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On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
Acts 10:9 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.
  • BSB The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
  • NKJV The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
  • NASB On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
  • NLT The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon,

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

As the men approached, Peter went up to pray at noon. God prepares Peter through prayer for what is coming.

Overview

While Cornelius's messengers near the city, Peter seeks the Lord on the rooftop. This habit of prayer positions him to receive the vision God is about to give. The careful timing shows the Lord coordinating both men for their appointed meeting.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 17

  • Zeph 1:5And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;
  • Ps 55:17Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
  • Dan 6:10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
  • Jer 19:13And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.
  • Mark 6:46And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
  • Matt 27:45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
  • Acts 10:8–32And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
  • 1 Sam 9:25And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
  • Jer 32:29And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.
  • Matt 24:17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
  • Acts 6:4But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
  • Acts 11:5–14I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
  • Mark 1:35And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
  • Matt 6:6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
  • Matt 20:5Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
  • Eph 6:18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
  • 1 Tim 2:8I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 10:9YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 10:9 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.