Book of Acts - Chapter 10 - Verse 13

When Peter had a vision with a voice telling him to rise, kill, and eat, it was a symbolic message from God. In this passage from the Book of Acts, Peter was being prepared by God to share the gospel with the Gentiles, who were considered unclean according to Jewish law. The vision was meant to show Peter that he should not call anything impure that God has made clean. This event marked a pivotal moment in the early Christian church, as it signaled the inclusion of non-Jews into the fold. It demonstrated that salvation was not limited to a specific group of people but was available to all who believed in Jesus Christ. This verse serves as a reminder of God's inclusive love and his desire for all people to come to him, regardless of their background or upbringing.

One theological interpretation of the verse "And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat." can be found in the context of Acts 10:9-16. In this passage, Peter receives a vision from the Lord where a sheet filled with unclean animals is lowered from heaven, and a voice commands him to kill and eat. This vision is often interpreted as a representation of the impending inclusion of the Gentiles into the Christian faith. In traditional Jewish law, certain animals were considered unclean and eating them was forbidden. By showing Peter these unclean animals and telling him to eat, God was symbolically signaling that the old laws of purity and separation between Jews and Gentiles were no longer in effect under the new covenant of grace. This vision ultimately leads Peter to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile, where he preaches the Gospel and sees the Holy Spirit poured out on the Gentiles, demonstrating God's inclusion of all people in His kingdom regardless of ethnicity or background.