Acts 3:18
But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
Acts 3:18 in other translations
| BSB | But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer. |
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| WEB | But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. |
| ASV | But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. |
| YLT | and God, what things before He had declared through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He did thus fulfil; |
| DARBY | but God has thus fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer. |
| BBE | But the things which God had made clear before, by the mouth of all the prophets, that the Christ would have to undergo, he has put into effect in this way. |
| Webster | But those things which God before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. |
What does Acts 3:18 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 3:17-21
17-21. And now, brethren--Our preacher, like his Master, "will not break the bruised reed." His heaviest charges are prompted by love, which now hastens to assuage the wounds it was necessary to inflict. I wot--"know." through ignorance ye did it--(See marginal references, Lu 23:34; Ac 13:27; 26:9).
Barnes' Notes
Had shewed. Had announced, or foretold.
By the mouth of all his prophets.
That is, by the prophets in general, without affirming that each individual prophet had a distinct prediction respecting this. The prophets taken together, or the prophecies as a whole, had declared this. The word all is not unfrequently used in this somewhat limited sense, Mk 1:37, Jn 3:26. In regard to the prophecies respecting Christ, Lk 24:27.
Hath so fulfilled. He has caused to be fulfilled in this manner; that is, by the rejection, denial, and wickedness of the rulers. It has turned out to be in strict accordance with the prophecy. This fact Peter uses in exhorting them to repentance; but it is not to be regarded as an excuse for their sins. The mere fact that all this was foretold, that it was in accordance with the purposes and predictions of God, does not take away the guilt of it, or constitute an excuse for it. In regard to this, we may remark:
(1.) The prediction did not change the nature of the act. The mere fact that it was foretold, or foreknown, did not change its character. Acts 2:23.
(2.) Peter still regarded them as guilty. He did not urge the fact that this was foreknown as an excuse for their sin, but to show them that since all this happened according to the prediction and the purpose of God, they had hope in his mercy. The plan was that the Messiah should die to make a way for pardon; and, therefore, they might have hope in his mercy.
(3.) This was a signal instance of the power and mercy of God in overruling the wicked conduct of men, to further his purposes and plans.
(4.) All the other sins of men may thus be overruled, and thus the wrath of man may be made to praise him. But,
(5.) this will constitute no excuse for the sinner. It is no part of his intention to honour God, or to advance his purposes; and there is no direct tendency in his crimes to advance his glory. The direct tendency of his deeds is counteracted and overruled; and God brings good out of the evil. But this surely constitutes no excuse for the stoner.
If it be asked why Peter insisted on this, if he did not mean that it should be regarded as an excuse for their sin, I reply, that it was his design to prove that Jesus was the Messiah; and having proved this, he could assure them that there was mercy. Not because they had not been guilty; not because they deserved favour; but because the fact that the Messiah had come was an argument that any sinners might obtain mercy, as he immediately proceeds to show them.
(a) "those things" Lk 24:44, Acts 26:22,23 (*) "showed" or, "Foreshowed"
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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…
Acts 3:18 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Acts 3:18
- Isaiah 53:1-12
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. …
- Acts 2:23
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
- Acts 26:22-23
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
- Isaiah 50:6
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
- Zechariah 12:10
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
- Luke 24:26-27
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
- 1 Peter 1:10-11
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
- Acts 17:2-3
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
- Luke 24:44
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
- Acts 28:23
And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
- Zechariah 13:7
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Acts 3:17
And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
- Acts 3:18
But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
- Acts 3:19
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 3:18 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Empero Dios ha cumplido así lo que había antes anunciado por boca de todos sus profetas, que su Cristo había de padecer. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | mais Dieu a ainsi accompli ce qu’il avait prédit par la bouche de tous les prophètes, savoir que son Christ devait souffrir. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Gott aber hat also erfüllt, was er durch den Mund aller Propheten zuvor verkündigt hat, daß sein Christus leiden sollte. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Deus autem, quæ prænuntiavit per os omnium prophetarum, pati Christum suum, sic implevit. |