Acts 9:43 Meaning: Staying with Simon the Tanner
He stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.
And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
and it came to pass, that he remained many days in Joppa, with a certain one, Simon a tanner.
And it came to pass that he remained many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Peter stay with a tanner, a trade considered unclean? This small detail shows God breaking down barriers and preparing for the Gentile mission.
Context
Peter has just raised Dorcas from the dead, and the news spreads through all Joppa. Many believe in the Lord. Now he stays, not in a prominent home, but with a tanner named Simon. In that time, tanners worked with dead animals and animal blood, so many Jews considered the trade unclean and avoided tanners altogether. Joppa was a busy port city, and Simon's house sat by the seaside, perhaps to keep the smell away from others. Luke mentions this detail deliberately. It shows Peter already moving beyond old rules about clean and unclean, long before the vision of the sheet in the next chapter. This verse is a quiet but powerful hinge, connecting the Jewish Christian community to the coming mission to the Gentiles.
Key Words
Two Greek words in this small verse carry real weight. The word for tanner is burseus. It comes from bursa, meaning a hide or skin. In the Jewish world, a tanner's work meant constant contact with carcasses and blood, which made a person ritually unclean for hours at a time. Rabbis even said a wife could divorce a husband who became a tanner. So when Peter chooses to stay with Simon, he is crossing a line that mattered deeply to his people.
The verb stayed is meinai, from meno, to remain, abide, settle in. This is not a quick overnight visit. Peter stayed many days, and that phrase, hikanas, means a full, sufficient number of days. He did not rush through the door or keep his distance. He lived with Simon, ate with him, prayed with him. The word choice tells us this was an intentional, extended stay. Peter was not just tolerating an unclean host; he was forming a friendship that would reshape his understanding of God's welcome.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have seen this verse as a quiet turning point. Reformed commentator John Calvin notes that if the leaders of Joppa had been converted, someone important would have hosted Peter. Instead, God gathered a church from ordinary people, and Peter's willingness to lodge with a tanner shows his humility. The Anglican Cambridge Bible calls it a sign that Jewish prejudices were already fading in Peter's mind, preparing him for the mission to Cornelius. Methodist scholar Adam Clarke points out that the trade was held in contempt by the Talmud, so Peter's choice of host would have surprised his fellow Jews. Baptist commentator John Gill agrees, seeing it as a deliberate move away from ceremonial scruples. These voices from different traditions all hear the same note: God is quietly expanding the circle.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers skim past this verse as just a travel detail, a way to set up Peter's location for the next chapter. In fact, the tanner detail is essential. Luke could have said Peter stayed with 'a disciple named Simon,' but he specifies the trade because it matters. In the Jewish world, staying with a tanner was a statement. It showed Peter already acting on the truth he would soon learn in the vision: God shows no partiality. The verse is not filler; it is a deliberate clue that the old boundaries are dissolving.
Living This Out
Who is the tanner in your life? The person your circle avoids, the one whose job or past or lifestyle makes others uncomfortable. Peter did not just visit Simon; he stayed many days. That means time around the table, ordinary conversation, shared life. This week, you might ask God to show you someone you keep at a distance because of a label, then choose not to rush past them. Stay. Let the friendship form. That is how God's family grows, one ordinary, risky welcome at a time.
Main takeaway: God's kingdom expands when we stay with those others avoid, because Jesus welcomes everyone without prejudice.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Peter stayed at a friend's house. That friend had a smelly job working with animal skins. Some people didn't want to be near him, but Peter stayed anyway. God loves everyone, even people others don't like.
For ages 9, 12
In Bible times, tanners worked with dead animals, so many Jews thought they were unclean and kept away from them. But Peter stayed with Simon the tanner for many days. That was a big deal. It shows that Peter was learning that God doesn't reject people because of their job or background. This prepared Peter to share the good news with Cornelius, a Roman soldier. It challenges us not to judge people by what they do or where they come from.
Questions People Ask
Why was being a tanner considered unclean in Jewish culture?
Tanners worked with dead animals, handling hides and blood, which caused ritual impurity according to Jewish law. The trade also had a strong smell and required being near water, so tanners often lived on the outskirts of town. Rabbis spoke of the trade with contempt, and a wife could even divorce a husband who became a tanner.
Why did Peter choose to stay with Simon the tanner?
The text doesn't say Peter chose Simon specifically; perhaps Simon was one of the believers in Joppa and offered hospitality. But Luke highlights the trade to show that Peter was already moving beyond Jewish purity scruples. Staying with a tanner would have surprised many Jewish Christians and prepared Peter for the vision that would lead him to Cornelius.
How does Acts 9:43 connect to the story of Cornelius in Acts 10?
The verse sets the scene for the next chapter. Peter is staying in Joppa at a tanner's house by the sea. In Acts 10, Cornelius sends messengers to Joppa asking for Simon Peter, who is staying with Simon the tanner. The choice of host signals that old barriers about clean and unclean are breaking down, right before God tells Peter to eat unclean animals and then preach to Gentiles.
What does 'many days' mean in this verse?
The Greek phrase literally means 'sufficient days', a full, considerable number of days, not just a quick visit. This extended stay shows Peter intentionally living with someone whose trade was considered unclean, forming real relationship rather than just passing through. It underlines the significance of his choice of host.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study