Acts 10:16

Act 10:16. Ἐπὶ τρἰς, thrice) The decisive number, confirming the fact and signifying immediate speed. Comp. Gen 41:32.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 10:16 . πάλιν : if we read εὐθύς , see critical notes, we have St. Mark’s characteristic word (used by St. Luke only here in Acts, and once in Luk 6:49 ), a suggestive fact in a section of the book in which the pen or the language of St. Peter may fairly be traced.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

done thrice--See Gen 41:32.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 16. This was done thrice] For the greater certainty, and to make the deeper impression on the apostle's mind.

And the vessel was received up again into heaven.] Both Jews and Gentiles came equally from God; and to him, both, by the preaching of the Gospel, shall again return.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. This was done thrice. The repetition of the vision served for the confirmation of Peter, lest any doubt should remain in his mind. Whence we gather how deeply the observing of the law was rooted in his mind. And I know no reason why God left him in a dump, [perplexed,] until, by the event which followed, he might learn the cause of the vision, save only because being astonished he did not desire to know what this thing meant; although it was all in good time, that the messengers of Cornelius should come shortly after to interpret it. The vessel was at length taken up again into heaven, that Peter might be certified that this message came from heaven, [God.]

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(16) This was done thrice.—The three-fold repetition was at once general and personal in its significance. It was mystically the token of a complete ratification of the truth proclaimed. It reminded him of the three fold command, “Feed My sheep,” and taught him to take a wider range of work in obeying it (Joh_21:15-17).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. This was done thrice] The original has a conjunction “And” at the commencement of the sentence.

The repetition of the vision three times over was made that no doubt might remain in the Apostle’s mind, and the reception of the whole into heaven again was designed to point out that it was a lesson which God had as directly sent as of old He sent the Law on Sinai. Cp. the repetition of Pharaoh’s dream (Gen_41:32) and Joseph’s explanation thereof. Peter would also remember when he came out of his trance the thrice-repeated charge given to him by Jesus (Joh_21:15-17), “Feed my sheep.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This was done thrice,.... That is, either the voice spoke the same words three times, or the sheet was let down three times; and it may be both; it may be, that every time the voice was spoke, the sheet was let down: this was done, not with respect to any mystical meaning in the number three, but for the confirmation of Peter, that he might be the more firmly assured of the truth of the things represented unto him:

and the vessel was received up again into heaven; to denote, that when the general assembly and church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven, whether Jews or Gentiles, are all gathered in, by the preaching of the Gospel to them, they will be taken up to heaven, their original and native place, and be for ever with the Lord; as well as to certify to Peter, that what was now shown him on earth, concerning the taking away the distinction of men and meats, was ratified in heaven.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

Ver. 16. Received up again into heaven] The Church’s original is from heaven, Rev 21:10, and thither she shall be taken up again. As in the mean space, our commoration is on earth, our conversation in heaven, Php 3:20.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This was done thrice - Three times, doubtless to impress the mind of Peter with the certainty and importance of the vision. Compare Gen 41:32.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Whereby this great mystery of the conversion of the Gentiles, and taking them into the church, might be the more confirmed, and fixed in St. Peter’s mind.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Done thrice—Greek, επι τρεις, up to thrice. The divine number implying that the vision was from God. (See on the sacred numbers, vol. ii, p. 77.) We understand that either there were three separate visions, or that the sheet was thrice let down in continuance of the same vision and withdrawn completely into heaven at the close.

Received up again—As if all men might be good enough for heaven. For we do not understand the sheet to represent the Church, into which none but the clean are admitted; but the world, waiting for the Gospel without any ceremonial distinction.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And this for this, A.V.; straightway the vessel for the vessel again, A.V. and T.R. This was done thrice; i.e. as is clear from the previous "the second time;" the same voice addressed to him the third time a direction to eat. The repetition three times of the same injunction was to give certainty. (comp. Gen_41:32) For the repetition of the same words, Mat_26:44. The receiving of the vessel again into heaven merely indicated the termination of the vision. The interpretation of it was to follow ver. 19 and following verses (see especially ver. 28), and was further emphasized by what is related in vers. 44-46 and Act_11:15-17.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This was done thrice - To make the deeper impression.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

See notes on verse 9

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. This was done thrice. The voice spoke three times. See verse 15.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

16. εὐθὺς for πάλιν with אABCE. Vulg. ‘statim.’

16. τοῦτο δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τρίς, and this was done three times. The threefold repetition of the vision was meant to leave no doubt in the Apostle’s mind about its nature, and the reception of the whole into heaven again was designed to point out that it was a lesson which God had as directly sent as of old He sent the Law on Sinai. Cf. the repetition of Pharaoh’s dream (Gen 41:32) and Joseph’s explanation thereof. Peter would also remember when he came out of his trance the thrice-repeated charge given to him by Jesus (Joh 21:15-17), ‘Feed My sheep.’

ἐπὶ τρίς is not classical and is seldom found. It occurs in Act 11:10 in the repetition of this history.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. ἐπὶ τρίς] denoting the certainty of the thing revealed: see Gen 41:32.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.