Acts 9 · Verse 40

Acts 9:40

But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

Acts 9:40, King James Version

Acts 9:40 in other translations

BSB	Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.
WEB	Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
ASV	But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
YLT	And Peter having put them all forth without, having bowed the knees, did pray, and having turned unto the body said, ‘Tabitha, arise;' and she opened her eyes, and having seen Peter, she sat up,
DARBY	But Peter, putting them all out, and kneeling down, prayed. And, turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes, and, seeing Peter, sat up.
BBE	But Peter made them all go outside, and went down on his knees in prayer; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, get up. And, opening her eyes, she saw Peter and got up.
Webster	But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning to the body, said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

What does Acts 9:40 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 9:40-43

40-43. Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down--the one in imitation of his Master's way (Lu 8:54; and compare 2Ki 4:33); the other, in striking contrast with it. The kneeling became the lowly servant, but not the Lord Himself, of whom it is never once recorded that he knelt in the performance of a miracle. opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up--The graphic minuteness of detail here imparts to the narrative an air of charming reality.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 40. But Peter put them all forth. From the room. See a similar case in Mt 9:25. Why this was done is not said. Perhaps because he did not wish to appear as if seeking publicity. If done in the presence of many persons, it might seem like ostentation. Others suppose it was that he might offer more fervent and agonizing prayer to God than he would be willing they should witness. Compare 2Kgs 4:23.

Tabitha, arise. Compare Mk 5:41,42.

(b) "put them all forth" Mt 9:25 (c) "Tabitha, arise" Mk 5:41,42, Jn 11:43

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 40 Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed - It was not even known to Peter that God would work this miracle: therefore he put all the people out, that he might seek the will of God by fervent prayer, and during his supplications be liable neither to distraction nor interruption, which he must have experienced had he permitted this company of weeping widows to remain in the chamber. And turning - to the body - Σωμα, The lifeless body, for the spirit had already departed. Said, Tabitha, arise - During his wrestling with God, he had, undoubtedly, received confidence that she would be raised at his word. And when she saw Peter, she sat up - As Dorcas was a woman so eminently holy, her happy soul had doubtless gone to the paradise of God. Must she not therefore be filled with regret to find herself thus called back to earth again? And must not the remembrance of the glories she had now lost fill her with dislike to all the goods of earth? No: for, 1. As a saint of God, her Maker's will must be hers; because she knew that this will must be ever best. 2. It is very likely that, in the case of the revivescence of saint or sinner, God mercifully draws a veil over all they have seen or known, so that they have no recollection of what they have either seen or heard. Even St. Paul found it impossible to tell what he had heard in the third heaven, though he was probably not in the state of the dead. Of the economy of the invisible world God will reveal nothing. We walk here by faith, and not by sight.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 9:36-43

Many are full of good words, who are empty and barren in good works; but Tabitha was a great doer, no great talker. Christians who have not property to give in charity, may yet be able to do acts of charity, working with their hands, or walking with their feet, for the good of others. Those are certainly best praised whose own works praise them, whether the words of others do so or not. But such are ungrateful…

Read the full comment on Acts 9:36-43 →

Acts 9:40 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.

ἐκβαλὼνekbalōnHaving putG1544

δὲdethenG1161

ἔξωexōoutsideG1854

πάνταςpantasallG3956

ὁho<the>G3588

ΠέτροςPetrosPeterG4074

καὶkaiandG2532

θεὶςtheishaving bowedG5087

τὰtatheG3588

γόναταgonatakneesG1119

προσηύξατο·prosēuxatohe prayed;G4336

καὶkaiAndG2532

ἐπιστρέψαςepistrepsashaving turnedG1994

πρὸςprostoG4314

τὸtotheG3588

σῶμαsōmabodyG4983

εἶπεν·eipenhe said;G2036

Ταβιθά,TabithaTabitha,G5000

ἀνάστηθι.anastēthido arise.G450

ἡhē<the>G3588

δὲdeAndG1161

ἤνοιξενēnoixenshe openedG455

τοὺςtoustheG3588

ὀφθαλμοὺςophthalmouseyesG3788

αὐτῆςautēsof herG846

καὶkaiandG2532

ἰδοῦσαidousahaving seenG1492

τὸνton<the>G3588

ΠέτρονPetronPeterG4074

ἀνεκάθισεν.anekathisenshe sat up.G339

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

Cross references for Acts 9:40

Matthew 9:25
But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
Mark 5:40-42
And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
Luke 8:54
And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
2 Kings 4:32-36
And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. …
Acts 7:60
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Mark 9:25
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
1 Kings 17:19-23
And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. …
John 11:43-44
And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Luke 22:41
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Acts 20:36
And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
Acts 21:5
And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

put.
Mr 5:40; 9:25; Lu 8:54
and kneeled.
7:60; 20:36; 21:5
and prayed.
1Ki 17:19-23; 2Ki 4:32-36; Mt 9:25
she opened.
Mr 5:41,42; Joh 11:43,44

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

Context

Acts 9:39
Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
Acts 9:40
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Acts 9:41
And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

Read all of Acts 9

Acts 9:40 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Entonces echados fuera todos, Pedro puesto de rodillas, oró; y vuelto al cuerpo, dijo: Tabita, levántate. Y ella abrió los ojos, y viendo á Pedro, incorporóse.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Mais Pierre, les ayant tous mis dehors et s’étant mis à genoux, pria; et, se tournant vers le corps, il dit: Tabitha, lève-toi. Et elle ouvrit ses yeux, et voyant Pierre, elle se mit sur son séant;
German Elberfelder 1871	Petrus aber trieb alle hinaus, kniete nieder und betete. Und er wandte sich zu dem Leichnam und sprach: Tabitha, stehe auf! Sie aber schlug ihre Augen auf, und als sie den Petrus sah, setzte sie sich auf.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Ejectis autem omnibus foras, Petrus ponens genua oravit: et conversus ad corpus, dixit: Tabitha, surge. At illa aperuit oculos suos: et viso Petro, resedit.