Acts 3:22
in Acts 3For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me; to him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you.
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.
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This verse in Acts 3
Commentary
16 notes on this verseFor Moses truly said unto the fathers,.... The Jewish fathers, the Israelites in the times of Moses. The Ethiopic version reads, "our fathers".
This site's exposition
For Moses truly said unto the fathers
on Acts 3:22-23
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, quoting Deuteronomy 18:15 by name and applying it to Jesus as the prophet like Moses, a title the crowd would have recognized as one of the great unfulfilled promises of the Torah. Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you: the command to hear is total, covering everything he taught, not a selection of it, and the bench reads this as Peter's own claim that Christ's words carry Moses's own authority and more. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people: the warning is Moses's own, quoted in full, and it falls with its original weight on any hearer who refuses the prophet now standing behind Peter's sermon.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Christ sent the Jews back to Moses so that, through Moses, he might draw them to himself. In the same way, Moses hands over his disciples to his teacher and commands them to believe him in all things.
"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." Before, he had spoken of David, here he speaks of Moses. "Of all things," he says, "which He hath spoken." But he does not say, "which Christ," but, "which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." Then he betakes him to the ground of credibility, saying, "A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things."
Having said, "All things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy Prophets," now indeed he brings in Christ Himself. For, if He predicted many things and it is necessary to hear Him, one would not be wrong in saying that the Prophets have spoken these things. But, besides, he wishes to show that the Prophets did predict the same things. And, if any one will look closely into the matter, he will find these things spoken in the Old Testament, obscurely indeed, but nevertheless spoken.
When meantime Moses, that faithful and wise steward, perceived that the vice of sacrificing to idols had been deeply ingrained into the people from their association with the Egyptians, and that the root of this evil could not be extracted from them, he allowed them …
"A prophet shall the Lord God raise up for you from among your brethren, like unto me." This would most conciliate them. Do you observe the sprinkling of low matters and high, side by side,-that He Who was to go up into the heavens should be like unto Moses? And yet it was a great thing too. For in fact He was not simply like unto Moses, if so be that "every soul which will not hear shall be destroyed." And one might mention numberless other things which show that He was not like unto Moses; so that it is a mighty text that he has handled. "God shall raise Him up unto you," says Moses, "from among your brethren," etc.: consequently Moses himself threatens those that should not hear.
9 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
What is this, "like me"? Christ is born in Bethlehem, and Moses in Egypt. That Moses is an Israelite, as is this Jesus according to the flesh. That Moses is of a priestly lineage, as is this Jesus of David because of the Virgin. Pharaoh …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Moses indeed said: Because the Lord your God has raised up for you a prophet from among your brethren, like me, you shall listen to him according to all that he will speak to you, etc. The beginning of this passage in Greek has more: …
He said "will raise up… a Prophet like me." The expression "like me" should be understood not in the sense of nature, but in the sense of activity. Moses likened himself to Christ not by nature, but by actions, because if he had used the …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The Lord shall raise you up a prophet like unto me - And that in many particulars. Moses instituted the Jewish Church: Christ instituted the Christian. With the prophesying of Moses was soon joined the effect, the deliverance of Israel from Egypt: with the prophesying of Christ that grand effect, the deliverance of his people from sin and death.
Moses was faithful as a servant, Christ as a Son. Moses was murmured against by Israel, defied by Pharaoh, yet God owned him, and ratified his commission. Moses was a pattern of meekness and patience, so is Christ.
With reference to public worship, there must be a house of prayer and an hour of prayer: the ninth hour, that is, three o'clock in the afternoon, was one of the hours of prayer among the Jews; nine in the morning and twelve at noon were the other two.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Moses truly said unto the fathers - On this subject the reader is requested to refer to the note at Deu 18:22. From this appeal to Moses it is evident that Peter wished them to understand that Jesus Christ was come, not as an ordinary prophet, to exhort to repentance and amendment, But as a legislator, who was to give them a new law, and whose commands and precepts they were to obey, on pain of endless destruction. Therefore they were to understand that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was that new law which should supersede the old.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Peter takes it for granted that, in the light of all he had just said, it would be seen at once that One only had any claim to be that Prophet. him shall ye hear in all things, &c.--This part of the prediction is emphatically added, in order to shut up the audience to the obedience of faith, on pain of being finally "cut off" from the congregation of the righteous (Ps 1:1).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For Moses truly said - The authority of Moses among the Jews was absolute and final. It was of great importance, therefore, to show not only that they were not departing from his Law, but that he had actually foretold these very things. The object of the passage is not to prove that the heavens must receive him, but that he was truly the Messiah. Unto the fathers - To their ancestors, or the founders of the nation. See Deu 18:15-19. A Prophet - Literally, one who foretells future events. But it is also used to denote a religious teacher in general. See Rom 12:6. In the passage in Deuteronomy it is evidently used in a large sense, to denote one who would infallibly guide and direct the nation in its religious affairs; one who would be commissioned by God to do this, in opposition to the diviners Act 3:14 on which other nations relied. The meaning of this passage in Deuteronomy is apparent from the connection. Moses is stating to the Hebrews Act 3:1-8 the duty and office of the priests and Levites. He then cautions them against conforming to the surrounding nations, particularly on the subject of religious instruction and guidance. They, said he, consult, in times of perplexity, with enchanters, and charmers, and necromancers, and wizards, etc. Act 3:11-14, but it shall not be so with you. You shall not be left to this false and uncertain guidance in times of perplexity and danger, for the Lord will raise up, from time to time, a prophet, a man directly commissioned in an extraordinary manner from heaven, like me, who shall direct and counsel you. The promise, therefore, pertains to the serges or, prophets which God would raise up; or it is a promise that God would send his prophets, as occasion might demand, to instruct and counsel the nation. […]
The words behind it
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Μωϋσῆς | mouses | Moses | G3475 → | 78 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| εἶπεν | eipen | said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| προφήτην | propheten | A prophet | G4396 → | 144 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἀναστήσει | anastesei | will raise up | G450 → | 107 times |
| κύριος | kurios | [the] Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφῶν | adelphon | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὡς | hos | like | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ἐμέ· | eme | me myself; | G1473 → | 839 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | to Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀκούσεσθε | akousesthe | You will listen | G191 → | 425 times |
| κατὰ | kata | in | G2596 → | 468 times |
| πάντα | panta | all things | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὅσα | hosa | as much as | G3745 → | 110 times |
| ἂν | an | maybe | G302 → | 165 times |
| λαλήσῃ | lalese | He may say | G2980 → | 294 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς. | humas | you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ΜωϋσῆςMoses
mousesG3475 →78 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
εἶπενsaid
eipenG2036 →925 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
προφήτηνA prophet
prophetenG4396 →144 times
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
ἀναστήσειwill raise up
anasteseiG450 →107 times
κύριος[the] Lord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἐκout from
ekG1537 →911 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφῶνbrothers
adelphonG80 →343 times
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
ὡςlike
hosG5613 →500 times
ἐμέ·me myself;
emeG1473 →839 times
αὐτοῦto Him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἀκούσεσθεYou will listen
akousestheG191 →425 times
κατὰin
kataG2596 →468 times
πάνταall things
pantaG3956 →1235 times
ὅσαas much as
hosaG3745 →110 times
ἂνmaybe
anG302 →165 times
λαλήσῃHe may say
laleseG2980 →294 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶς.you.
humasG4771 →2973 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
John 1:17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- Romans 6:14
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
- Romans 3:19–26
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
- Romans 5:20–21
The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
- John 1:14
Through
Galatians 4:4But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
it leads to
- Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
- Mark 1:15
“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”
- Isaiah 7:14
Through
Acts 7:37This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 18:15–19
The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.
- Deuteronomy 18:15–19
About Acts

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 14 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); Bede, Retractions on Acts; J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, AGAINST THE ANOMOEANS 12.5; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 9; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Pseudo-Clement, Recognitions (Book I) and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.
