Acts 10:34

Christian Standard Bible ®

Peter began to speak: “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism,

Parallel Translations

King James Version (1611)
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a trueth I perceiue that God is no respecter of persons:

King James Version
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

English Standard Version
So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

New American Standard Bible
Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,

New Century Version
Peter began to speak: "I really understand now that to God every person is the same.

Amplified Bible
Opening his mouth, Peter said: "Most certainly I understand now that God is not one to show partiality [to people as though Gentiles were excluded from God's blessing],

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,

Legacy Standard Bible
And opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most truly comprehend now that God is not one to show partiality,

Berean Standard Bible
Then Peter began to speak: "I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,

Contemporary English Version
Peter then said: Now I am certain that God treats all people alike.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then Kefa addressed them: "I now understand that God does not play favorites,

Darby Translation
And Peter opening his mouth said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons,

Easy-to-Read Version
Peter began to speak: "I really understand now that God does not consider some people to be better than others.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Peter opened his mouth, and sayd, Of a trueth I perceiue, that God is no accepter of persons.

George Lamsa Translation
Then Simon Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Good News Translation
Peter began to speak: "I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.

Lexham English Bible
So Peter opened his mouth and said, "In truth I understand that God is not one who shows partiality,

Literal Translation
And opening his mouth, Peter said, Truly I see that God is not a respecter of faces,

American Standard Version
And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Bible in Basic English
Then Peter said, Truly, I see clearly that God is no respecter of persons:

Hebrew Names Version
Kefa opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God doesn't show favoritism;

International Standard Version
Then Peter opened his mouth and said, "Now I understand that God shows no partiality.Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Job 1:34:19; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
BUT Shemun opened his mouth, and said, In truth I comprehend that Aloha is no respecter of persons:

Murdock Translation
And Simon opened his mouth, and said: Truly I discover that God is no respecter of persons.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said: Of a trueth I perceaue that God hath no regarde of persons:

English Revised Version
And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

World English Bible
Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God doesn't show favoritism;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then Peter opening his mouth, said, I perceive of a truth that God is not a respecter of persons:

Weymouth's New Testament
Then Peter began to speak. "I clearly see," he said, "that God makes no distinctions between one man and another;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Petre openyde his mouth, and seide, In trewthe Y haue foundun, that God is no acceptor of persoones;

Update Bible Version
And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, In truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

New English Translation
Then Peter started speaking: "I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people,

New King James Version
Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.

New Living Translation
Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.

New Life Bible
Then Peter said, "I can see, for sure, that God does not respect one person more than another.

New Revised Standard
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Peter, opening his mouth, said - Of a truth, I find that God is no respecter of persons;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Peter opening his mouth, said: in very deed I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons.

Revised Standard Version
And Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then Peter opened his mouth and sayde: Of a trueth I perseave that God is not parciall

Young's Literal Translation
And Peter having opened his mouth, said, `Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Peter opened his mouth, & sayde: Now perceaue I of a trueth, that God hath no respecte of personnes,

Mace New Testament (1729)
then Peter thus began, now I plainly perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

THE MESSAGE
Peter fairly exploded with his good news: "It's God's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you're from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he's doing it everywhere, among everyone.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Then Pete said, "God ain't got no favorites anymore.

Contextual Overview

³⁴Peter began to speak: “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism, ³⁵but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶He sent the message to the Israelites, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. ³⁷You know the events that took place throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached: ³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the devil, because God was with him. ³⁹We ourselves are witnesses of everything he did in both the Judean country and in Jerusalem, and yet they killed him by hanging him on a tree. ⁴⁰God raised up this man on the third day and caused him to be seen, ⁴¹not by all the people, but by us whom God appointed as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³All the prophets testify about him that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

opened: Acts 8:35, Matthew 5:2, Ephesians 6:19, Ephesians 6:20

Of a: Deuteronomy 10:17, Deuteronomy 16:19, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Job 34:19, Psalms 82:1, Psalms 82:2, Matthew 22:16, Luke 20:21, Romans 2:11, Galatians 2:6, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 3:11, Colossians 3:25, James 2:4, James 2:9, 1 Peter 1:17

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 1:17 - shall not 2 Samuel 14:14 - neither Isaiah 56:3 - the son Matthew 16:19 - give Luke 21:3 - Of John 16:7 - I tell Acts 10:28 - but Acts 11:1 - the Gentiles Acts 11:9 - What Acts 11:15 - as I Romans 2:26 - General Romans 10:12 - there is no Romans 14:3 - for 1 Timothy 3:16 - preached

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Peter opened his mouth,.... :-

And said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; which is to be understood, not of the substances of men, but of the outward state and condition, circumstances and qualities of men; he respects the proper persons of men themselves, but not because of their outward appearances; he does not prefer or despise men, because of their being of this or the other nation, as Jews or Gentiles; or because they are circumcised, or not circumcised; or because they are high or low, rich or poor, free or bound, or the like: the true sense here is, that God valued no man the more, because he was a Jew and circumcised, nor anyone the less, because he was a Gentile and uncircumcised; and this the apostle found to be a most certain truth, of which he was fully persuaded; partly by the vision which he himself saw, and partly by that which Cornelius had, and which the more confirmed him in this matter: these words do not at all militate against the doctrines of personal election and reprobation; and indeed, those acts in God, are not according to the outward state and condition of men, or any circumstances that attend them, or any qualities they have, internal or external; but entirely proceed from the sovereign will of God; :-

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then Peter opened his mouth - Began to speak, Matthew 5:2.

Of a truth - Truly, evidently. That is, I have evidence here that God is no respecter of persons.

Is no respecter of persons - The word used here denotes “the act of showing favor to one on account of rank, family, wealth, or partiality arising from any cause.” It is explained in James 2:1-4. A judge is a respecter of persons when he favors one of the parties on account of private friendship, or because he is a man of rank, influence, or power, or because he belongs to the same political party, etc. The Jews supposed that they were especially favored by God. and that salvation was not extended to other nations, and that the fact of being a Jew entitled them to this favor. Peter here says that he had learned the error of this doctrine, and that a man is not to be accepted because he is a Jew, nor to be excluded because he is a Gentile. The barrier is broken down; the offer is made to all; God will save all on the same principle; not by external privileges or rank, but according to their character.

The same doctrine is elsewhere explicitly stated in the New Testament, Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25. It may be observed here that this does not refer to the doctrine of divine sovereignty or election. It simply affirms that God will not save a man because he is a Jew, or because he is rich, or learned, or of elevated rank, or on account of external privileges; nor will he exclude a man because he is destitute of these privileges. But this does not affirm that he will not make a difference in their character, and then treat them according to their character, nor that he will not pardon whom he pleases. That is a different question. The interpretation of this passage should be limited strictly to the case in hand - to mean that God will not accept and save a man on account of external national rank and privileges. That he will not make a difference on other grounds is not affirmed here, nor anywhere in the Bible. Compare 1 Corinthians 4:7; Romans 12:6. It is worthy of remark further, that the most strenuous advocate for the doctrines of sovereignty and election - the apostle Paul - is also the one that labored most to establish the doctrine that God is no respecter of persons - that is, that there is no difference between the Jews and Gentiles in regard to the way of salvation; that God would not save a man because he was a Jew, nor destroy a man because he was a Gentile. Yet in regard to “the whole race viewed as lying on a level,” he maintained that God has a right to exercise the prerogatives of a sovereign, and to have mercy on whom he will have mercy. The doctrine may be thus stated:

(1) The barrier between the Jews and Gentiles was broken down.

(2) All people thus were placed on a level none to be saved by external privileges, none to be lost by the lack of them.

(3) All were guilty Rom. 1–3, and none had a claim on God.

(4) If any were saved, it would be by God showing mercy on such of this common mass as he chose. See Romans 3:22; Romans 10:12; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; compare with Romans 9:0; and Ephesians 1:0:

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 34. God is no respecter of persons — He does God esteem a Jew, because he is a Jew; nor does he detest a Gentile because he is a Gentile. It was a long and deeply rooted opinion among the Jews, that God never would extend his favour to the Gentiles; and that the descendants of Jacob only should enjoy his peculiar favour and benediction. Of this opinion was St. Peter, previously to the heavenly vision mentioned in this chapter. He was now convinced that God was no respecter of persons; that as all must stand before his judgment seat, to be judged according to the deeds done in the body, so no one nation, or people, or individual, could expect to find a more favourable decision than another who was precisely in the same moral state; for the phrase, respect of persons, is used in reference to unjust decisions in a court of justice, where, through favour, or interest, or bribe, a culprit is acquitted, and a righteous or innocent person condemned. See Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:16-17; Deuteronomy 16:19. And as there is no iniquity (decisions contrary to equity) with God, so he could not shut out the pious prayers, sincere fasting, and benevolent alms-giving of Cornelius; because the very spring whence they proceeded was his own grace and mercy. Therefore he could not receive even a Jew into his favour (in preference to such a person) who had either abused his grace, or made a less godly use of it than this Gentile had done.