Acts 2 39

Acts 2:39 kjv

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

Acts 2:39 nkjv

For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

Acts 2:39 niv

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off?for all whom the Lord our God will call."

Acts 2:39 esv

For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

Acts 2:39 nlt

This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away ? all who have been called by the Lord our God."

Acts 2 verses

Acts 2 39 Meaning

Acts 2:39 declares that the promise of the Holy Spirit, along with the forgiveness of sins and salvation, extends beyond Peter's immediate Jewish audience. This divine provision is available not only to them but also to their descendants across generations and to all people, even those geographically or spiritually distant. The access to this promise is contingent upon God's sovereign call, signifying a universal scope yet a divinely ordained participation.

Acts 2 39 Context

Acts chapter 2 records the pivotal day of Pentecost, fifty days after the Passover. This was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and Jesus' promise regarding the Holy Spirit's coming. The chapter begins with the sudden, miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the gathered disciples, enabling them to speak in diverse languages. This event draws a large crowd, leading Peter to deliver a powerful sermon. In his address (Acts 2:14-36), Peter explains that the Spirit's manifestation fulfills Joel's prophecy, clearly presents Jesus Christ as the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Lord and Messiah, and directly confronts the crowd's sin in crucifying Him. The listeners, "cut to the heart," ask what they should do (Acts 2:37). Peter's response in Acts 2:38, calling for repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, immediately precedes Acts 2:39, which expands on the scope and recipients of this glorious promise. It frames the invitation not just for that moment but for all who would be called by God through time and across all human boundaries.

Acts 2 39 Word analysis

• For (γάρ - gar): An explanatory conjunction, linking this verse to Peter's prior exhortation. It provides the rationale or basis for why they should repent and be baptized: the promise is available and extends broadly.
• the promise (ἡ ἐπαγγελία - hē epangelia): Refers primarily to the promise of the Holy Spirit as discussed in Joel 2 and promised by Jesus (Acts 1:4-5, Acts 2:33). It implicitly includes all New Covenant blessings that accompany the Spirit, such as forgiveness of sins, spiritual transformation, and salvation. This concept echoes the Abrahamic and New Covenant promises throughout Scripture.
• is to you (ὑμῖν - humin): Directly addresses the immediate Jewish audience in Jerusalem who had just witnessed the Spirit's outpouring and heard Peter's sermon. This emphasizes the immediate applicability and accessibility of the promise to them, highlighting God's faithfulness to Israel first.
• and to your children (καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν - kai tois teknois humon): Expands the promise to future generations, underscoring the enduring, generational nature of God's covenant dealings. This aligns with Old Covenant promises that included the descendants of Abraham and is consistent with the Spirit being promised to offspring in prophecies (e.g., Isa 44:3). It signifies the family as the basic unit within the covenant community, though conversion requires individual response.
• and to all who are afar off (καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς εἰς μακράν - kai pasin tois eis makran): A pivotal expansion of the gospel's reach.
  • Historically, this could initially refer to the Jews of the Diaspora, those living in distant lands but still part of the Jewish nation.
  • Prophetically, it encompasses the Gentiles. Old Testament prophets like Isaiah spoke of peace being brought to those "far off" (Isa 57:19). This foresight sets the stage for the universal inclusion of non-Jews into God's new covenant people.
  • Spiritually, it signifies all those alienated from God, regardless of ethnicity or location, who are brought near by Christ (Eph 2:13, 17). This universal scope marks a dramatic shift from previous exclusive covenant expressions.
• as many as (ὅσους ἄν - hosous an): This phrase introduces a qualifying condition. It signifies that the promise is not automatically applied to everyone regardless of their state but to a specific subset within the broader scope. It introduces a note of divine selection and calling.
• the Lord our God (Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν - Kyrios ho Theos hēmōn): Reinforces the divine sovereignty in initiating and fulfilling this promise. "Our God" maintains continuity with the God of Israel, acknowledging His enduring covenant faithfulness while revealing His broader salvific plan. It grounds the promise firmly in the character and will of the one true God.
• will call (προσκαλέσηται - proskalesētai): Refers to God's active, efficacious call, drawing individuals to Himself. This divine initiative is essential for one to respond to the promise. It highlights God's sovereignty in salvation, signifying that salvation is not merely offered but is actively worked out through divine drawing (Jn 6:44). This "call" is an invitation that results in saving faith and participation in the benefits of the promise.

Acts 2 39 Bonus section

• The promise outlined in this verse encapsulates the essence of the New Covenant—forgiveness, indwelling Spirit, transformation, and inclusion into God's family. It directly connects to the New Covenant prophecies in Jer 31:31-34 and Ez 36:26-27, where God promises a new heart and His Spirit within His people.
• While "children" aligns with covenant practices involving families, the efficacy for each individual within that generational promise still rests on their personal response to God's call (e.g., repentance and faith as outlined in Acts 2:38). It signifies inclusion within the covenant community's reach, not automatic salvation from birth.
• The declaration that the promise extends "to all who are afar off" is revolutionary for its time, laying the theological groundwork for the Gentile mission that becomes a dominant theme throughout the book of Acts (e.g., Cornelius in Acts 10). It signifies the dismantling of ethnic barriers for salvation, fulfilled through Christ's reconciling work (Eph 2:13-17).

Acts 2 39 Commentary

Acts 2:39 is a cornerstone verse in Peter's Pentecost sermon, establishing the universal and enduring nature of God's New Covenant promise. Following the command to repent and be baptized, Peter grounds this command in the generous, boundless character of the divine offer. The promise, primarily of the Holy Spirit, is explicitly not limited to the present Jewish audience. It cascades through generations to their children, ensuring the continuity of God's covenant blessings within the family framework, albeit with a renewed emphasis on individual faith. Crucially, it extends to "all who are afar off," signifying the inclusion of the Gentile nations, fulfilling long-held prophetic declarations of a salvation reaching beyond Israel's borders. This prophetic vision sets the trajectory for the book of Acts. However, the universality is balanced by divine sovereignty, as the promise is realized in "as many as the Lord our God will call." This emphasizes that the reception of this divine gift is ultimately rooted in God's effectual calling, indicating a profound divine initiative in salvation. Thus, the verse beautifully intertwines God's expansive promise with His sovereign election, revealing a gospel both broadly offered and divinely enacted.