Acts 10 · Verse 9

Acts 10:9

On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
Acts 10:9, King James Version

Acts 10:9 in other translations

BSBThe next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
WEBNow on the next day as they were on their journey and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.
ASVNow on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:
YLTAnd on the morrow, as these are proceeding on the way, and are drawing nigh to the city, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour,
DARBYAnd on the morrow, as these were journeying and drawing near to the city, Peter went up on the house to pray, about the sixth hour.
BBENow the day after, when they were on their journey and were near the town, Peter went up to the top of the house for prayer, about the sixth hour:
WebsterOn the morrow, as they were going on their journey, and drew nigh to the city, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour:

What does Acts 10:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 10:9-16
9-16. upon the housetop--the flat roof, the chosen place in the East for cool retirement. the sixth hour--noon.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 9. Peter went up, etc. The small room in the second story, or on the roof of the house, was the usual place for retirement and prayer, Mt 6:6, Mt 9:2.

About the sixth hour. About twelve o'clock at noon. The Jews had two stated seasons of prayer--morning and evening. But it is evident that the more pious of the Jews frequently added a third season of devotion, probably at noon. Thus David says, Ps 55:17 "Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud." Thus Daniel "kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed," Dan 6:10,13. It was also customary in the early Christian church to offer prayer at the third, sixth, and ninth hours. Clem. Alex. as quoted by Doddridge. Christians will, however, have not merely stated seasons for prayer, but they will seize upon moments of leisure, and when their feelings strongly incline them to it, to pray.

(h) "Peter went up" Acts 6:5 () "housetop" "House-roof"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey - From Joppa to Caesarea was about twelve or fifteen leagues; the messengers could not have left the house of Cornelius till about two hours before sunset; therefore, they must have traveled a part of the night, in order to arrive at Joppa the next day, towards noon. - Calmet. Cornelius sent two of his household servants, by way of respect to Peter; probably the soldier was intended for their defense, as the roads in Judea were by no means safe. Peter went up upon the house-top to pray - It has often been remarked that the houses in Judea were builded with flat roofs, on which people walked, conversed, meditated, prayed, etc. The house-top was the place of retirement; and thither Peter went for the purpose of praying to God. In Bengal, some of the rich Hindoos have a room on the top of the house, in which they perform worship daily.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 10:9-18
The prejudices of Peter against the Gentiles, would have prevented his going to Cornelius, unless the Lord had prepared him for this service. To tell a Jew that God had directed those animals to be reckoned clean which were hitherto deemed unclean, was in effect saying, that the law of Moses was done away. Peter was soon made to know the meaning of it. God knows what services are before us, and how to prepare us; and we know the meaning of what he has taught us, when we find what occasion we have to make use of it.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Acts 10:9 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤῇTēaOn theG3588
δὲdenowG1161
ἐπαύριονepaurionnext dayG1887
ὁδοιπορούντωνhodoiporountōnwhen are journeyingG3596
ἐκείνωνekeinōntheseG1565
καὶkaiandG2532
τῇtēato theG3588
πόλειpoleicityG4172
ἐγγιζόντων,engizontōnare approaching,G1448
ἀνέβηanebēwent upG305
ΠέτροςPetrosPeterG4074
ἐπὶepionG1909
τὸtotheG3588
δῶμαdōmahousetopG1430
προσεύξασθαιproseuxasthaito prayG4336
περὶperiaboutG4012
ὥρανhōranhourG5610
ἕκτην.hektēn[the] sixth.G1623

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 10:9

  • Zephaniah 1:5

    And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham;

  • Psalms 55:17

    Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

  • Jeremiah 32:29

    And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

  • Acts 6:4

    But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

  • Acts 10:8-32

    And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: …

  • Mark 6:46

    And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

  • Acts 11:5-14

    I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 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. And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. …

  • Matthew 27:45

    Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

  • Matthew 6:6

    But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

  • Jeremiah 19:13

    And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

  • Matthew 24:17

    Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

  • Matthew 20:5

    Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Peter.
8; 11:5-10; 1Sa 9:25; Zep 1:5; Mt 6:6; Mr 1:35; 6:46; 1Ti 2:8
the sixth.
6:4; Ps 55:17; Da 6:10; Mt 20:5; 27:45; Eph 6:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 10:8

    And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

  • Acts 10:9

    On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

  • Acts 10:10

    And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

Read all of Acts 10

Acts 10:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y al día siguiente, yendo ellos su camino, y llegando cerca de la ciudad, Pedro subió á la azotea á orar, cerca de la hora de sexta;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or le lendemain, comme ils marchaient et qu’ils approchaient de la ville, Pierre monta sur le toit pour prier, vers la sixième heure.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Des folgenden Tages aber, während jene reisten und sich der Stadt näherten, stieg Petrus um die sechste Stunde auf das Dach, um zu beten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Postera autem die, iter illis facientibus, et appropinquantibus civitati, ascendit Petrus in superiora ut oraret circa horam sextam.