Acts 3 22

Acts 3:22 kjv

For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

Acts 3:22 nkjv

For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.

Acts 3:22 niv

For 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.

Acts 3:22 esv

Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.

Acts 3:22 nlt

Moses said, 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.'

Acts 3 verses

Acts 3 22 Meaning

This verse, spoken by Peter to the people of Israel, presents a pivotal argument for the identity of Jesus Christ. It directly quotes from Moses' prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18:18-19, asserting that Jesus is the long-awaited "Prophet like me" whom God promised to raise up from among their brethren. The core meaning is a divine command to fully obey this Prophet, emphasizing that His words carry God's ultimate authority. Peter thus establishes Jesus as the supreme messenger of God, greater than all previous prophets, whose message demands absolute adherence.

Acts 3 22 Context

Acts 3 records Peter and John performing a miraculous healing of a lame man at the Temple gate called Beautiful. This dramatic event drew a large crowd, providing Peter a direct opportunity to preach the gospel to them. In his sermon (Acts 3:12-26), Peter connects the healing to Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had rejected and crucified, but whom God had glorified and raised from the dead. Acts 3:22, along with verse 23, serves as a scriptural cornerstone of Peter's argument, demonstrating that Jesus fulfills ancient prophecies. Peter masterfully uses the well-known Mosaic prophecy from Deuteronomy 18 to establish Jesus' divine authority and their obligation to believe and obey Him. This context highlights the continuity between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament fulfillment in Christ. The audience, being devout Jews, would instantly recognize the profound weight and implications of quoting Moses on this topic.

Acts 3 22 Word analysis

• For Moses (Greek: Μωϋσῆς - Mōysēs): The great lawgiver, mediator of the Old Covenant, and most revered prophet in Israel's history. Peter invokes Moses' authority, immediately commanding respect and attention from his Jewish audience.
• truly said (Greek: μὲν γὰρ εἶπεν - men gar eipen): A particle construction implying emphasis and confirmation. It indicates Peter is quoting accurately and asserts the undeniable truth of Moses' prophecy, establishing it as a foundation for his argument.
• to the fathers (Greek: πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας - pros tous pateras): Refers to the ancestors or forefathers of Israel, highlighting that this prophecy was given directly to their revered lineage, emphasizing its ancient and foundational importance within their covenant history.
• ‘The Lord your God’ (Greek: Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν - Kyrios ho Theos hymōn): Identifies the covenant God of Israel, Yahweh, as the one making this promise. This underscores the divine origin and unbreakable nature of the prophecy concerning the coming Prophet.
• will raise up (Greek: ἀναστήσει - anastēsei): This term primarily means "to cause to stand up," "to appoint," or "to establish." In this context, deriving from Deuteronomy 18, it refers to God bringing forth a new Prophet into public ministry and authority. While anastēsei can refer to physical resurrection (common in Acts for Jesus), here in reference to the prophecy, it means God will cause a prophet to appear, designating Him.
• for you (Greek: ὑμῖν - hymin): Emphasizes that this coming Prophet is for the direct benefit and guidance of the people of Israel.
• a Prophet (Greek: Προφήτην - Prophētēn): A spokesperson or proclaimer of God's will. This points to one who speaks with divine authority, interpreting God's purposes. The capitalization in many translations indicates a specific, singular figure.
• like me (Greek: ὡς ἐμέ - hōs eme): This crucial phrase directly compares the promised Prophet to Moses. Moses was unique: he spoke to God face-to-face (Num 12:8; Deut 34:10), was a deliverer (from Egypt), a mediator of the covenant (Sinai), and a lawgiver. The "Prophet like me" must, therefore, be a deliverer, a law-giver (or interpreter/fulfiller of the Law), and have an unparalleled intimacy with God.
• from among your brethren (Greek: ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὑμῶν - ek tōn adelphōn hymōn): Indicates that the Prophet would be an Israelite, born from within their own people, validating His authenticity against foreign claimants and aligning Him culturally with His audience.
• Him you shall hear (Greek: αὐτοῦ ἀκούσεσθε - autou akousesthe): This is a direct command. The pronoun "Him" (αὐτοῦ) is emphatic, stressing the specific individual. "Shall hear" is a future imperative, meaning "you must hear" or "you must obey." It denotes absolute obedience and acceptance of His authority.
• in all things (Greek: κατὰ πάντα - kata panta): This emphasizes the comprehensiveness of the required obedience. The Prophet's authority extends to every teaching, command, and truth He utters, without exception or reservation.
• whatever He says to you (Greek: ὅσα ἂν λαλήσῃ ὑμῖν - hosa an lalēsē hymin): Reinforces the scope of obedience. Every utterance, every spoken word of this Prophet, is to be heeded and obeyed, leaving no room for selective acceptance.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me...": This entire opening segment frames Peter's message as a direct fulfillment of Moses' sacred, ancestral prophecy. It validates Peter's claim by anchoring it in the revered Torah, ensuring his Jewish listeners understand that he is not introducing a new, unbiblical concept but elucidating a divine plan already laid out by their greatest prophet. The authority shifts from Moses' initial words to the reality of the coming Prophet, divinely ordained.
• "like me from among your brethren": This phrase precisely defines the nature and origin of the coming Prophet. "Like me" sets a high bar, drawing parallels to Moses' unique status and intimate relationship with God as a mediator and law-giver. "From among your brethren" assures the Israelite audience that this will be one of their own, maintaining national and ethnic continuity within God's redemptive plan. It contrasts with pagan practices that involved foreign or external sources of revelation.
• "Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.": This declarative command highlights the ultimate authority of the foretold Prophet and the absolute necessity of obedience to Him. It transitions from identification of the Prophet to the immediate implication for the hearers: unqualified submission to His words. This sets the stage for the consequence mentioned in the subsequent verse (Acts 3:23), underlining that disobedience will result in severe judgment, linking it directly to the Deuteronomic context.

Acts 3 22 Bonus section

The Jewish expectation of "the Prophet" was significant at the time of Jesus (Jn 1:21). Many wondered if John the Baptist was this Prophet. Peter's sermon, along with later explanations in Acts (like Stephen's sermon in Acts 7:37), unequivocally points to Jesus as the sole and perfect fulfillment. The language of "raise up" (ἀναστήσει) not only signifies divine appointment but, in the context of Acts, also implicitly connects to God "raising up" Jesus from the dead. While the direct prophecy in Deuteronomy refers to the Prophet's emergence, the Apostles frequently linked God's raising of Jesus from the dead with His divine appointment and vindication. Thus, Jesus' prophetic authority is inextricably tied to His resurrection. Disobeying Jesus, this ultimate Prophet, carries the gravest consequences, as implied by Dt 18:19 and Acts 3:23. It's not just a rejection of a man, but a rejection of God Himself speaking through His appointed one.

Acts 3 22 Commentary

Acts 3:22 is a foundational verse in Peter's second sermon, aimed at connecting Jesus Christ directly to ancient Jewish expectation and prophetic fulfillment. By quoting Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18-19, Peter grounds the person and work of Jesus not in novelty but in the very core of Israel's foundational scripture and covenant history.

The phrase "Prophet like me" is central. Moses was a deliverer, a mediator of God's law, and a uniquely privileged communicator with God. Jesus, as Peter declares, perfectly fulfills and surpasses this archetype. He is the ultimate Deliverer from sin and death (Rom 6:23), the Mediator of a new and better covenant (Heb 8:6), and the perfect revealer of God's will and nature (Jn 1:18, Heb 1:1-2). His teaching is not just "from" God, but truly is God's word (Jn 14:10).

The emphasis on "Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you" underscores the absolute authority of this Prophet and the mandatory obedience He commands. This means every aspect of Jesus' teaching, His life, His death, and His resurrection, must be fully accepted. To disregard Him is to disregard God's own ultimate message and plan. Peter implies that Israel's rejection of Jesus has been a direct disobedience to Moses' own prophecy. This call to hear is not merely intellectual understanding but transformative submission and allegiance to Christ. This provides a clear path for his Jewish audience: true faithfulness to Moses and the covenant leads directly to accepting Jesus as the promised Messiah and King.