I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.
Parallel translations
- WEB When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky.
- KJV Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
- NKJV When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
- NASB and I stared at it and was thinking about it, and I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild animals, the crawling creatures, and the birds of the sky.
- NLT When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of tame and wild animals, reptiles, and birds.
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
Looking closely, Peter saw all kinds of animals, including those considered unclean. The vision confronted him with the very distinctions the law had drawn.
Overview
The array of clean and unclean creatures set before Peter forced the issue of the dietary boundaries that separated Jew from Gentile. By recounting the detail, Peter shows the church the concrete way God challenged his assumptions. The vision's content points beyond food to the inclusion of all peoples.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
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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 11:6 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.