Acts 10:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered.

NIV: While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.

NASB: As he talked with him, he entered and *found many people assembled.

CSB: While talking with him, he went in and found a large gathering of people.

NLT: So they talked together and went inside, where many others were assembled.

KJV: And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.

NKJV: And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.

Peter was in Joppa, near modern-day Tel Aviv, where he had been called in to raise Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:36–43). While staying at the home of Simon, a tanner, he had a vision of a sheet filled with different animals. God's voice told him to kill and eat, but he refused since some of the animals were prohibited by the Mosaic law. As the vision faded, the Holy Spirit told him to go downstairs where three men had come for him (Acts 10:9–20).

The men had been sent by Cornelius, a centurion stationed in Caesarea. The next day, Peter and his escorts arrive at Cornelius' house. It's unclear what Peter expected to find, but probably not a house packed with Cornelius' family, household staff, some of his soldiers, and a whole lot of friends (Acts 10:24). Peter certainly didn't expect the Roman commander to kneel before him and worship him (Acts 10:25–26).

When Peter sees the crowd, he begins to understand the vision better. That he had invited the three messengers to stay at Simon's house and eat with them was significant, as Jews did not eat with Gentiles. Still, it was Simon's house, and the food would have been kosher. But now, Peter is in the home of a Gentile. Peter understands the vision wasn't primarily speaking of food, although Jesus had already obliquely declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19). Peter tells Cornelius, "But God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean" (Acts 10:28).

Does this mean Christians should indiscriminately socialize with anyone? Jesus certainly broke tradition by eating with tax collectors and "sinners" (Mark 2:15–17). But when He sent out the seventy-two, He told them to leave any place that rejected their message (Luke 10:10–12). It is good to go where the message of salvation through Jesus is needed, but if people refuse to listen, we need discernment as to how long to stay in their company (1 Corinthians 15:33). Striving to reach others does not require completely ignoring sin (1 Corinthians 5:9–13).

Acts 10:24–33 describes the onset of the last step of Jesus' command for the disciples: to share His story in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Upon an angel's prompting, a Roman centurion named Cornelius has sent for Peter. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit has been teaching Peter that Gentiles are no longer unclean (Acts 10:1–23). Peter will go to Cornelius and bear witness of Jesus. Everyone in earshot will believe Peter and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:34–48). The way will be open for Paul's ministry in Syria, modern-day Asia Minor, Macedonia, Greece, and Italy.

Peter has been a dominant voice in the spread of Jesus' message to Jews and proselytes. Now he brings the gospel to Gentiles. An angel tells Cornelius, a centurion, to ask Peter to come to him. Peter is praying when he receives a vision of food—including non-kosher food—and God's voice telling him to eat. When the centurion's messengers arrive, Peter realizes the dream meant that Gentiles are no longer unclean. He follows the messengers and tells Cornelius' household about salvation through Jesus. Before Peter can lay his hands on them or baptize them, the Holy Spirit falls on them.

Jesus told the disciples they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Oddly, the disciples didn't understand this meant the Holy Spirit would come upon Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles alike. After several years reaching Jews and proselytes in Jerusalem (Acts 1—7) and Samaritans in Samaria (Acts 8:4–25), God calls Peter to bring the message to Gentiles. Peter's witness that Gentiles can be saved (Acts 11) clears the way for Paul's ministry to Gentiles in modern-day Turkey, Greece, and Italy (Acts 13—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.