Acts 3:18
in Acts 3But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
KJV
But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
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This verse in Acts 3
Commentary
12 notes on this verseIn this discourse the Lord shows that the law was necessary to make ready the way, and the ministry of the prophets to prepare men for faith in this marvellous act, that so when the resurrection really took place, those who were troubled at its greatness might remember what was said of old, and be induced to believe. He brings forward therefore Moses and the prophets, interpreting their hidden meaning, and making plain to the worthy what to the unworthy was obscure, so settling in them that ancient and hereditary faith taught them by the sacred books which they possessed.
This site's exposition
you acted in ignorance
on Acts 3:17-18
Peter's tone turns from charge to mercy: I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. He names ignorance as their plea without excusing the act.
This site's exposition
His Christ would suffer
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that a suffering Messiah ran against the Jewish views of the day. Even the Twelve found it hard until the resurrection. Chrysostom observes that God's wisdom used the wickedness of others to bring about what had to be.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
See how great is the Wisdom of God, when it uses the wickedness of others to bring about that which must be. "He hath fulfilled," he says: that they may not imagine that anything at all is wanting; for whatsoever Christ must needs suffer, has been fulfilled. But do not think, that, because the Prophets said this, and because ye did it through ignorance, this sufficeth to your exculpation. However, he does not express himself thus, but in milder terms says, "Repent ye therefore."
"But these things which God before had showed," etc. It is remarkable, that both in the first and in the second discourse, speaking to the same effect, that is, in the former, "By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God;" and in this, "God before had showed that Christ should suffer;" in neither does he adduce any particular text in proof. The fact is, that each one of such passages is accompanied with many accusations, and with mention of the punishment in store for them; "I will deliver up," says one, "the wicked in requital for His grave, and the rich in return for His death." And again, "Those things," he says, "which God before had showed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled." It shows the greatness of that "counsel," in that all spoke of it, and not one only. It does not follow, because the event was through ignorance, that it took place irrespectively of God's ordinance.
The Medieval Church1 voice
But why does Peter not cite testimony from Scripture about the crucifixion of Jesus? However, he also says above that "Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken" (Acts 2:23), and now he sets forth the same thing, only …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
15, 20 ), but because in particular the death and sufferings of Christ were for the remission of sins, and the ground of that display of mercy for which he now encouraged them to hope. He exhorts them all to turn Christians, and assures them it would be unspeakably for their advantage to do so; it would be the making of them for ever. This is the application of his sermon.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
But those things which God before had showed,.... In the Scriptures of the Old Testament, concerning the betraying of the Messiah, and his sufferings and death, with the various causes, concomitants, and circumstances of them: by the mouths of all his prophets; which were since the world began; some pointing out one thing or circumstance, and some another: that Christ should suffer.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
But those things - he hath so fulfilled - Your ignorance and malice have been overruled by the sovereign wisdom and power of God, and have become the instruments of fulfilling the Divine purpose, that Christ must suffer, in order to make an atonement for the sin of the world. All the prophets had declared this; some of them in express terms, others indirectly and by symbols; but, as the whole Mosaic dispensation referred to Christ, all that prophesied or ministered under it must have referred to him also.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
that Christ--The best manuscripts read, "that His Christ." should suffer--The doctrine of a SUFFERING MESSIAH was totally at variance with the current views of the Jewish Church, and hard to digest even by the Twelve, up to the day of their Lord's resurrection.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But those things - To wit, those things that did actually occur, pertaining to the life and death of the Messiah. Had showed - 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 uttered a distinct prediction respecting this. The prophets “taken together,” or the prophecies “as a whole,” had declared this. The word “all” is not infrequently used in this somewhat limited sense, Mar 1:37; Joh 3:26. In regard to the prophecies respecting Christ, see the notes on Luk 24:27. Hath so fulfilled - He has caused to be fulfilled in this manner; that is, by the rejection, the denial, and the 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 quilt 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. See notes on Act 1:23. (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 might hope in his mercy. The plan was that the Messiah should die to make a way for pardon, and, therefore, they might hope in his mercy. (3) This was a signal instance of the power and mercy of God in overruling the wicked conduct of people to further his own purposes and plans. (4) All the other sins of people may thus be overruled, and thus the wrath of man may be made to praise him. […]
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | But | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἃ | ha | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| προκατήγγειλεν | prokatengeilen | foretold | G4293 → | |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| στόματος | stomatos | [the] mouth | G4750 → | 78 times |
| πάντων | panton | of all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| προφητῶν | propheton | prophets | G4396 → | 144 times |
| παθεῖν | pathein | [the] suffering | G3958 → | 42 times |
| τὸν | ton | [of] the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χριστὸν | christon | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐπλήρωσεν | eplerosen | He has fulfilled | G4137 → | 86 times |
| οὕτως. | houtos | thus. | G3779 → | 208 times |
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲBut
deG1161 →2765 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
ἃwho
haG3739 →1405 times
προκατήγγειλενforetold
prokatengeilenG4293 →
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
στόματος[the] mouth
stomatosG4750 →78 times
πάντωνof all
pantonG3956 →1235 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
προφητῶνprophets
prophetonG4396 →144 times
παθεῖν[the] suffering
patheinG3958 →42 times
τὸν[of] the
tonG3588 →19766 times
χριστὸνChrist
christonG5547 →523 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἐπλήρωσενHe has fulfilled
eplerosenG4137 →86 times
οὕτως.thus.
houtosG3779 →208 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 12:10Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They…
it leads to
- Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
- Ezekiel 39:29
And I will no longer hide My face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”
- John 19:34–37
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
- Joel 2:28–29
And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
- Revelation 1:7
Through
Acts 2:23He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
it leads to
- Acts 4:28
They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.
- Genesis 50:20
As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
- Luke 22:22
Indeed, the Son of Man will go as it has been determined, but woe to that man who betrays Him.”
- Isaiah 46:10–11
I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
- Acts 4:28
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 152; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 9; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.