Acts 3:21

Acts 3:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
• New International Version (NIV)Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.
• English Standard Version (ESV)whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
• New King James Version (NKJV)whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Context of Acts 3:21

19So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day]; 20and that He may send [to you] Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you, whom heaven must keep until the time for the [complete] restoration of all things about which God promised through the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. 22Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your countrymen; you shall listen to Him and obey everything He tells you. 23And it will be that every person that does not listen to and heed that Prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’

Acts 3:21 word by word

ὃν δεῖ οὐρανὸν μὲν δέξασθαι ἄχρι χρόνων ἀποκαταστάσεως πάντων ὧν ἐλάλησεν ὁ θεὸς διὰ στόματος τῶν ἁγίων ἀπ᾽ αἰῶνος αὐτοῦ προφητῶν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• the heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• receiveδέχομαιdechomai · to receiveG1209
• untilἄχριachri achris · untilG891
• the timesχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
• of restitutionἀποκατάστασιςapokatastasis · restorationG605
• of all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• hath spokenλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
• prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• sinceἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the world beganαἰώνaiōn · an age: eternityG165

Cross-references for Acts 3:21

• Acts 1:11who said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
• Acts 3:19So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day];
• Isaiah 1:26Then I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning; Afterward you will be called the city of righteousness, The faithful city.”
• Malachi 3:3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi [the priests], and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord [grain] offerings in righteousness.
• Malachi 4:5“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.
• Matthew 17:11He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things;
• Mark 9:11They asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first [before the Messiah comes]?”
• Acts 10:43All the prophets testify about Him, that through His name everyone who believes in Him [whoever trusts in and relies on Him, accepting Him as Savior and Messiah] receives forgiveness of sins.”
• Luke 1:70Just as He promised by the mouth of His holy prophets from the most ancient times—
• 2 Peter 1:21for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
• 2 Peter 3:2that you should remember the words spoken in the past [about the future] by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior given by your apostles [His personally chosen representatives].
• Revelation 18:20Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints (God’s people) and apostles and prophets [who were martyred], because God has executed vengeance for you [through righteous judgment] upon her.”
• Revelation 22:6Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel [as a representative] to show His bond-servants the things that must soon take place.

Commentaries on Acts 3:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Whom the heaven must receive - He has already appeared upon earth, and accomplished the end of his appearing; he has ascended unto heaven, to administer the concerns of his kingdom, and there he shall continue till he comes again to judge the quick and the dead. The times of restitution of all things - The word , from which signifies from, and , to establish or settle any thing, viz. in a good state; and, when is added to it, then this preposition implies…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Whom the heavens must receive - The common belief of the Jews was, that the Messiah would reign on the earth forever, John 12:34. On this account they would object that Jesus could not be the Messiah, and hence, it became so important for the apostles to establish the fact that he had ascended to heaven. The evidence which they adduced was the fact that they saw him ascend, Acts 1:9. The meaning of the expression “whom the heavens must receive,” is that…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-21Verses 19-21 The absolute necessity of repentance is to be solemnly charged upon the consciences of all who desire that their sins may be blotted out, and that they may share in the refreshment which nothing but a sense of Christ's pardoning love can afford. Blessed are those who have felt this. It was not needful for the Holy Spirit to make known the times and seasons of these dispensations. These subjects are still left obscure. But when sinners are…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-21The message of the good news about Jesus (the gospel) brings comfort (see Matthew 11:28–29). The second coming of Jesus will bring times of refreshing from God. He will send Jesus to his people again.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2117-21. And now, brethren--Our preacher, like his Master, "will not break the bruised reed." His heaviest charges are prompted by love, which now hastens to assuage the wounds it was necessary to inflict. I wot--"know." through ignorance ye did it--(See marginal references, Lu 23:34; Ac 13:27; 26:9).Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 3:21

• Courage
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Restoration
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Alms
• Coming of Christ
• Convert
• Foretell
• Glorify
• Peter
• Prince
• Regeneration

Commentaries on Acts 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings