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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.

Context of Acts 3:21

19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their 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 1:11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
• Acts 3:19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
• Isaiah 1:26I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers 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; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,
• Malachi 4:5“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.
• Matthew 17:11Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.
• Mark 9:11And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
• Acts 10:43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
• Luke 1:70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
• 2 Peter 1:21For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
• 2 Peter 3:2I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
• Revelation 18:20“Rejoice over her, you heavens! Rejoice, you people of God! Rejoice, apostles and prophets! For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you.”
• Revelation 22:6The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his 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