Slices
Prepare
Peter was a devoted follower of Jesus, and a faithful Jew too. How could this church leader get behind God’s mission to the nations if he could not get close to Gentiles? How much of a change did Peter need to experience?
Bible passage
Peter’s vision
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
14 ‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17 While 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. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.’
21 Peter went down and said to the men, ‘I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?’
22 The men replied, ‘We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.’ 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
Peter at Cornelius’ house
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along.
Explore
In the previous section, we saw God taking the initiative with Cornelius the Gentile. Now we see God initiating with Jewish Peter. The Jew–Gentile divide was not easy to cross. Jews were trained throughout their lives to maintain their separation from Gentiles, strictly adhering to the purity codes of their religion. But now, a new message had to cross the great divide. God did not leave Peter to work it out. Instead, he gave Peter a timely lesson.
Peter saw a vision of a sheet lowered from heaven, with the heavenly voice telling him to kill and eat from the assortment of impure and unclean creatures (vs 9–16). What a shock this must have been to Peter. And yet, it was precisely the shock that he needed: a heaven-sent nudge to carry the gospel into Gentile dining rooms! With this newfound freedom, the gospel could travel much more effectively to the ends of the earth.
Respond
Are there areas of your life where you feel restricted from sharing the good news with others? Could this passage be a heaven-sent nudge to release you into sharing the gospel with more people?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Joel 3; Revelation 5
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Content Assistant Jill Warren as she works on Daily Bread for October–December 2025, and as she builds relationships with new team members in the Development Hub.
