Acts 11:6

6 As I stared at it, wondering what it was, I saw four-legged animals—including wild beasts—as well as reptiles and wild birds.

Acts 11:6 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 11:6

Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes
Not of his body, but of his mind; for this was only in vision presented to him, when he was as Paul was, not knowing whether in the body or out of it:

I considered:
being intent upon this object, he considered in his mind what it was, and what it should mean; it being something strange and unusual; which came down from heaven, and out of it, and came so close and near to him, that it engrossed all his thoughts, and was the subject of deep meditation:

and saw four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and
creeping things, and fowls of the air;
not pourtrayed upon the sheet, but standing or walking upon it; the Syriac Version leaves out, "the wild beasts"; and the Ethiopic versions, "the creeping things"; but both are in the Greek copies, and in other versions.

Acts 11:6 In-Context

4 Step-by-step, Peter explained what had happened.

5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying when I had a visionary experience. In my vision, I saw something like a large linen sheet being lowered from heaven by its four corners. It came all the way down to me.

6 As I stared at it, wondering what it was, I saw four-legged animals—including wild beasts—as well as reptiles and wild birds.

7 I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!'

8 I responded, ‘Absolutely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

Footnotes

• [a] Or birds in the sky