Discovery BoxActs 10:14-16 
Context10:14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!” 1 10:15 The voice 2 spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not consider 3 ritually unclean!” 4 10:16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven. 5
1 tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqarto") here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.
sn Peter insisted he would not violate the law by eating anything defiled and ritually unclean. These food laws were one of the practices that distinguished Jews from their Gentile neighbors. The practice made table fellowship with Gentiles awkward. For an example of Jewish attitudes to this, see Dan 1:8-16; 1 Macc 1:41-64; Letter of Aristeas 142; Tacitus, History 5.5.
2 tn Grk “And the voice.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
3 tn Or “declare.”
4 sn For the significance of this vision see Mark 7:14-23; Rom 14:14; Eph 2:11-22. God directed this change in practice.
5 tn Or “into the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
