Acts 3 · Verse 14

Acts 3:14

But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
Acts 3:14, King James Version

Acts 3:14 in other translations

BSBYou rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
WEBBut you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
ASVBut ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted unto you,
YLTand ye the Holy and Righteous One did deny, and desired a man--a murderer--to be granted to you,
DARBYBut ye denied the holy and righteous one, and asked that a man that was a murderer should be granted to you;
BBEBut you would have nothing to do with the Holy and Upright One, and made request for a man of blood to be given to you,
WebsterBut ye denied the Holy One, and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted to you,

What does Acts 3:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 3:12-16

12-16. why marvel at this?--For miracles are marvels only in relation to the limited powers of man. as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk--Neither the might nor the merit of the cure are due to us, mere agents of Him whom we preach.

Read the full comment on Acts 3:12-16 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. The Holy One, etc. See Ps 16:10. Comp. Acts 2:27.

And the Just. The word just here denotes innocent, or one who was free from crime. It properly is used in reference to law, and denotes one who stands upright in the view of the law, or who is not chargeable with crime. In this sense the Lord Jesus was not only personally innocent, but even before his judges he stood unconvicted of any crime. The crime charged on him at first was blasphemy, Mt 26:65; and on this charge the sanhedrim had condemned him, without proof. But of this charge Pilate would not take cognizance, and hence before him they charged him with sedition, Lk 23:2. Neither of these charges were made out; and, of course, in the eye of the law he was innocent and just. It greatly aggravated their crime that they demanded his death still, even after it was ascertained that they could prove nothing against him; thus showing that it was mere hatred and malice that led them to seek his death.

And desired a murderer. Mt 27:21.

(f) "Holy One" Mt 17:17-25, Lk 23:15-23 (g) "Just" Acts 7:52, 22:14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Ye denied the Holy One - Τον ἁγιον. A manifest reference to Psa 16:10 : Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption; where the original word חסידיך Chasideyca, thy Holy One, is translated by the Septuagint, τον Ὁσιον σου, a word of the same import with that used by Peter. And desired a murderer - Barabbas: the case must have been fresh in their own remembrance. Like cleaves to like, and begets its like: they were murderers themselves, and so Christ calls them, Mat 22:7, and they preferred a murderer to the holy and righteous One of God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 3:12-18

Observe the difference in the manner of working the miracles. Our Lord always spoke as having Almighty power, never hesitated to receive the greatest honour that was given to him on account of his Divine miracles. But the apostles referred all to their Lord, and refused to receive any honour, except as his undeserving instruments. This shows that Jesus was one with the Father, and co-equal with Him; while the…

Read the full comment on Acts 3:12-18 →

Acts 3:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὑμεῖςhumeisYou yourselvesG4771
δὲdehoweverG1161
τὸνtontheG3588
ἅγιονhagionHolyG40
καὶkaiandG2532
δίκαιονdikaionRighteous OneG1342
ἠρνήσασθεērnēsasthedeniedG720
καὶkaiandG2532
ᾐτήσασθεētēsastherequestedG154
ἄνδραandraa manG435
φονέαphoneaa murdererG5406
χαρισθῆναιcharisthēnaito be grantedG5483
ὑμῖν,huminto you,G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 3:14

  • Mark 1:24

    Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

  • Acts 7:52

    Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

  • 1 Peter 3:18

    For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

  • Acts 4:27

    For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

  • Luke 23:18-19

    And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)

  • Acts 22:14

    And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.

  • Zechariah 9:9

    Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

  • James 5:6

    Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

  • Revelation 3:7

    And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

  • Acts 2:27

    Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

  • 1 John 2:1

    My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

  • 2 Corinthians 5:21

    For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the Holy One.
2:27; 4:27; 7:52; 22:14; Ps 16:10; Zec 9:9; Mr 1:24; Lu 1:35; Jas 5:6
1Pe 3:18; 1Jo 2:1; Re 3:7
desired.
Mr 15:7; Lu 23:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 3:13

    The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

  • Acts 3:14

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

  • Acts 3:15

    And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

Read all of Acts 3

Acts 3:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas vosotros al Santo y al Justo negasteis, y pedisteis que se os diese un homicida;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais vous, vous avez renié le saint et le juste, et vous avez demandé qu’on vous accorde un meurtrier;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ihr aber habt den Heiligen und Gerechten verleugnet und gebeten, daß euch ein Mann, der ein Mörder war, geschenkt würde;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Vos autem sanctum et justum negastis, et petistis virum homicidam donari vobis: