And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Peter told them, 'You know it's against our customs for a Jewish person to hang out with or visit someone from another culture. But God showed me something huge, I shouldn't call anyone ordinary or dirty. Nobody.'
God told Peter to break down the walls between people because everyone matters to him.
📚 Historical Context
In the first century AD, Jewish people lived under strict religious laws from the Old Testament that forbade close association with Gentiles, whom they considered ritually unclean, to maintain their purity and separation as God's chosen people. This verse comes from a pivotal moment in Acts 10, where the apostle Peter receives a vision from God that overturns these traditional barriers, leading him to visit Cornelius, a Roman centurion and Gentile. This event underscores the early church's expansion, showing how God's message of salvation was intended for all nations, not just the Jews.
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