Acts 10:9-18

9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.

11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."

14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."

15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there."

Peter's vision

Peter had developed the habit of praying each day at this time and he apparently kept up the habit after becoming a Christian. We do not know the content of Peter's prayer, only that he became hungry and he fell into a trance.

God gives clear instructions, get up Peter, kill and eat!! What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy. God says it 3 times!!!

According to my commentary, certain foods were forbidden to be eaten by Jewish law. The food laws made it difficult for Jews to eat even with Gentiles, without risking defilement. In fact, the Gentiles themselves were often seen as 'unclean'. Peter's vision meant that he should not look upon the Gentiles as inferior people whom God would not redeem. Before having the vision. Peter would have thought that a Gentile Roman officer could not accept Christ. Afterward, he understood that it was his responsibility to go into a Gentiles home and tell Cornelius the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ.