And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
Parallel translations
- WEB He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,
- BSB He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
- NKJV and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.
- NASB and he *saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,
- NLT He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Peter saw heaven open and a great sheet lowered to earth. God presents a vision that will redefine boundaries.
Overview
The opened heaven signals a fresh revelation from God. The descending sheet filled with creatures sets up the command that follows. This vivid imagery prepares Peter to grasp that God is doing something new in extending the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 26
- Eph 3:6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
- John 1:51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
- Rom 16:25–26Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
- Matt 8:11And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
- Rev 4:1After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
- Rev 11:19And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
- Gen 49:10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
- Gal 2:15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
- Rev 19:11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
- Isa 19:23–25In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.
- Isa 56:8The Lord GOD, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
- Gal 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
- Ezek 1:1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
- Matt 13:47–48Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
- Isa 43:6I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
- Col 3:11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
- Isa 11:6–14The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
- Acts 7:56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
- John 11:52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
- John 12:32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
- Rom 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
- Rom 3:29–31Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
- Rom 9:4Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
- Eph 1:10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
- Rom 15:9–12And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
- Luke 3:21Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 10:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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