The Meaning of Acts 11:6 Explained

Acts 11:6

KJV: Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

YLT: at which having looked stedfastly, I was considering, and I saw the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of heaven;

Darby: on which having fixed mine eyes, I considered, and saw the quadrupeds of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of the heaven.

ASV: upon which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the fourfooted beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and birds of the heaven.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Upon  the which  when I had fastened mine eyes,  I considered,  and  saw  fourfooted beasts  of the earth,  and  wild beasts,  and  creeping things,  and  fowls  of the air. 

What does Acts 11:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 11:1-18 - Following A Plain Course
It is very interesting here to find Peter on the defensive. We have always thought of him as masterful and strong, the born leader of men, whose authority was absolutely indisputable. But here we see him taken seriously to task by the mother Church, and compelled to show the grounds of his unprecedented action. Here also appears the first clear indication of the rift which was, in due course, to develop in the Church, between the converted Jews, who insisted that Gentiles must become Jews before becoming Christians, and those of more liberal views, who began to understand that in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availed anything, but a new creature, Galatians 6:15, and faith working by love, Galatians 5:6. This division was the cause of Paul's embittered and life-long persecution.
But the first decision of those in the church in Jerusalem was a perfectly just one, Acts 11:18. The facts compelled a favorable verdict upon Peter's action. They tacitly confessed that the seal of God's approval had been unmistakably affixed to his action, and that he had no alternative. When a man lives in union with the Spirit of God, crooked things become straight and rough places plain, Isaiah 40:4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 11

1  Peter, being accused for preaching to the Gentiles,
5  makes his defense;
18  which is accepted
19  The gospel being spread in Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch,
22  Barnabas is sent to confirm them
26  The disciples are first called Christians at Antioch
27  They send relief to the brothers in Judea in time of famine

Greek Commentary for Acts 11:6

When I had fastened my eyes [ατενισας]
This personal touch Peter adds from his own experience. See Luke 4:20 and Acts 3:4, Acts 3:12 for this striking verb atenizō to stretch the eyes towards, first aorist active participle here. [source]
I considered [katanoeō)]
Imperfect active of ατενιζω — kataneoō to put the mind down on, to ponder, I was pondering. And saw (κατανοεω — kai eidon). Second aorist active indicative, saw in a flash. [source]
And saw [κατανοεω]
Second aorist active indicative, saw in a flash. [source]
I considered []
See on Matthew 7:3; Luke 22:24, Luke 22:27. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 11:6

Acts 11:4 Expounded [εχετιτετο]
Imperfect middle of εκτιτημι — ektithēmi to set forth, old verb, but in the N.T. only in Acts (Acts 7:21; Acts 11:4; Acts 18:26; Acts 28:23), a deliberate and detailed narrative “in order” Old word for in succession. In the N.T. only in Luke 1:2; Luke 8:1; Acts 3:24; Acts 11:14; Acts 18:23. Luke evidently considered this defence of Peter important and he preserves the marks of authenticity. It came originally from Peter himself (Acts 11:5, Acts 11:6, Acts 11:15, Acts 11:16). “The case of Cornelius was a test case of primary importance” (Page), “the first great difficulty of the early Church.” Part of the story Luke gives three times (Acts 10:3-6, Acts 10:30-32; Acts 11:13.). See the discussion chapter 10 for details given here. [source]
James 3:7 Beasts [θηρίων]
Quadrupeds. Not beasts generally, nor wild beasts only. In Acts 28:4, Acts 28:5, the word is used of the viper which fastened on Paul's hand. In Peter's vision (Acts 10:19; Acts 11:6) there is a different classification from the one here; quadrupeds being denoted by a specific term, τετράποδα , four-footed creatures. There θηρία includes fishes, which in this passage are classed as ἐναλίων , things in the sea. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 11:6 mean?

On it having looked intently I was observing [it] and I saw the quadrupeds of the earth wild beasts creeping things birds of the air
εἰς ἣν ἀτενίσας κατενόουν καὶ εἶδον τὰ τετράποδα τῆς γῆς θηρία ἑρπετὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

ἀτενίσας  having  looked  intently 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀτενίζω  
Sense: to fix the eyes on, gaze upon.
κατενόουν  I  was  observing  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: κατανοέω  
Sense: to perceive, remark, observe, understand.
εἶδον  I  saw 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
τετράποδα  quadrupeds 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: τετράπους  
Sense: a fourfooted animal.
τῆς  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
γῆς  earth 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.
θηρία  wild  beasts 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: θηρίον  
Sense: an animal.
ἑρπετὰ  creeping  things 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἑρπετόν  
Sense: a creeping animal, reptile.
πετεινὰ  birds 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πετεινόν  
Sense: flying, winged.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
οὐρανοῦ  air 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: οὐρανός  
Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it.

What are the major concepts related to Acts 11:6?

Loading Information...