And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
he became.
Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Matthew 12:1-3 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat…
Matthew 21:18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
he fell.
Acts 22:17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
Numbers 24:4,16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: …
Ezekiel 8:1-3 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me…
and wanted something to eat
Peter's desire for food reflects the cultural practices of the time, where meals were central to daily life and community. In Jewish tradition, food laws were significant, and Peter's vision challenges these dietary restrictions, pointing to a new covenant where such laws are fulfilled in Christ (Mark 7:18-19).
but while the meal was being prepared
This indicates a pause, a moment of waiting that often precedes divine intervention in Scripture. The preparation of a meal can symbolize the preparation of the heart for receiving God's message. It also reflects the hospitality customs of the time, where meals were prepared with care and shared communally.
he fell into a trance
The trance signifies a supernatural state where God communicates directly with an individual. This is a pivotal moment in Acts, as it leads to the revelation that the Gospel is for all people, not just Jews. Similar trances or visions are seen in the experiences of other biblical figures, such as Daniel (Daniel 10:9) and Paul (Acts 22:17-18), often marking significant turning points in God's plan.
• Scripture presents Peter as genuinely human, experiencing normal bodily needs just as Elijah did after Mount Carmel (1 Kings 19:4–8) and even our Lord after forty days of fasting (Matthew 4:2).
• Hunger reminds us that ministry flows from reliance on God’s provision (Psalm 107:9), not personal strength.
• The timing—occurring during prayer on a rooftop (Acts 10:9)—underscores how God meets people in ordinary moments.
• Desire for food is no sin; it reflects God-given appetite (Genesis 2:16).
• Yet the verse hints that Peter’s physical longing will soon be eclipsed by a spiritual revelation, much like Jesus’ words in John 4:32, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
• The simple request anticipates hospitality, a trait urged in Romans 12:13 and later shown by Cornelius’ household (Acts 10:23).
• God often works in the margins—while Sarah baked cakes for the three visitors (Genesis 18:6), or while Martha busied herself in the kitchen (Luke 10:40).
• Delay creates space for divine interruption; Proverbs 19:21 reminds us, “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.”
• The saints’ service downstairs positions Peter upstairs for revelation, echoing the body-life harmony of 1 Corinthians 12:20–21.
• The Spirit moves Peter into a supernatural state, paralleling Paul in the temple (Acts 22:17) and John on Patmos (Revelation 1:10).
• Such trances are God-initiated visions, fully real and authoritative (Acts 11:5 confirms its authenticity).
• The moment bridges physical hunger with a heavenly message abolishing ceremonial food barriers (Mark 7:19; Ephesians 2:14), preparing Peter to welcome Gentiles without hesitation.
Acts 10:10 shows God intersecting Peter’s everyday hunger with a visionary call that will reshape the church’s mission. The verse reassures us that the Lord uses common needs to open uncommon doors, meets faithful servants in routine settings, and provides revelation that satisfies far deeper than any meal.
(10) He fell into a trance.--St. Luke characteristically uses, as in Acts 11:5; Acts 22:17, the technical term ekstasis (whence our English ecstasy) for the state which thus supervened. It is obvious that it might in part be the natural consequence of the protracted fast, and the intense prayer, possibly also of exposure under such conditions to the noontide sun. The state was one in which the normal action of the senses was suspended, like that of Balaam in Numbers 24:4, or that which St. Paul describes in 2Corinthians 12:3, "whether in the body or out of the body" he cannot tell, and, as such, it was, in this instance, made the channel for a revelation of the Divine Will conveyed in symbols which were adapted to the conditions out of which it rose.Verse 10. - Hungry for very hungry, A.V.; desired to eat for would have eaten, A.V. Hungry. The word so rendered (πρόσπεινος) occurs nowhere else either in the New Testament or in any other writer. Possibly he, like Cornelius (ver. 30), had been fasting till the time of prayer. A trance (ἔκστασις) expresses a state of transition from the ordinary state into a new or different state. Applied to a man, it denotes that state in which the external senses and the volition are suspended, and all his impressions are derived from within (see Acts 11:5; Acts 22:17). It is also used to express great astonishment (Luke 5:26; Acts 3:10; Mark 5:42). In the LXX. of Genesis 2:21 it is spoken of Adam's deep sleep, and in Genesis 27:33 of Isaac's exceeding trembling, and elsewhere of strong emotions.