Acts 11:5

5 I was in the city of Joppa, and prayed, and I saw in ravishing of my mind a vision, that a vessel came down, as a great sheet with four cords, and was sent down from heaven; and it came [till] to me. [+I was in the city of Joppa praying, and I saw in excess of my soul a vision, some vessel coming down, as a great sheet with four corners for to be sent down from heaven; and it came unto me.]

Acts 11:5 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 11:5

I was in the city of Joppa
And so it is called by Josephus ^F23, and in the Apocrypha:

``And he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa shut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison there.'' (1 Maccabees 10:75)

``The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared, as though they had meant them no hurt.'' (2 Maccabees 12:3)

here he was praying in an house of Simon the tanner, upon the top of it, and about the sixth hour of the day, or twelve o'clock at noon, which was one of the times of prayer with the Jews; (See Gill on Acts 10:9), and in a trance I saw a vision;
with the eyes of his understanding; for the organs of his body were quite senseless and useless, which was as follows:

a certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet;
a vessel which looked like a great sheet,

let down from heaven by four corners;
to the earth, which four corners were knit, and perhaps were held and let down by angels, and in this visionary way were seen by Peter, though not expressed:

and it came even to me;
descended upon the housetop where Peter was praying; and which was necessary, that he might see what was upon it, and receive instruction from it; and that it was very near him is evident from what is after said to him, when he was bid to arise, and kill and eat what was upon it; and therefore it could not be hanging in the air, but must be let down upon the very spot where he was.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Antiqu. l. 9. c. 10. sect. 2.

Acts 11:5 In-Context

3 and said, Why enteredest thou to men that have prepuce, and hast eaten with them? [saying, Why enteredest thou to men having prepuce, and hast eat with them?]

4 And Peter began, and expounded to them by order, and said, [Peter soothly beginning, expounded to them the order, saying,]

5 I was in the city of Joppa, and prayed, and I saw in ravishing of my mind a vision, that a vessel came down, as a great sheet with four cords, and was sent down from heaven; and it came [till] to me. [+I was in the city of Joppa praying, and I saw in excess of my soul a vision, some vessel coming down, as a great sheet with four corners for to be sent down from heaven; and it came unto me.]

6 Into which I looking beheld, and saw four-footed beasts of the earth, and beasts, and creeping beasts, and volatiles of heaven [and volatiles of the air].

7 And I heard also a voice that said to me, Peter, rise thou, and slay, and eat. [Forsooth I heard a voice saying to me, Peter, rise, slay, and eat.]