Acts 3 20

Acts 3:20 kjv

And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

Acts 3:20 nkjv

and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,

Acts 3:20 niv

and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you?even Jesus.

Acts 3:20 esv

that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,

Acts 3:20 nlt

Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.

Acts 3 verses

Acts 3 20 Meaning

This verse states God's purpose to send Jesus, the Christ, a sending directly linked to human repentance and God's prior appointment. It reveals that the same Jesus, whom the Jewish people rejected, is God's fore-appointed Messiah, destined for a future, ultimate revelation. His return is a divinely assured event, conditional on a period of spiritual refreshment for those who repent.

Acts 3 20 Context

This verse is part of Peter's second public sermon, delivered at Solomon's Colonnade in the Temple, following the miraculous healing of a lame man in Acts 3:1-10. Peter addresses a crowd of devout Jews, some of whom would have witnessed or heard of Jesus' crucifixion just weeks or months prior. In the preceding verses (Acts 3:17-18), Peter acknowledges their actions were due to ignorance, fulfilling prophetic declarations regarding the Messiah's suffering. Acts 3:19 calls for repentance for their past actions, so that "times of refreshing" may come from the presence of the Lord. Verse 20 directly links this repentance and refreshing to God's act of sending Jesus, whom God had previously designated as the Christ. The immediate context of Acts 3:21 clarifies that this "sending" refers to Jesus' return from heaven. Peter's sermon, therefore, is an urgent call for his Jewish listeners to acknowledge Jesus as their promised Messiah, to repent of their national rejection of Him, and to await His promised return to bring full restoration. This sermon represents a crucial point where the early apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit, offer the Gospel specifically to the Jewish nation, emphasizing repentance and the Messianic hope as fulfilled in Jesus.

Acts 3 20 Word analysis

• and that He may send (kai aposteilē - καὶ ἀποστείλῃ): The conjunction "and that" (kai) connects this act directly to the preceding call for repentance (Acts 3:19). The verb "may send" (aposteilē) is in the aorist subjunctive, implying a contingent and purposeful sending. It signifies a divine commissioning, much like how God "sent" Jesus into the world (Gal 4:4, 1 Jn 4:9). In this context, given Acts 3:21, it points specifically to a future, eschatological return of Jesus, yet one dependent on the repentant response of His people and the designated "times of refreshing."
• Jesus, (Iēsoun - Ἰησοῦν): Refers to the historical individual, Jesus of Nazareth, confirming His true humanity and personal identity. The emphasis on "this Jesus" is key in Peter's sermons (Acts 2:36, 3:13, 3:26).
• the Christ, (ton Christon - τὸν Χριστόν): Greek for "the Anointed One" (Hebrew: Messiah). This definitive article "the" ("ton") emphasizes His unique, divinely designated status as the singular Anointed King, Priest, and Prophet long promised in the Old Testament. This title was paramount for a Jewish audience, signifying the fulfillment of all their messianic hopes. Peter asserts Jesus is the one, challenging any other messianic expectations.
• who was preached to you before (ton prokecheirismenon hymin - τὸν προκεχειρισμένον ὑμῖν): This is a crucial phrase.
  • prokecheirismenon (προκεχειρισμένον): The participle is derived from procheirizomai (προχειρίζομαι), meaning "to appoint beforehand," "to preordain," "to designate." While some translations might use "preached," the stronger and more accurate rendering, supported by scholarly consensus and biblical usage (e.g., Acts 22:14; cf. also Acts 10:41 where it means "chosen beforehand" as witnesses), is "pre-appointed," "designated beforehand," or "chosen." This word conveys God's sovereign, eternal plan in choosing Jesus as the Christ from the very beginning. It emphasizes divine foreknowledge and predetermined purpose, not merely prior human proclamation.
  • hymin (ὑμῖν): "to you" (dative plural). This means that Jesus, as the designated Christ, was appointed specifically for or on behalf of the Jewish people. This highlights God's continuing covenant faithfulness to Israel, even in their rejection of Jesus. The designation of Jesus as Christ, therefore, wasn't an afterthought but part of God's redemptive purpose revealed to them throughout their history through the prophets.

Words-group analysis:

• "and that He may send Jesus, the Christ": This phrase highlights divine initiative and the core subject of Peter's proclamation. God, the Father, is the active agent in sending Jesus, the Son, again as the designated Messiah. It emphasizes that the future coming of Jesus is not an independent event but part of God's ongoing, sovereign redemptive plan.
• "the Christ, who was preached to you before / who was designated for you beforehand": This segment firmly ties the identity of Jesus as Messiah to God's eternal purpose. It signifies that Jesus' role was not accidental or newly decided but was the fulfillment of long-standing divine promise and prior appointment, known to and prepared for the Jewish nation throughout their prophetic heritage. This underscores God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises, even when His people stray.

Acts 3 20 Bonus section

The concept of "pre-appointed" (prokecheirismenon) for Christ extends beyond Acts 3:20. It appears in contexts emphasizing God's sovereign hand in history, even in the midst of human rebellion. In Acts 22:14, Ananias tells Paul that God "appointed you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth," using the same root word, "procheirizomai." This further establishes the consistent divine pattern of specific designation for crucial redemptive roles. The use of this strong word, rather than simply "prokechrungmenon" (previously announced/preached), lends significant weight to God's active pre-ordination, affirming Jesus' unchangeable and eternal identity as God's designated Christ. This reinforces the theological concept that Christ's role, sufferings, death, resurrection, and future return were all part of God's determined counsel and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23), not merely events that unfolded incidentally.

Acts 3 20 Commentary

Acts 3:20 is a pivotal verse in Peter's temple sermon, acting as a crucial bridge between repentance and eschatological hope. It directly links the call for the Jewish nation to turn from their rejection of Jesus (Acts 3:19) with the promise of His future return as the Christ. The use of "prokecheirismenon" is profound; it asserts that Jesus' messianic identity and future role are not arbitrary but are embedded in God's eternal plan, revealed "before" (either through prophecies or the preceding earthly ministry of Jesus). This declaration counters any Jewish notion that the Messiah was yet to be fully defined or appointed; Peter declares that He is Jesus, the one whom God already chose.

The sending of Jesus, mentioned here, clearly refers to His second advent or parousia (His coming presence), as explicitly clarified in Acts 3:21 which speaks of "times of restoration of all things." This passage does not suggest a new designation of Jesus as Christ but rather God sending the same pre-appointed Christ. Peter thus provides a compelling and hope-filled motivation for repentance: genuine turning back to God enables the full ushering in of the refreshing Messianic age, inaugurated by the glorious return of their true King.

Examples of application:

• Prophetic Fulfillment: Highlights how God’s plan, revealed in prophecy, finds its definitive fulfillment in Jesus, urging us to recognize His predetermined roles.
• Call to Repentance: Connects our repentance directly to God's further unfolding of His redemptive plan, reminding believers of their role in preparing for Christ's return.
• Christ's Supremacy: Affirms Jesus as the unique, eternally chosen Messiah, calling all to submit to His divine authority.