, allowing him to perceive a divine revelation.
Think of it like this: when our minds are intensely focused on God, our usual distractions fade. This intense focus, often born from prayer and sometimes even physical need like hunger, can lead to moments where God breaks through in extraordinary ways.
It's a reminder that God can use our everyday experiences, even our discomforts, to draw us closer and reveal His will.
Peter experiences a 'trance,' a state distinct from a normal vision. What does this tell us about how God communicates, especially when breaking through cultural barriers?
The trance Peter enters is described as an ekstasis – a state of being beside oneself, where the normal perception of reality is altered. The commentators note that while Cornelius had a vision with angels, Peter's experience was more of an 'ecstasy' where the mind was transported. This supernatural state is crucial because it allows Peter to receive a vision (the sheet with animals) that challenges his deeply ingrained Jewish understanding of clean and unclean foods.
God doesn't always communicate in ways we expect. This trance was not just about seeing something; it was about a divinely altered state that prepared Peter to receive a radical message. It enabled him to bypass his own cultural biases and be open to God's new direction.
Ask a follow-up
This is a powerful example of how God meets us where we are, even in our deeply held traditions, to expand our understanding and lead us into His purposes.
Understand the original words
ekstasis · Greek Noun
A state of being outside one's normal consciousness, where the mind is caught up in a visionary experience from God, distinct from normal dreams or waking states.
Peter's hunger and subsequent trance weren't just coincidental; they were divinely orchestrated to break down centuries of division and prepare him to welcome Gentiles into God's family, a radical shift in the early church's mission.
c. AD 30s
Early Jesus Movement in Judea
Following Jesus' death and resurrection, His disciples begin spreading the message of the Gospel, initially primarily to Jewish communities.
c. AD 30s
Cornelius, a Devout Roman Centurion
Cornelius, a centurion in the Roman army stationed in Caesarea Maritima, lives a devout life according to Jewish law, though not a convert himself.
c. AD 30s
Peter's Ministry in Joppa
The Apostle Peter is ministering in Joppa, a coastal city north of Caesarea, staying with Simon the tanner.
c. AD 30s
Divine Summons to Cornelius
An angel appears to Cornelius, instructing him to send men to Joppa to find and bring Peter.
c. AD 30s— this verse
Divine Summons to Peter
While praying on a rooftop in Joppa and experiencing intense hunger, Peter falls into a trance and receives a divine vision.
c. AD 30s
Arrival of Cornelius' Messengers
As Peter ponders the vision, the men sent by Cornelius arrive at the house, seeking him out.
c. AD 30s
Peter Preaches to Gentiles
Guided by the Spirit, Peter goes with the messengers to Cornelius' home, where he preaches the Gospel to the assembled Gentiles, leading to their conversion.
This passage also describes Balaam falling into a trance while receiving a divine message, highlighting how God can use altered states of consciousness to communicate His will.
2 Corinthians 12:2Paul refers to being 'caught up' to the third heaven, in or out of the body, a state similar to Peter's trance where the normal senses are suspended for spiritual revelation.
Daniel 10:8-10Daniel describes seeing a vision and falling into a trance, losing his strength and being unable to see, showing how profound divine encounters can affect physical and sensory experience.
Acts 22:17Peter himself recalls another instance where he fell into a trance while praying in the temple, underscoring that such ecstatic states were a recognized way God communicated with him.
ellicottActs 10:10: "And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,"
(10) He fell into a trance. —St. Luke characteristically uses, as in Acts 11:5 ; Acts 22:17 , the technical term ekstasis (whence our English ecstasy ) for the state which thus supervened. It is obvious that it might in part be the natural consequence of the protracted fast, and the intense prayer, possibly also of exposure under such conditions to the noontide sun. The state was one…
barnesActs 10:10: "And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,"
And he became very hungry - Prom the connection, where it is said that they were making ready, that is, preparing a meal, it would seem that this was the customary hour of dining. The Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans, however, had but two meals, and the first was usually taken about ten or eleven o'clock. This meal usually consisted of fruit, milk, cheese, etc. Their principal meal was ab…
God uses Peter's very real hunger as the backdrop for a supernatural encounter. The "trance" wasn't just an absence of mind, but a profound spiritual transport that made Peter's physical needs secondary to a divine revelation.
As Peter waited for his meal, a hunger he felt deeply, he was overcome by a trance. This supernatural state, where his senses were suspended, served as a divine prelude to a radical vision. While he was in this extraordinary state, God began to reveal a profound shift in His plan concerning who belonged to Him.
As Peter waited for his meal, a hunger he felt deeply, he was overcome by a trance. This supernatural state, where his senses were suspended, served as a divine prelude to a radical vision. While he was in this extraordinary state, God began to reveal a profound shift in His plan concerning who belonged to Him.
"And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance" — God uses Peter's very real hunger as the backdrop for a supernatural encounter. The "trance" wasn't just an absence of mind, but a profound spiritual transport that made Peter's physical needs second…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026