Acts 11:5

5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to 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 saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?"

4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying,

5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me.

6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air.

7 I also heard a voice saying to me, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat.'