Acts 2:21
in Acts 2And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
KJV
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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This verse in Acts 2
Commentary
15 notes on this verseBut the Lord says: "I will pour out of My Spirit… before the great day of the Lord comes." Say to the Jew: "If the Godhead has one person and one name, and if God speaks of Himself, then why did He not say: 'before …
This site's exposition
wonders in the heavens above
on Acts 2:19-21
The quotation ends on the widest promise in the prophets, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Paul cites it at Romans 10:13.
This site's exposition
calls on the name
Albert Barnes explains that the name of the Lord is a Hebrew way of saying the Lord Himself. Wesley calls this the whole of religion, especially prayer in faith. Chrysostom notes that the verse speaks of Christ, though Peter does not yet venture to say so.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Now, "The sun shall be turned into darkness," and the preceding, "blood and fire and vapor of smoke," these refer to the coming judgment. More appropriately and specifically they speak of Jerusalem and its then captivity, as is shown by the nature of those suffering. …
What, I pray you, is this you say? Do you talk of salvation for them after the Cross? Bear with me a little. Great is the mercy of God. And this very fact does, no less than the resurrection, prove him to be God, yea, no less than His miracles-the fact that He calls these to Him. For surpassing goodness is, above all things, peculiarly God's own. Therefore also He says, "None is good save one, that is, God." Only let us not take this goodness for an occasion of negligence. For He also punishes as God.
But what next? He again lets them take breath, adding, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved." This is said concerning Christ, as Paul affirms, but Peter does not venture as yet to reveal this.
"And it shall come to pass, every one who shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Every one," he says: though he be priest (but he does not yet reveal the meaning), though bond, though free. For there is no male nor female in Christ Jesus, no bond, no free. Well may it be so, for all these are but shadow. For if in king's palaces there is no high-born nor low-born, but each appears according to his deeds; and in art, each is shown by his works; much more in that school of wisdom. "Every one who shall invoke." Invoke: not any how, for it is written, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord:" but with inward earnest affection, with a life more than commonly good, with the confidence which is meet. Thus far, however, he makes the discourse light, by introducing that which relates to faith, and that terrible which relates to the punishment. For in the invocation is the salvation.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And it shall be: Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This is what Peter says elsewhere: For God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation, whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him (Acts …
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
It refers to the last days, the times of the gospel, which are called the last days because the dispensation of God's kingdom among men, which the gospel sets up, is the last dispensation of divine grace, and we are to look for no other than the continuation of this to the end of time.
Those that distinguish themselves by singular piety shall be distinguished by special preservation. And observe, the saved remnant are described by this, that they are a praying people: they call on the name of the Lord, which intimates that they are not saved by any merit or righteousness of their own, but purely by the favour of God, which must be sued out by prayer.
But - whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord - This expression implies the whole of religion, and particularly prayer uttered in faith; shall be saved - From all those plagues; from sin and hell.
And it shall come to pass,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Whosoever shall call - In the midst of these wonders and dangers, whosoever should call on the Lord should be delivered (Joel). The name of the Lord is the same as the Lord himself. It is a Hebraism, signifying to call on the Lord, Psa 79:6; Zec 13:9. Shall be saved - In Hebrew, shall be delivered, that is, from impending calamities. When they threaten, and God is coming forth to judge them, it shall be that those who are characterized as those who call on the Lord shall be delivered. This is equally true at all times.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved--This points to the permanent establishment of the economy of salvation, which followed on the breaking up of the Jewish state.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved - The predicted ruin is now impending; and only such as receive the Gospel of the Son of God shall be saved. And that none but the Christians did escape, when God poured out these judgments, is well known; and that All the Christians did escape, not one of them perishing in these devastations, stands attested by the most respectable authority. See the note on Mat 24:13.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔσται, | estai | it will be, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| πᾶς | pas | everyone | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὃς | hos | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἂν | an | when | G302 → | 165 times |
| ἐπικαλέσηται | epikalesetai | they shall call upon | G1941 → | 30 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὄνομα | onoma | name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| κυρίου | kuriou | of [the] Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| σωθήσεται.¶ | sothesetai | will be saved.’ | G4982 → | 105 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔσται,it will be,
estaiG1510 →2333 times
πᾶςeveryone
pasG3956 →1235 times
ὃςwho
hosG3739 →1405 times
ἂνwhen
anG302 →165 times
ἐπικαλέσηταιthey shall call upon
epikalesetaiG1941 →30 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ὄνομαname
onomaG3686 →227 times
κυρίουof [the] Lord
kuriouG2962 →711 times
σωθήσεται.¶will be saved.’
sothesetaiG4982 →105 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
Hebrews 4:16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
it leads to
- Ephesians 3:12
In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.
- Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Hebrews 10:19–23
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
- Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
- Philippians 4:6–7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Ephesians 3:12
Through
Joel 2:32And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among the remnant called by…
it leads to
- Romans 10:11–14
It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Romans 10:11–14
Through
Acts 22:16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
it leads to
- Acts 2:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 2:38
Through
Psalms 86:5For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.
it leads to
- Psalms 145:8–9
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion.
- Psalms 145:8–9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies54
On this verse
On this chapter
- Afterlife Vocabulary
- Baptism in the Holy Spirit (the Acts Evidence)
- The Twelve
- Bread
- David
- David, a Type of Christ
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- Dreams in Scripture and in Egypt
- The Fall Feasts
- The Hebrew Feasts
- Fire
- Father, Forgive Them
- God and the Nations, from Abraham to the New Jerusalem
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- Head Coverings
- The Words Tiqvah and Elpis
- How Prophecy Works
- Infant Baptism and Believers' Baptism
- Jesus on the Holy Spirit
- Joel, the Study Guide
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By subject
Salvation35 verses
About Acts
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 5; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.