Acts 3 14

Acts 3:14 kjv

But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

Acts 3:14 nkjv

But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

Acts 3:14 niv

You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

Acts 3:14 esv

But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

Acts 3:14 nlt

You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer.

Acts 3 verses

MeaningPeter sharply accuses the Jewish people gathered in the temple courtyard of their complicity in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He highlights their egregious choice: actively rejecting Jesus, who he proclaims as "the Holy One and the Just" – titles signifying His perfect, pure, and righteous nature as God's Anointed Messiah – and instead demanding the release of Barabbas, a convicted murderer. This denial was not merely a passive act but an emphatic preference for a criminal over the very embodiment of divine justice, revealing profound spiritual blindness and a rejection of God's redemptive plan.

Cross References

ContextActs chapter 3 opens with Peter and John heading to the Temple for prayer, where they encounter a man lame from birth begging at the gate called Beautiful. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, commands the man to rise in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The man is miraculously healed and, overflowing with joy, enters the Temple, leaping and praising God, drawing a large crowd of astonished onlookers. Seeing their amazement, Peter seizes the opportunity to preach a sermon to them in Solomon's Portico. He directs their focus from himself and John to God and Jesus, identifying Jesus as the one they rejected and crucified, yet whom God raised from the dead. Acts 3:14 is a core accusation within this sermon, setting the stage for Peter's call to repentance and promises of blessing through Christ. Historically, this event unfolds during Passover season in Jerusalem, a time of heightened nationalistic and messianic fervor, contributing to the crowd's initial rejection of Jesus in favor of a political agitator like Barabbas. Peter confronts this decision directly, contrasting their actions with God's ultimate vindication of Jesus.

Word analysis

• But ye denied (Ὑμεῖς δὲ ἠρνήσασθε - Hymeis de ērnēsthe)

  • Ὑμεῖς (Hymeis): "You (plural)." This is an emphatic pronoun, placing direct responsibility on the listeners, the crowd present, implicating them in the historical act of rejection.
  • δὲ (de): "But/And." A strong adversative conjunction that highlights a contrast. It immediately sets up the contradiction between God's glorification of Jesus (Acts 3:13) and the crowd's rejection of Him.
  • ἠρνήσασθε (ērnēsthe): "Denied, rejected, disowned." An aorist middle indicative of arneomai (ἀρνέομαι). The aorist tense indicates a decisive, completed action. The middle voice emphasizes their active, willing participation in this denial. It refers specifically to their clamoring for Barabbas over Jesus before Pontius Pilate, a conscious repudiation of Jesus's messianic claims and person.

• the Holy One (τὸν Ἅγιον - ton Hagion)

  • τὸν (ton): The definite article "the," emphasizing Jesus as the singular, unique Holy One.
  • Ἅγιον (Hagion): "Holy One, Sacred One, One Set Apart." This title asserts Jesus's moral purity, His divine essence, and His consecration to God's will. It points to His absolute sinlessness and unique status. In the Old Testament (e.g., Ps 16:10; Isa 49:7; Hab 1:12), "Holy One" often refers to God Himself or to the promised Messiah who would not experience corruption in the grave. Peter uses this title to underscore the heinousness of their crime: they rejected God's own sanctified and pure representative.

• and the Just (καὶ Δίκαιον - kai Dikaion)

  • καὶ (kai): "And." Connects a second, equally crucial, attribute of Jesus.
  • Δίκαιον (Dikaion): "Just, Righteous One, Innocent One." This title highlights Jesus's perfect righteousness, His adherence to all divine laws, and His innocence in the face of any criminal charges. Prophecies of the Suffering Servant referred to Him as the "Righteous Servant" (Isa 53:11), and the New Testament repeatedly calls Jesus "the Righteous" (1 Jn 2:1) and the "Just" (1 Pet 3:18). Their denial was thus not only a rejection of holiness but also an act of gross injustice against perfect righteousness.

• and desired a murderer (ἠτήσασθε δὲ ἄνδρα φονέα - ētesasthe de andra phonea)

  • ἠτήσασθε (ētesasthe): "You demanded, requested." Aorist middle indicative of aiteō (αἰτέω), signifying a deliberate and strong asking, almost a demand. It further emphasizes their active role in the proceedings against Jesus, demonstrating their fervent preference.
  • δὲ (de): "But/And," again setting a contrast: they denied the Just One, and instead demanded a murderer.
  • ἄνδρα (andra): "Man." A generic term for a male individual.
  • φονέα (phonea): "Murderer, killer." This clearly identifies Barabbas. He was an insurrectionist who had committed murder (Mk 15:7; Lk 23:19). This stark juxtaposition (Holy and Just vs. Murderer) vividly illustrates the moral and spiritual inversion of their choice.

• to be granted unto you (χαρισθῆναι ὑμῖν - charisthenai hymin)

  • χαρισθῆναι (charisthenai): "To be graciously given, granted as a favor." Aorist passive infinitive of charizomai (χαρίζομαι), meaning "to give freely, forgive, grant a favor." It highlights that Barabbas was given to them as a concession by Pilate, ironically, not as an act of true grace but a yielding to their demand.
  • ὑμῖν (hymin): "To you (plural)." The dative pronoun, reinforcing that this concession was specifically to them, according to their desire.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "But ye denied the Holy One and the Just": This phrase delivers a piercing indictment. It condemns the Jewish nation for actively rejecting Jesus, who, contrary to their accusations, possessed divine purity ("Holy One") and perfect moral integrity ("Just"). This rejection signifies a catastrophic misjudgment, aligning themselves against God's anointed one, thus committing a grave spiritual offense.
  • "and desired a murderer to be granted unto you": This vividly portrays the extent of their spiritual distortion. They preferred a known criminal, guilty of serious transgressions against societal law and human life, over the one who epitomized righteousness and embodied life itself. This deliberate preference underscores their moral perversion and political motivation, choosing worldly power or temporal liberation over the spiritual redemption offered by Christ. It starkly reveals their priorities were opposed to God's.

CommentaryPeter's address in Acts 3:14 is a core component of his persuasive kerygma, designed to elicit profound conviction. He uses direct accusation to shatter the complacency of his audience, laying bare their pivotal sin: the rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah, Jesus, God's "Holy One and the Just." This specific phrasing, juxtaposing Jesus's perfect character against Barabbas's heinous crimes, highlights the spiritual blindness and perverse choice made by the Jewish people at the most critical juncture of history. The accusation serves not to merely condemn, but to pave the way for a desperate need for repentance (Acts 3:19). Peter masterfully demonstrates that their rejection of the sinless Savior was a grave error against divine righteousness, implying a divine judgment upon them if they do not turn. This verse also illustrates the deep-seated human tendency to prefer freedom through rebellion (like Barabbas) over true freedom found in submission to divine authority (Jesus), showcasing humanity's ongoing struggle with God's will.

Bonus section

• The emphasis on "the Holy One and the Just" reflects titles familiar from Old Testament prophetic traditions (e.g., Psa 16:10, Isa 53:11, Isa 49:7), powerfully establishing Jesus's Messianic identity and divine character, despite His humble earthly appearance and crucifixion. Peter is implicitly connecting Jesus to the very heart of Jewish prophetic expectation.
• The contrast with Barabbas serves as a microcosm of humanity's sin: preferring a symbol of earthly, insurrectionist 'freedom' that leads to death, over the spiritual freedom and life offered by God through Christ. Barabbas, whose name perhaps means "son of the father," stands as an ironic and tragic counterpoint to Jesus, the true Son of the Father, demonstrating a false son being preferred over the true.
• Peter's direct address ("But ye denied... ye desired...") emphasizes personal and corporate culpability, designed to bring about an acute sense of responsibility, essential for authentic repentance. This is not just a historical account but a present confrontation requiring a response.