And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter boldly declares that God has revealed a profound truth: the very concept of calling any person "common or unclean" is no longer valid. This isn't just about social etiquette; it’s a radical redefinition of who belongs, shattering the deeply ingrained religious and cultural barriers that separated Jews from Gentiles.
And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter is explaining to Cornelius and his household why he, a Jew, has entered a Gentile home, which was strictly forbidden by Jewish custom and social norms. He clarifies that this isn't a casual visit but a direct revelation from God, shown through a vision, that he should no longer consider any person "common" or "unclean" based on their ethnicity.
Peter starts by acknowledging a deeply ingrained Jewish practice. But was it a rule from God, or something else?
Peter confronts the reality of Jewish social customs. He acknowledges it was considered 'unlawful' for a Jew to associate with Gentiles. This wasn't necessarily a direct command from God's law, but rather a human tradition that had grown over centuries. Think of it like a long-standing rule in a family or community that everyone follows, even if its original 'why' is a bit fuzzy. This tradition created a huge 'partition wall' (as some early commentators noted), making Jews and Gentiles feel like they belonged to entirely different worlds. The very dust of a Gentile city was seen as defiling by some!
Peter reveals a revolutionary truth revealed to him: the categories of 'common' and 'unclean' no longer apply to people. What does this mean for us?
The core of Peter's revelation is a paradigm shift from God. His vision wasn't just about food, but about people. God shows Peter that the distinctions between 'common' and 'unclean' people, which had defined Jewish identity and separation for so long, are now obsolete. This is because Jesus' redemption is for all humanity. God is no longer saying 'you' (Jews) and 'them' (Gentiles). He's saying 'us.' Sin is what truly separates us from God, not our nationality or background. This means every person, regardless of their past or social standing, has the potential for a renewed relationship with God.
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athemitos · Greek Adjective
Refers to that which is strictly forbidden by the Mosaic Law or the oral traditions/halakhah developed by Jewish leaders regarding social contact with Gentiles. It denotes a breach of ritual or moral standards according to the Jewish interpretation of the Law.
koinos · Greek Adjective
The state of being ordinary or profane; in a religious context, it refers to that which is not set apart for holy use or that which does not meet the standards of ritual purity required for divine worship. God declares that through the Gospel, no person is outside the reach of His grace.
akathartos · Greek Adjective
Culturally and religiously "polluted" or "defiled," rendering one unfit to enter the presence of God or participate in the covenant community. In the New Covenant, the distinction between "clean" and "unclean" is redefined by God's transformative grace in Christ.
c. 200 BC - 150 BC
Hasmonean Kingdom Expansion
Following the Maccabean Revolt, the Hasmonean kingdom expanded, bringing many non-Jewish populations under Jewish rule and increasing close contact, but also strictures, between Jews and Gentiles.
c. 63 BC
Roman Conquest of Judea
Rome conquered Judea, leading to a significant increase in interaction between Jewish and Roman (Gentile) cultures and societies, often marked by tension and distinct social boundaries.
c. 20 BC - AD 40
Herodian Dynasty and Roman Influence
Under the Herodian kings and Roman governors, Judea experienced a period of significant construction and political maneuvering, increasing opportunities for interaction and conflict between Jewish and Roman populations.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
Jesus' teachings and actions, including his interactions with Samaritans and Gentiles, began to challenge traditional Jewish exclusivism, though his followers were initially hesitant to extend his message broadly beyond Jewish circles.
c. AD 33-45
Early Jerusalem Church and Jewish Focus
The initial growth of Christianity centered in Jerusalem, with apostles primarily ministering to Jewish people. Gentile inclusion was a point of debate and gradual understanding.
c. AD 40-45
Scattering of Christians and Early Gentile Outreach
Following persecution, Christians scattered, leading to evangelism among Samaritans and Hellenistic Jews. Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch and the beginnings of outreach to Gentiles in Antioch marked significant steps.
c. AD 40-50— this verse
Peter's Vision and Cornelius' Household
Peter, while staying in Joppa, receives a powerful vision from God showing him that no person is to be considered common or unclean. This vision directly prepares him for his encounter with Cornelius, a Roman centurion, and his Gentile household.
This verse echoes Peter's realization by stating there is no Jew or Gentile in Christ, highlighting the breaking down of cultural and ethnic barriers in the new covenant.
Ephesians 2:14Paul describes Christ as the one who 'broke down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility,' which directly parallels Peter's experience of God tearing down the barrier between Jews and Gentiles.
Matthew 15:11Jesus declared that what enters the mouth does not defile a person, but what comes out of the mouth defiles them, challenging the outward purity rules that Peter was bound by and foreshadowing the shift in understanding uncleanness.
1 Timothy 4:4-5This passage teaches that everything God created is good and can be received with thanksgiving, and nothing is to be rejected as common, directly supporting Peter's new understanding that no person is common or unclean.
ellicottActs 10:28: "And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean."
(28) Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing. —St. Peter speaks from the standpoint of traditional Pharisaism rather than from that of the Law itself; but the feeling was widely diffused, and showed itself in forms more or less rigorous wherever Jews and heathens came i…
clarkeActs 10:28: "And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean."
Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing, etc. - He addressed the whole company, among whom, it appears, there were persons well acquainted with Jewish customs; probably some of them were Jewish proselytes. But God hath showed me, etc. - He now began to understand the im…
Peter boldly declares that God has revealed a profound truth: the very concept of calling any person "common or unclean" is no longer valid. This isn't just about social etiquette; it’s a radical redefinition of who belongs, shattering the deeply ingrained religious and cultural barriers that separated Jews from Gentiles.
Peter is explaining to Cornelius and his household why he, a Jew, has entered a Gentile home, which was strictly forbidden by Jewish custom and social norms. He clarifies that this isn't a casual visit but a direct revelation from God, shown through a vision, that he should no longer consider any person "common" or "unclean" based on their ethnicity.
Peter is explaining to Cornelius and his household why he, a Jew, has entered a Gentile home, which was strictly forbidden by Jewish custom and social norms. He clarifies that this isn't a casual visit but a direct revelation from God, shown through a vision, that he should no longer consider any person "common" or "unclean" based on their ethnicity.
"And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean." — Peter boldly declares that God has revealed a profound truth: the very concept of calling any person "common or unclean" is no longer valid. This isn't just about social etiquette; it’s a radical red…
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Last reviewed October 2026