Acts 3 23

Acts 3:23 kjv

And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

Acts 3:23 nkjv

And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.'

Acts 3:23 niv

Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.'

Acts 3:23 esv

And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.'

Acts 3:23 nlt

Then Moses said, 'Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God's people.'

Acts 3 verses

Acts 3 23 Meaning

Acts 3:23 conveys a severe divine decree that whoever actively disobeys and rejects Jesus, identified by Peter as "that Prophet" foretold by Moses, will face ultimate spiritual destruction and separation from God's people. This warning underscores the exclusive authority of Jesus Christ and the catastrophic eternal consequences of unbelief and rejection of His divine message and person.

Acts 3 23 Context

Acts 3:23 is part of Peter's second public sermon, delivered in the Temple courts immediately after the healing of a lame man at the Beautiful Gate. The miracle drew a large crowd, astonished by what had happened. Peter seizes this opportunity not to gain acclaim for himself or John, but to attribute the power to Jesus, whom the Israelites had previously rejected and crucified. His sermon centers on calling the people to repentance, emphasizing that Jesus, the "Prince of Life" and "Holy and Just One," is the fulfillment of God's covenant promises and prophecies. Specifically, Peter asserts that Jesus is "that Prophet" whom Moses spoke of in Deuteronomy 18, thus giving ultimate authority to His words and requiring implicit obedience from God's people. This verse serves as a stark warning within an impassioned evangelistic appeal to an audience familiar with the Mosaic Law and the prophecies. The historical context is post-resurrection and post-Pentecost, where the early Church is proclaiming the new covenant in Jesus Christ to the Jewish people, rooted firmly in their own scriptures.

Acts 3 23 Word analysis

• And it shall be: Greek: kai estai (καὶ ἔσται). This phrase denotes a solemn pronouncement and certainty. It implies a divinely appointed outcome that will inevitably come to pass. The structure kai estai often introduces an authoritative statement or prophetic fulfillment, giving weight to the consequence that follows.

• that every soul: Greek: pasa psychē (πᾶσα ψυχὴ). "Every" (pas) emphasizes universality and comprehensiveness; no individual is exempt. "Soul" (psychē) refers to the individual person, the very essence of their being, their life, indicating personal responsibility. This goes beyond physical descent and highlights individual accountability before God.

• who will not hear: Greek: hos ean mē akousē (ὃς ἐὰν μὴ ἀκούσῃ). "Not hear" signifies a deliberate, active refusal to listen and obey. The Greek verb akouō (to hear) in this context is much more than perceiving sound; it carries the sense of listening with attention, understanding, receiving, and submitting to the message. It's a failure to acknowledge and act upon the divine instruction delivered by "that Prophet."

• that Prophet: Greek: tou Prophetou ekeinou (τοῦ προφήτου ἐκείνου). This precise reference points directly to the Prophet promised in Deut 18:15 and 18, whom Moses prophesied God would raise up. Peter is explicitly identifying Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of this prophecy, presenting Him as the authoritative divine spokesman par excellence. It emphasizes His unique position as God's ultimate messenger and representative.

• shall be utterly destroyed: Greek: exolothreuthēsetai (ἐξολοθρευθήσεται). This is a very strong and dire term. Derived from exolethreuo, it means "to utterly cut off," "to be rooted out," "to annihilate," "to exterminate." In the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), it translates the Hebrew kārath (כָּרַת), commonly used for covenant curses of being "cut off" from the people. It indicates not just physical death (though it could include that), but primarily a spiritual excision, a permanent removal from God's favor, blessing, and His covenant community. It implies damnation and loss of eternal life.

• from among the people: Greek: ek tou laou (ἐκ τοῦ λαou). "The people" (ho laos) typically refers to the chosen people of God, Israel, in the Old Testament context, or by extension, God's new covenant people in the New Testament. To be "cut off from the people" meant expulsion from the covenant community, losing one's share in its blessings, identity, and promises. It’s an act of divine judgment and separation from God's salvific purposes, ultimately leading to spiritual and eternal death.

• "every soul who will not hear that Prophet": This phrase underlines the individual and universal nature of the demand for obedience to Jesus Christ. It makes explicit that rejection of Jesus is not an optional stance but a damning act of disobedience against God's ultimate revelatory will. The focus is on the crucial identity of Jesus as the Prophet sent from God.

• "shall be utterly destroyed from among the people": This grouping emphasizes the dire consequence of this disobedience. The consequence is radical and comprehensive severance – not just exclusion, but eradication from any participation in God's saving grace and covenant blessings, resulting in eternal spiritual destruction. This polemically counters any notion that Jewish ethnicity alone guarantees salvation; true belonging requires hearing and obeying Jesus.

Acts 3 23 Bonus section

The concept of being "cut off" (Hebrew kārath) is prominent throughout the Old Testament, denoting removal from God's covenant community for various sins such as intentional Sabbath breaking, specific sexual sins, or defiance against the Mosaic Law (e.g., Ex 30:33, Num 15:30). Peter, by using the LXX's equivalent "utterly destroyed" (exolothreuthēsetai), clearly frames the rejection of Jesus as the ultimate act of covenant disobedience. This places the person of Jesus at the very heart of one's covenant standing with God. Thus, failure to "hear" (obey) Jesus is far more serious than previous covenant violations because He is God's ultimate and final revelation (Heb 1:1-2). The "people" from whom one is cut off shifts from a purely ethnic Israel to the spiritual "Israel of God" (Gal 6:16), comprised of all who believe in Christ. This warning, therefore, transcends any national boundary, becoming a universal principle of eternal judgment for all who reject God's Son.

Acts 3 23 Commentary

Acts 3:23 represents the solemn pivot in Peter's sermon, moving from identification of Jesus as the promised Prophet to the grave consequence of rejecting Him. This verse powerfully reaffirms the Old Testament warning of divine retribution for disdaining God's chosen messenger, now uniquely applied to Jesus Christ. The term "utterly destroyed" carries the weight of covenant curses, signifying complete and irrevocable spiritual excision from God's salvific presence and the community of His people. It emphasizes that salvation is exclusively through Christ, and persistent unbelief leads to eternal damnation. Peter's warning, rooted in the Mosaic Law, bridges the old and new covenants, declaring Jesus as the ultimate culmination of prophetic revelation. The consequence is not merely earthly; it pertains to one's eternal destiny, highlighting the exclusivity of Christ as the way to life and the severity of resisting divine truth.

• Example 1: A person hears the gospel repeatedly, but actively refuses to believe, choosing to cling to their own understanding or way. This deliberate spiritual deafness, according to the verse, leads to being cut off from eternal life.
• Example 2: Historically, some Jewish groups at the time recognized Jesus as a prophet, but not the Prophet, nor the Messiah, thus refusing to give Him the ultimate authority this verse demands, leading to their spiritual destruction (separation from true Israel of God).