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 change the way you think and act, and turn ⌞to God⌟ to have your sins removed. 20Then times will come when the Lord will refresh you. He will send you Jesus, whom he has appointed to be the Christ. Heaven must receive Jesus until the time when everything will be restored as God promised through his holy prophets long ago. 22“Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will send you a prophet, an Israelite like me. Listen to everything he tells you. 23Those who won’t listen to that prophet will be excluded from 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 1:11They asked, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking at the sky? Jesus, who was taken from you to heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw him go to heaven.”
• Acts 3:19So change the way you think and act, and turn ⌞to God⌟ to have your sins removed.
• Isaiah 1:26I will give you judges like you had long ago, advisers like you had in the beginning. After that you will be called the Righteous City, the Faithful Town.”
• Malachi 3:3He will act like a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify Levi’s sons and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will bring acceptable offerings to the Lord.
• Malachi 4:5“I’m going to send you the prophet Elijah before that very terrifying day of the Lord comes.
• Matthew 17:11Jesus answered, “Elijah is coming and will put everything in order again.
• Mark 9:11So they asked him, “Don’t the experts in Moses’ Teachings say that Elijah must come first?”
• Acts 10:43In addition, all the prophets testify that people who believe in the one named Jesus receive forgiveness for their sins through him.”
• Luke 1:70He made this promise through his holy prophets long ago.
• 2 Peter 1:21No prophecy ever originated from humans. Instead, it was given by the Holy Spirit as humans spoke under God’s direction.
• 2 Peter 3:2I want you to remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and what the Lord and Savior commanded you through your apostles.
• Revelation 18:20“Gloat over it, heaven, God’s people, apostles, and prophets. God has condemned it for you.”
• Revelation 22:6He said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets has sent his angel to show his servants the things that must happen soon.

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