For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself" isn't just a broad invitation, but emphasizes that the promise is for those actively drawn by God, not just passively receiving it. This highlights the responsive nature of faith, pointing to the initiating call of God as the ultimate foundation for anyone receiving this promise.
For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter has just preached a powerful sermon on the day of Pentecost, explaining the miraculous event of speaking in tongues and quoting the prophet Joel. After the crowd is deeply convicted and asks what they should do, Peter urges them to repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, assuring them that this promise extends beyond their immediate group.
When God makes a promise, it’s not just for you, right now. It echoes through time, touching lives you’ll never even meet.
Peter’s message builds on a foundational truth: God's promises are covenanted. Just like the promise to Abraham extended to his 'seed,' the promise of the Holy Spirit is for believers and their children. This isn't just about biological descendants, but about the continuity of God's grace within families and communities across generations. It's a powerful reminder that God is building His kingdom not just individually, but corporately, inviting entire family lines into His covenant of love and salvation.
The early church was grappling with a radical idea: God's promise wasn't just for a select few. It was for everyone – even those considered outsiders.
Peter’s statement, 'and to all who are far off,' is revolutionary. While some commentators suggest this initially referred to Jews scattered afar, the broader theological implication, as understood by the apostles later, was the inclusion of Gentiles. This phrase signifies those outside the immediate covenant community, those separated by cultural, ethnic, or religious barriers. The promise of the Spirit and salvation is not confined by geography, ethnicity, or past. It's for anyone whom God calls, breaking down the walls that divide humanity and inviting all into His family through Christ.
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Who gets to be part of God's unfolding promise? It's not about who we choose, but about who God actively invites.
The verse culminates with a crucial qualifier: 'everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.' This highlights God's sovereignty in salvation. While the promise is expansive, extending across generations and breaking down barriers, it is ultimately initiated and accomplished by God's call. This 'call' isn't just a passive invitation; it's an active drawing, enabled by the Holy Spirit, that enables people to repent, believe, and respond to the Gospel. It assures us that God is the initiator, His grace is sufficient, and His power is sufficient to bring His chosen people to Himself.
Understand the original words
epangelia · Greek Noun
Specifically refers to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the New Covenant blessing promised to all believers through faith in Jesus Christ.
makran · Greek Adverb
A reference to the Gentiles or those geographically and relationally separated from the covenant promises, who are now brought near through the Gospel.
proskaleōmai · Greek Verb
The sovereign act of God by which He draws specific individuals to Himself through the proclamation of the Gospel, effectively enabling them to respond in faith.
Peter's words at Pentecost, spoken with the power of the newly descended Holy Spirit, are revolutionary. He assures the Jewish listeners that God's promise, including the gift of the Spirit, extends not only to them and their descendants but also to distant Gentiles. This moment signals a profound shift in God's plan, opening salvation to all who are called by Him, a truth that would unfold dramatically in the following years with the inclusion of the Gentiles.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Pentecost and the First Believers
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles and 120 other followers of Jesus in Jerusalem, empowering them to speak in other tongues. Peter preaches, leading to the conversion of about 3,000 people who are baptized.
c. 30-33 AD
Early Growth of the Jerusalem Church
The community of believers in Jerusalem grows rapidly. They meet together regularly, share meals, pray, and witness miracles performed by the apostles, leading to increasing numbers of converts.
c. 33-37 AD
Stephen's Martyrdom and Scattering
Stephen, a deacon known for his powerful preaching and miracles, is stoned to death, becoming the first Christian martyr. This event causes many believers to scatter from Jerusalem throughout Judea and Samaria, spreading the gospel.
c. 37-40 AD
Saul's Conversion and Early Ministry
Saul of Tarsus, a zealous persecutor of the church, has a dramatic encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. He is converted and begins to preach the gospel, eventually becoming the Apostle Paul.
c. 40-45 AD
Cornelius's Conversion and Gentile Inclusion
Peter, guided by a vision from God, visits the home of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. This event marks a pivotal moment as Gentiles are openly welcomed into the Christian faith without first becoming Jews.
c. 48-50 AD
Council of Jerusalem
A significant council is held in Jerusalem to address the question of whether Gentile converts must be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law. The apostles and elders decide that salvation comes through grace by faith in Jesus, not by adherence to the Law.
This passage is directly quoted by Peter in Acts 2:17-18, and it foretells the pouring out of the Spirit on 'all flesh,' which directly supports the idea in Acts 2:39 that the promise is for everyone whom God calls.
Isaiah 57:19This verse speaks of God proclaiming 'peace to the far off and to the near,' echoing Peter's language in Acts 2:39 and highlighting the inclusive nature of God's salvific promise, extending beyond immediate proximity.
Ephesians 2:13-17Paul uses similar language to Peter, describing Gentiles as those 'far off' who have been brought near through Christ, directly illustrating how the promise in Acts 2:39 is indeed for those outside the immediate Jewish community.
Romans 10:12-13This passage emphasizes that there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile in Christ, and that 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,' reinforcing the idea that God's call, as mentioned in Acts 2:39, is for all who respond.
Genesis 17:7God's covenant promise to Abraham included his 'seed,' extending the blessing to future generations. This resonates with Peter's statement in Acts 2:39 that the promise is for 'you and for your children,' showing the continuity of God's gracious promises across generations.
cambridgeActs 2:39: "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
39 . the promise is unto you, and to your children ] Just as “to Abraham and his seed were the promises made” ( Galatians 3:16 ), so is it to be under the new covenant. all that are afar off ] Peter knew from the first, we see, that the Gentiles were to be admitted to the same privileges as Israel. But Christ’s commission said they were to preach first in Je…
barnesActs 2:39: "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
For the promise - That is, the promise respecting the particular thing of which he was speaking - the influences of the Holy Spirit. This promise he had adduced in the beginning of his discourse Acts 2:17 , and he now applies it to them. As the Spirit was promised to descend on Jews and their sons and daughters, it was applicable to them in the circumstances…
The phrase "everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself" isn't just a broad invitation, but emphasizes that the promise is for those actively drawn by God, not just passively receiving it. This highlights the responsive nature of faith, pointing to the initiating call of God as the ultimate foundation for anyone receiving this promise.
Peter has just preached a powerful sermon on the day of Pentecost, explaining the miraculous event of speaking in tongues and quoting the prophet Joel. After the crowd is deeply convicted and asks what they should do, Peter urges them to repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, assuring them that this promise extends beyond their immediate group.
Peter has just preached a powerful sermon on the day of Pentecost, explaining the miraculous event of speaking in tongues and quoting the prophet Joel. After the crowd is deeply convicted and asks what they should do, Peter urges them to repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, assuring them that this promise extends beyond their immediate group.
"For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”" — The phrase "everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself" isn't just a broad invitation, but emphasizes that the promise is for those actively drawn by God, not just passively receiving it. This…
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Last reviewed October 2026