Acts 10:15 (KJV)

What does Acts 10:15 mean?

Acts 10:15 means that God has declared something clean or pure, and therefore Peter should not consider it ordinary or unclean. The verse is a direct instruction to Peter not to reject what God has accepted, even if it goes against his previous understanding.

In this scene, Peter is having a vision where a voice from heaven speaks to him. The voice tells Peter, for the second time, not to call anything "common" (meaning unclean or impure) if God has cleansed it. This is part of a larger moment where Peter is being prepared to welcome Gentiles—non-Jews—into the community of believers, challenging long-held Jewish customs about food and people.

The Greek behind Acts 10:15

• "κοινόν" (koinon, translated "common"): This word often means something ordinary or ritually unclean. Here, it highlights the distinction Peter made between what was acceptable and unacceptable, especially regarding food and people.
• "ἐκαθάρισεν" (ekatharisen, translated "cleansed"): This verb means to make clean or pure. The Greek emphasizes that the cleansing is God's action, not Peter's or anyone else's.
• "καθάρισον" (katharison, translated "call not thou common"): The Greek word here is related to the idea of declaring something unclean or unworthy. The command is for Peter to change his perspective based on God's declaration.

Why Acts 10:15 matters

• Acts 10:15 clears up the misunderstanding that certain foods or people are permanently unacceptable to God; it shows that God's acceptance overrides human traditions.
• The verse is a turning point in Acts, preparing Peter to visit Cornelius, a Gentile, and marking the beginning of the gospel spreading beyond the Jewish community.
• The repeated message ("the second time") emphasizes how important this lesson is for Peter and for the early church, signaling a major shift in how believers are to view purity and inclusion.