Acts 10

the people
The phrase “the people” is a direct, literal translation from τῷ λαῷ (tō laō). There is no indication in the Greek text itself whether these people were Jews or Gentiles. Thus, no attempt to identify them further is given in this translation. This avoids adding more to the text than is there. The main idea Luke is emphasizing here is simply that Cornelius is an admirable and godly figure.

looking intently
The phrase “looking intently” translates the participle ἀτενίσας (atenisas) from the verb ἀτενίζω (atenizō), which communicates the idea of staring or straining as though to see or understand something better. “Looking intently” accurately brings this out, as Cornelius applies himself diligently to perceive rightly what the Lord would have for him.

becoming afraid
The phrase “becoming afraid” literally translates the Greek phrase ἔμφοβος γενόμενος (emphobos genomenos), using a word for “fear” with the root φόβος (phobos). The reaction of this God-fearing man (cf. v. 2: φοβούμενος τὸν θεὸν; phoboumenos ton theon) to seeing an angel of God was naturally one of fear. Cornelius rightly understood with whom he was dealing and reacted appropriately. This translation helps to clearly show that.

heaven
The word οὐρανός (ouranos; “heaven” or “sky”) appears both here and in verse 12. It is translated as “heaven” here and as “sky” in verse 12 to help readers make the appropriate connections in each case. Here, there is the familiar concept of heaven being opened (e.g., Luke 3:21; John 1:51; Acts 7:56). This always signified the direct revelation of something very important from God. Here, it is God’s acceptance of the Gentiles to Himself. In verse 11, the word οὐρανός (ouranos) is part of another familiar but distinct phrase, “birds of the sky,” which is translated consistently as such throughout the Old Testament (34x, e.g., Gen 1:26; 6:7; Deut 28:26; 1 Sam 17:44; Job 28:21; Jer 4:25; Ezek 31:6; Dan 2:38; Hos 2:18; Zeph 1:3; etc.). Thus, translating it as “sky” in this case helps the reader to make this connection. The phrase is often used as part of a merism (naming two extremes to indicate the whole). In verse 12 below, it is meant to include all kinds of animals as an object lesson to demonstrate that God accepts both Jews and Gentiles who believe in the name of Jesus.

sky
Refer to the discussion on verse 11 above.

slaughter
The word “slaughter” translates the Greek verb θύω (thyō), which can generically mean “kill,” but is often used in religious sacrificial contexts to refer to the slaughtering of animals to sacrifice them. With this specific word, God instructs Peter to slaughter and eat what Peter considered unclean, using language usually reserved for contexts of sacrifice and worship. This would have made the command seem even more extreme to Peter. The “four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the sky” (10:12) allude to Leviticus 20:24–26, with the context of Israel separating themselves from the other nations. But this is reversed here by Luke’s use of θύω (thyō), which helps to show that what was once unclean for God’s people to worship Him is no longer unclean because Christ has made all things clean through His sacrifice. There is now no separation between Jew and Gentile, so Peter is no longer hindered by the Gentiles’ “uncleanness,” but is now free to bring the gospel to Cornelius (cf. 10:28–29). Thus, the translation as “slaughter” here helps to clearly bring out the significance of this vision for the advancement of the gospel.

defiled
The word κοινόω (koinoō) is translated consistently in such contexts with the word “defile” (Matt 15:11, 18, 20; Mark 7:2, 5, 15, 18, 20, 23). Such defilement came from eating something that was not approved by God. The fact that God commands Peter here to eat foods which previously would have defiled him demonstrates that God now approves of them, corresponding His approval of the Gentiles included as His people.

defiled
Refer to the discussion on verse 14 above.

go down
The phrase “go down” (κατάβηθι; katabēthi) translates the same verb (καταβαίνω; katabainō) as in verses 11 and 21, bringing out an intentional connection—as the sheet came down showing Peter to not make distinctions between clean and unclean animals, he is to go down to meet people (Gentiles) who were formerly considered unclean.

taking issue
The phrase “taking issue” translates the participle διακρινόμενος (diakrinomenos), which also occurs in continuation of this narrative in the next chapter (11:2, 12). Peter is commanded here not to “take issue” with what was happening. Later on, the circumcised “took issue” with Peter (11:1), but Peter must demonstrate to them by his own example that this should not be, as he recounts the Spirit’s instruction to “go with them without taking issue at all” (11:12).

gave them lodging
This phrase translates ξενίζω (xenizō), which also occurs earlier in verses 6 and 18. The word has the idea of showing someone hospitality or entertaining someone as a guest (see BDAG on ξενίζω). This is significant because showing hospitality to someone indicated close fellowship with them. Thus, consistently translating ξενίζω (xenizō) as “lodging” does two things. First, it makes ξενίζω (xenizō) distinct from μένω (menō), which consistently means “stay” in Acts and is the more common word. Secondly, and more importantly, it calls back to the fact that Peter has been “lodging” with Simon the tanner, showing some level of fellowship between Peter (a Jew) and Simon (a Gentile who worked with unclean animals). Here, that idea of fellowship is intensified as Peter essentially becomes the host, welcoming these Gentile men to stay with him. This all seems to indicate that Peter understands and embraces the truth emphasized through his vision that Gentiles are now clean in God’s sight and invited to receive salvation.

brothers
Though some translations retain the older English plural, “brethren,” the rendering “brothers” here remains perfectly accurate to the Greek text (ἀδελφῶν; adelphōn) and is more natural to modern readers. This language describes the close familial union fellow believers have with one another by virtue of their union with Christ. They are all part of the same family as children of God.

—He is Lord of all⁠—
Some translations place the statement, “He is Lord of all” in parentheses since it is an interruption in the flow of Peter’s speech here. However, it is used less as a parenthetical statement and more as an additional and emphatic reminder, meant to be viewed in the foreground rather than the background. Thus, it is offset here with dashes rather than parentheses to show its proper prominence. The reality that Jesus is Lord, not just of some, but of all, is a key point in Peter’s oration and explanation that the Gentiles also may be included among God’s people and receive the Holy Spirit in the same way as the Jews (cf. vv. 45, 47).

happened
The word γίνομαι (ginomai) is translated here as “happened” to maintain contextual consistency with other occurrences of the word in this translation.

appear
The English verb “appear” is a better contextual rendering of the Greek phrase ἐμφανῆ γενέσθαι (emphanē genesthai) than something like “become visible” because the latter may falsely imply in English that the resurrected Jesus would be generally invisible without the Father’s permission to “become visible” to certain people. Thus, “appear” more clearly carries over the intent that Jesus, already bodily resurrected and thus visible, was granted to specifically show Himself to the apostles.

commanded
The translation here as “commanded” rather than something like “ordered” helps to show the connection back to 1:4, where the same word (παραγγέλλω; parangellō) is used of Jesus commanding the apostles to wait for the Spirit before setting out to witness for Him to the end of the earth (1:8). Here, Peter is recounting that experience to support the notion that God intended to save Gentiles as well as Jews and grant them His Holy Spirit (cf. v. 45).

bear witness
This translation consistently renders the verb μαρτυρέω (martyreō) with “bear witness.” Here, this also shows the connection back to 1:8, where Jesus appointed the apostles to be His witnesses to the end of the earth (cf. also v. 41 above).

word
“Word” translates λόγος (logos), which has been a key term in Acts (cf. 6:2–5; 8:4; 11:1). Peter calls his declaration “the word” (v. 36), which ties into what is going on here. The people heard the word of the Gospel of Christ and were saved.

that
“That” translates the conjunction ὅτι (hoti). This conjunction can legitimately be translated in a causal way (“because”) or in a way that simply specifies content (“that”). Here, it is the latter, as it introduces the content of the circumcised believers’ amazement—that the Spirit would be poured out also upon the Gentiles.

Can anyone refuse…
This question opens with the Greek negative particle Μήτι (mēti), which, according to normal Greek usage, sets an expectation of a negative answer. This is why some translations structure the question, “Surely no one can…can he?” However, to avoid adding words which do not appear in the Greek, the rhetorical question is simply translated with a familiar English structure. This way, nothing external is added and the force of the rhetorical question remains perfectly intact. Here, Peter demonstrates that baptism should certainly not be withheld from all who have received the Holy Spirit. Posing this as a rhetorical question puts the onus on the hearer to recognize and affirm what is true and obvious—that the Gentiles are included in the family of God together with the Jews and should receive baptism just the same.