And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The command "What God has made clean, do not call common" isn't just about food; it carries a radical implication for Peter and us. It means God's act of cleansing is the only authority, overriding human-made distinctions and prejudices about who or what is acceptable. This revelation directly challenges deeply ingrained ideas of purity and impurity, opening the door for previously excluded people to be welcomed into God's community.
And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter is in a trance, seeing a vision of animals being lowered in a sheet from heaven, with a voice telling him to kill and eat. He objects, citing Jewish dietary laws against eating "common" or unclean things, leading to a repeated divine instruction to not call "common" what God has made clean. This vision immediately precedes Peter's encounter with Cornelius' messengers, signaling a radical shift in God's plan to include Gentiles in his people.
Peter had a strict rulebook for life, especially when it came to food. But God's word can completely upend our carefully curated categories.
Peter's immediate reaction to the vision of unclean animals being declared clean reveals his deep-seated adherence to Jewish dietary laws.
A Lifetime of Rules
Peter's response, 'Not so, Lord; I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean,' (Acts 10:14) wasn't defiance, but an honest reflection of his upbringing and the Law of Moses. For centuries, these distinctions separated Israel from the surrounding nations, marking them as God's chosen people.
Divine Reclassification
But God's purpose in this vision was to show Peter that His perspective on 'clean' and 'unclean' was about to expand dramatically. The voice declares, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.' This is not about Peter's opinion or the tradition of his people, but about God's direct declaration. When God pronounces something clean, it is clean.
Beyond the Banquet Table
While the immediate context concerns food laws, the principle is far broader. It’s a powerful reminder that human distinctions and classifications, however well-intentioned or long-held, are secondary to God's divine reclassification. What God sets apart, we are not to defile or deem insignificant.
This divine reclassification wasn't just about food; it was a revolutionary step towards a radically inclusive message for all people.
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The vision of the clean and unclean animals, and the command to Peter, carried a profound theological meaning that shattered ethnic and religious barriers.
Breaking Down Walls
The commentators highlight that the distinction between clean and unclean foods was a key marker of separation between Jews and Gentiles. By declaring these animals clean and commanding Peter to eat them, God was symbolically stating that the barrier between Jew and Gentile was being removed. The 'common' people, previously excluded from full fellowship with God, were now being declared 'clean' through God's action.
A New Fellowship
This vision prepared Peter, and through him, the early church, to understand that the gospel message was not just for Jews. God was extending His kingdom, His cleansing, and His fellowship to people of all nations. The invitation to 'kill and eat' was an invitation to a new community where religious status and ethnic background no longer determined access to God.
God's Initiative, Not Ours
It's crucial to see this as God's initiative. He doesn't wait for human permission or for people to meet our standards. He declares people clean, invites them into His family, and then calls His followers to accept His reclassification. This radically inclusive embrace is the heart of the gospel.
Who gets to decide what is acceptable to God? This verse makes it clear that the authority rests solely with Him.
Peter’s hesitation stemmed from his understanding of God’s Law, but the vision corrects him by asserting God's ultimate authority over all definitions of purity.
God's Pronouncement is Final
The vision, and particularly the voice from heaven, emphasizes that 'what God has made clean' is the definitive statement. Peter's role was not to judge, but to obey the divine reclassification. The power to cleanse and to declare clean belongs exclusively to God. Human attempts to define or enforce purity outside of God’s decree are ultimately futile and presumptuous.
Resisting Human Definitions
Commentators note that 'common' (or 'unclean') was often used by Jews to distinguish themselves from Gentiles. This vision, and the subsequent ministry of Peter and Paul, dismantled such human-made distinctions. It warns against the arrogance of deeming others 'common' or 'unclean' based on our own limited perspectives or traditions. God’s standard is the only one that matters.
Implications for Belief and Practice
This principle extends beyond dietary laws. It applies to who is acceptable to God, what practices are holy, and how we should view different people. When God declares someone clean, who are we to call them common? This divine authority means we must constantly check our own judgments against God's Word, trusting His sovereign wisdom and His heart for all people.
Understand the original words
katharizō · Greek Verb
To be declared ceremonially pure, consecrated, or set apart for God's use. It signifies the removal of defilement, allowing something or someone to enter into the presence of the Holy God.
This verse marks a pivotal moment where God directly challenges centuries of division between Jews and Gentiles, using Peter's vision to reveal that His plan of salvation now encompasses all people, breaking down the ceremonial barriers that separated them.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Peter's Vision in Joppa
While praying and fasting on a rooftop, the Apostle Peter experiences a vision where a sheet filled with all kinds of animals, both clean and unclean according to Jewish law, is let down from heaven. A voice instructs him to kill and eat, but Peter refuses, citing his adherence to Jewish dietary laws. The voice repeats the command, stating, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.'
c. 30-33 AD
Messengers Arrive from Cornelius
Immediately following Peter's vision, Cornelius's messengers, sent from Caesarea, arrive in Joppa and inquire for him. The Holy Spirit prompts Peter to go with them, even though it is against Jewish custom to associate with Gentiles.
c. 30-33 AD
Peter Preaches to Cornelius and Gentiles
Peter travels to Caesarea and preaches the Gospel to Cornelius and his household, who are Gentiles. As he speaks, the Holy Spirit falls upon them, empowering them with spiritual gifts just as the Jewish believers had received.
c. 33-34 AD
Jerusalem Council Debates Gentile Inclusion
News of Gentiles receiving the Gospel without following Jewish law reaches the Jerusalem church. A council is convened, where Peter and Paul defend the inclusion of Gentiles, emphasizing that salvation comes through faith in Jesus, not adherence to the Mosaic Law.
c. 48-49 AD
Council of Jerusalem Affirms Gentile Believers
The Jerusalem Council officially declares that Gentile believers do not need to be circumcised or follow all aspects of Jewish law to be part of the body of Christ. This decision solidifies the break from strict ceremonial distinctions and broadens the scope of the Gospel.
Jesus declares all foods clean, a foundational teaching that directly underpins the vision God gives Peter, showing that outward purity laws do not define one's relationship with God.
Romans 14:14Paul echoes Jesus' teaching, stating 'I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it is unclean,' reinforcing the idea that purity is now defined by faith, not external rules.
Galatians 3:28This verse proclaims unity in Christ, stating there is 'no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' This directly relates to the breaking down of the 'common' (Gentile) vs. 'clean' (Jew) barrier that Peter's vision addresses.
Ephesians 2:14Paul describes Jesus as having 'broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility—that is, the law of commandments and ordinances,' which is precisely the wall Peter is being shown is now removed, allowing Gentiles equal access to God.
ellicottActs 10:15: "And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."
(15) What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. —In the framework of the vision, the clean and the unclean beasts stood on the same footing, were let down from heaven in the same sheet. That had purified them from whatever taint had adhered to them under the precepts of the Law. In the interpretation of the vision, all that belongs to humanity had been taken up into heave…
jfbActs 10:15: "And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."
- What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common—The ceremonial distinctions are at an end, and Gentiles, ceremonially separated from the chosen people (Ac 10:28), and debarred from that access to God in the visible ordinances of His Church which they enjoyed, are now on a perfect equality with them.
The command "What God has made clean, do not call common" isn't just about food; it carries a radical implication for Peter and us. It means God's act of cleansing is the only authority, overriding human-made distinctions and prejudices about who or what is acceptable. This revelation directly challenges deeply ingrained ideas of purity and impurity, opening the door for previously excluded people to be welcomed into God's community.
Peter is in a trance, seeing a vision of animals being lowered in a sheet from heaven, with a voice telling him to kill and eat. He objects, citing Jewish dietary laws against eating "common" or unclean things, leading to a repeated divine instruction to not call "common" what God has made clean. This vision immediately precedes Peter's encounter with Cornelius' messengers, signaling a radical shift in God's plan to include Gentiles in his people.
Peter is in a trance, seeing a vision of animals being lowered in a sheet from heaven, with a voice telling him to kill and eat. He objects, citing Jewish dietary laws against eating "common" or unclean things, leading to a repeated divine instruction to not call "common" what God has made clean. This vision immediately precedes Peter's encounter with Cornelius' messengers, signaling a radical shift in God's plan to include Gentiles in his people.
"And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”" — The command "What God has made clean, do not call common" isn't just about food; it carries a radical implication for Peter and us. It means God's act of cleansing is the only authority, overriding…
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Last reviewed October 2026