Acts 3:21 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.
Acts 3:21 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.
Acts 3:21 niv
Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.
Acts 3:21 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.
Acts 3:21 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.
Acts 3 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 110:1 | The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies Your footstool.” | Christ's heavenly session |
| Mk 16:19 | So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven... | Jesus' ascension |
| Lk 24:51 | While He was blessing them, He withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. | Jesus' ascension |
| Acts 1:9-11 | And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them... This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way... | Jesus' ascension and promised return |
| Eph 1:20-22 | ...seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places... far above all rule and authority... | Christ's exalted position in heaven |
| Col 3:1 | If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. | Christ's present heavenly dwelling |
| Heb 1:3 | ...He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high... | Christ's heavenly session |
| Heb 10:12-13 | But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting until His enemies should be made a footstool for Him. | Christ awaiting final victory from heaven |
| 1 Pet 3:22 | ...who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God... | Christ's heavenly authority |
| Matt 17:11 | He answered, “Elijah does come and will restore all things." | Prophecy of Elijah preceding restoration |
| Isa 11:6-9 | The wolf shall dwell with the lamb... the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD... | Prophecy of peaceful, restored creation |
| Isa 65:17-25 | For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth... The wolf and the lamb shall graze together... | Prophecy of new heavens and new earth |
| Mal 4:5-6 | “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts... lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” | Prophecy of Elijah preceding restoration and judgment |
| Rom 8:19-23 | For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God... because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption... | Creation's groaning for redemption/restoration |
| 2 Pet 3:13 | But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. | Promise of new creation |
| Rev 21:1-5 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth... and behold, the dwelling place of God is with man... | Vision of new creation |
| Matt 24:29-31 | ...and then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man... they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. | Christ's Second Coming |
| 1 Thes 4:16-17 | For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command... | Christ's Second Coming |
| 2 Pet 3:10-13 | But the day of the Lord will come like a thief... But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth... | Christ's Second Coming and new creation |
| Acts 10:43 | To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name. | Prophets testified of Christ's work |
| Lk 24:25-27 | ...how foolish, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. | Scriptures/Prophets prophesied Christ |
| 2 Pet 1:21 | For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. | Divine inspiration of prophets |
Acts 3 verses
Acts 3 21 Meaning
Acts 3:21 declares that Jesus Christ, having ascended, must remain in heaven until a predetermined time: "the times of restitution of all things." This refers to a future period when God will bring about the complete cosmic and redemptive restoration of His creation to its intended, perfect state, fulfilling the promises spoken by His holy prophets from antiquity concerning the Messianic kingdom. This restoration is contingent upon Israel's repentance, signaling the return of Christ to reign.
Acts 3 21 Context
Acts chapter 3 records Peter's second powerful sermon, delivered in Solomon's Portico after he, with John, miraculously healed a man lame from birth at the temple gate called Beautiful. The miracle drew a large crowd, providing Peter the opportunity to preach the Gospel. He addresses the astonished Jews, accusing them of crucifying Jesus, yet presenting their action as part of God's foreordained plan. Peter calls the people to repentance and conversion, promising "times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19). Verse 21, then, continues this thought, elaborating on what the "times of refreshing" entail – namely, the grand eschatological restoration that accompanies Christ's return, a return awaiting Israel's national repentance and the full outworking of God's plan. This discourse highlights Peter's post-resurrection understanding of Jesus' messianic identity and the continuity of God's redemptive plan through history, culminating in Christ's future reign and the renewal of creation.
Acts 3 21 Word analysis
- Whom (ὃν - hon): Refers to Jesus, highlighting His personal presence and activity. The immediate antecedent is Jesus whom "God has raised from the dead" (Acts 3:15) and who is currently glorified.
- the heaven (οὐρανὸν - ouranon): Denotes the spiritual realm where God dwells, from which Christ descended and to which He ascended. It is the place of Christ's present session at God's right hand.
- must receive (δεῖ δέξασθαι - dei dexasthai): "Dei" implies divine necessity or imperative ("it is necessary"); "dexasthai" (infinitive of δέχομαι - dechomai) means "to receive" or "to hold." This signifies a divine decree that Christ must remain in heaven. It’s not merely that heaven can receive Him, but that it must hold Him. This is temporary, for a specific purpose and duration.
- until (ἄχρι - achri): Marks a specific endpoint in time, indicating that Christ's presence in heaven is not eternal in the sense of never returning. It is a waiting period for a key event.
- the times (χρόνων - chronon): Plural, suggesting a divinely appointed, prolonged period or era rather than an instantaneous event. These are "appointed times."
- of restitution (ἀποκαταστάσεως - apokatastaseos): A key term. From apokatastasis, meaning restoration, re-establishment, reinstatement to an original or proper state. This term is not equivalent to universal salvation (that all souls will eventually be saved). Instead, it refers to the renewal of creation, the restoration of God's righteous order, and the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies concerning earth's peace and flourishing. It encompasses the removal of the curse, the healing of creation, and the full establishment of God's kingdom on earth.
- of all things (πάντων - pantōn): Refers to creation in its entirety (cosmos, moral order, justice, peace, and perhaps especially the restoration of Israel and its covenants) that fell under the curse of sin, not to the salvation of every individual human being.
- which God (οὓς ὁ θεὸς - hous ho theos): Emphasizes divine authorship and authority. This future restoration is God's initiative and His promised work.
- hath spoken (ἐλάλησεν - elalēsen): Simple past tense, highlighting the completion of these pronouncements in the past by the prophets.
- by the mouth (διὰ στόματος - dia stomatos): Literally "through the mouth," signifying verbal inspiration and clear communication.
- of all his holy prophets (πάντων τῶν ἁγίων αὐτοῦ προφητῶν - pantōn tōn hagiōn autou prophētōn): Emphasizes the unanimous testimony of the entire prophetic tradition (Old Testament) regarding this future restoration and Christ's role in it. The "holy prophets" confirm the divine origin of these prophecies.
- since the world began (ἀπ' αἰῶνος - ap' aiōnos): From ancient times, from the very beginning of the ages. This stresses the enduring and consistent nature of God's plan throughout history, reaching back into the earliest covenants and prophetic pronouncements.
Acts 3 21 Bonus section
This verse establishes a theological link between Israel's repentance (implied by Peter's sermon and call in vv. 19-20) and the timing of Christ's return and the accompanying restoration. Some theological interpretations understand this to mean that the national repentance of Israel will trigger the "times of refreshing" and the apokatastasis. This idea does not contradict God's sovereign timing but rather points to an interdependent divine plan. The term "restitution of all things" here is not an isolated concept but is deeply woven into the fabric of Old Testament prophetic expectation, specifically those concerning the New Covenant and the Messianic age (e.g., promises of renewed land, peace between predator and prey, cessation of sorrow). It highlights God's unwavering commitment to reverse the curse of sin not just spiritually but physically and environmentally, making all things new again under Christ's direct rule.
Acts 3 21 Commentary
Acts 3:21 presents a critical eschatological truth embedded within Peter's call to repentance. It underscores that Christ's current location in heaven is a divinely ordained necessity, a "holding pattern" until specific prophetic conditions are met. The central concept, apokatastasis, the "restitution of all things," does not imply a universalist salvation where all beings are automatically reconciled to God irrespective of faith. Rather, it points to the cosmic restoration of creation to its perfect, pre-Fall state, freeing it from the bondage of corruption and suffering, aligning with prophetic visions of a renewed earth where righteousness dwells and Messianic peace prevails. This future glorious epoch includes the full realization of Israel's national repentance, leading to Christ's return, the re-establishment of His rightful kingship over all the earth, and the ushering in of a perfected age as foretold by God's prophets throughout biblical history. It means the ultimate victory over sin's effects, extending not just to humanity but to the very fabric of creation, making it fit for God's manifest presence. For the early church and subsequent generations, this verse grounds their hope in Christ's imminent return and the glorious future that awaits creation, encouraging a present commitment to righteousness and mission.