Bible Strands
Acts 10:14
“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Peter addresses a heavenly voice during a vision, responding immediately after the voice commands him to kill and eat. He speaks as a Jewish observer bound by traditional dietary boundaries.
The words — μηδαμῶς (mēdamōs) translates literally as "in no way," and οὐδέποτε (oudepote) means "never," together forming Peter's absolute refusal to cross established purity lines.
The thread — The text explicitly recalls Leviticus 11:1 and Leviticus 20:25 regarding clean and unclean animals, while matching Ezekiel 4:14 in its claim of lifelong refusal to eat defiled food.
Why it lands — It forces the reader to confront the weight of inherited religious habit and to recognize when divine instruction directly challenges human tradition.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 20:25 You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. Do not become contaminated by any animal or bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you.
- Ezekiel 4:14 “Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have not eaten anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”
- Leviticus 11:1 The LORD spoke again to Moses and Aaron, telling them,
- Deuteronomy 14:1 You are sons of the LORD your God; do not cut yourselves or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead,
- Daniel 1:8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.
- Exodus 10:11 No, only the men may go and worship the LORD, since that is what you have been requesting.” And Moses and Aaron were driven from Pharaoh’s presence.
- Ezekiel 44:31 The priests may not eat any bird or animal found dead or torn by wild beasts.
- Matthew 16:22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. “Far be it from You, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to You!”
- Matthew 25:9 ‘No,’ said the wise ones, ‘or there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
- Luke 1:60 But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”