Acts 3:19
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Acts 3:19
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrase "that your sins may be blotted out" isn't just about future forgiveness; it's a vivid image of an erased debt or record. Peter calls them to repent and turn so that their past sins, like a written accusation, are wiped clean, preparing them for the "times of refreshing" to come. This wasn't just about canceling out guilt, but about a restorative blotting out that would allow God's presence to bring revival.
Right after Peter healed a man lame from birth, he seizes the moment to preach about Jesus to the crowd gathered. He explains that the healing power came from Jesus, not Peter, and then boldly confronts the crowd and their leaders for rejecting and crucifying Christ. This verse calls them to turn away from their sins, acknowledging their part in Jesus' death, as a necessary step towards experiencing God's forgiveness and the renewal Jesus brings.
Peter doesn't just tell people to feel bad about their actions. He calls them to a decisive action. What does this active turning really mean for us today?
The verse calls for two interconnected actions: 'Repent' and 'be converted.' While 'repent' (metanoeite) speaks to a change of mind and heart – a deep sorrow for wrongdoing – 'be converted' (epistrepsate) is the active, outward movement that follows.
Think of it like this: Repentance is acknowledging you're lost and need to change direction. Conversion is actually turning the steering wheel and starting to move in a new direction. It's an intentional shift from sin towards God. This isn't passive; it's a conscious choice to reorient your life. The original language emphasizes this active turning, like turning back to God after being lost, or turning your whole self towards Him.
The phrase 'sins may be blotted out' paints a vivid picture. What does this divine 'erasing' signify for our past and our future?
The idea of sins being 'blotted out' (exaleiphthenai) uses the imagery of erasing a debt or a record. Imagine an ancient ledger where your sins are written down. 'Blotting out' means God, in His mercy, cancels that debt. It’s not just covering it up, but removing it entirely.
This happens through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, as Peter explains in the preceding verses (Acts 3:18). Your repentance and turning are the way you receive this gracious blotting out. It signifies complete forgiveness, not just a temporary reprieve. It’s a powerful metaphor for the forgiveness offered in the New Covenant, made possible by Christ’s sacrifice.
The promise of 'times of refreshing' sounds like a much-needed break. What does this future hope mean for believers facing hardship today?
Peter connects repentance and forgiveness to a future hope: 'times of refreshing.' This isn't just about immediate relief but points to a grander season of renewal and revival that comes from God’s presence. It’s like a cool, revitalizing breeze after a long, hot day.
Understand the original words
metanoeō · Greek Verb
A radical change of mind and heart involving a turning away from sin and a turning toward God. It is a necessary response to the gospel, involving a complete change of direction in life.
exaleiphō · Greek Verb
The forgiveness of sins, metaphorically derived from erasing ink from a scroll. It signifies the complete removal of the record of debt or transgression, making one clean before God.
Peter's call to repent and turn back in Acts 3:19 is deeply rooted in the immediate aftermath of Jesus' crucifixion. He's urging the very people who, in ignorance, participated in this act, to embrace the 'times of refreshing' – a hope for spiritual renewal and the coming of God's kingdom, which was understood to be linked to Israel's national repentance and the eventual return of Christ. This message was delivered at a critical juncture, just as the early church was forming and facing both internal spiritual awakening and external opposition.
c. 30 AD
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth is crucified by the Roman authorities in Jerusalem, an event that deeply impacted his followers and the Jewish leadership.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Peter's Sermon on the Temple Mount
Following the healing of a lame man, Peter preaches a powerful sermon to the crowd in Jerusalem, directly addressing their role in Jesus' crucifixion and calling them to repentance.
c. 30 AD
Early Church Growth
Thousands are converted and baptized following Peter's sermon and subsequent miracles, forming the nucleus of the early Christian movement in Jerusalem.
c. 30-33 AD
Persecution of Early Believers
This Old Testament passage parallels Peter's call to 'turn back' from sin, emphasizing God's desire for repentance and restoration rather than judgment.
Psalm 51:1The imagery of sins being 'blotted out' echoes the Psalmist's plea for God to wash away his transgressions, highlighting the deep cleansing that comes through repentance.
Matthew 27:25This verse directly links the crowd's cry for Jesus' blood to be on them and their children with Peter's message of repentance to blot out sins, showing the severe consequence of rejecting Christ and the profound need for divine forgiveness.
Romans 11:26This passage speaks of 'all Israel will be saved,' presenting a future hope for national repentance and salvation that aligns with Peter's call for a turning back that would usher in times of refreshing.
Acts 17:30Similar to Peter's sermon, Paul in Athens calls people to repent, underscoring that God overlooks past ignorance but now commands all to turn from idols, directly connecting repentance with God's future judgment.
vincentActs 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;"
Be converted (ἐπιστρέψατε)Not a good rendering, because the verb is in the active voice. Better as Rev., turn again. See on Luke 22:32.Blotted out (ἐξαλειφθῆναι)Forgiveness of sins under the figure of the erasure of hand-writing. The word is used thus in Psalm 51:1. (Sept. 50), Psalm 51:1; Isaiah 43:25. Also at Colossians 2:14. In clas…
calvinActs 3:17-21: "And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers."
- And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance you did it, as did also your rulers. 18. And God hath fulfilled all things which he had spoken by the mouth of his prophets, that Christ should suffer. 19. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be forgiven, 20. When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send him that was preached before…
The phrase "that your sins may be blotted out" isn't just about future forgiveness; it's a vivid image of an erased debt or record. Peter calls them to repent and turn so that their past sins, like a written accusation, are wiped clean, preparing them for the "times of refreshing" to come. This wasn't just about canceling out guilt, but about a restorative blotting out that would allow God's presence to bring revival.
Right after Peter healed a man lame from birth, he seizes the moment to preach about Jesus to the crowd gathered. He explains that the healing power came from Jesus, not Peter, and then boldly confronts the crowd and their leaders for rejecting and crucifying Christ. This verse calls them to turn away from their sins, acknowledging their part in Jesus' death, as a necessary step towards experiencing God's forgiveness and the renewal Jesus brings.
Right after Peter healed a man lame from birth, he seizes the moment to preach about Jesus to the crowd gathered. He explains that the healing power came from Jesus, not Peter, and then boldly confronts the crowd and their leaders for rejecting and crucifying Christ. This verse calls them to turn away from their sins, acknowledging their part in Jesus' death, as a necessary step towards experiencing God's forgiveness and the renewal Jesus brings.
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This promise is linked to the ultimate 'restoration of all things' (Acts 3:21) when Christ returns. While national Israel's repentance would have hastened these times, their rejection delayed them. For us today, these 'times of refreshing' are tasted in our relationship with God through Christ—the peace and joy we find now—and fully realized when Christ returns to establish His perfect kingdom. It’s a reminder that our present actions of repentance and faith are connected to a glorious future.
The Sanhedrin begins to persecute the apostles and early followers of Jesus, leading some to scatter from Jerusalem but also contributing to the spread of the message.
c. 40-50 AD
Expansion to Gentiles
The gospel message begins to spread beyond Jewish communities, with key figures like Paul and Barnabas playing pivotal roles in reaching Gentile populations.
c. 64 AD
Great Fire of Rome
A devastating fire sweeps through Rome, leading Emperor Nero to blame and brutally persecute Christians, marking a significant escalation of Roman hostility.
70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman legions under Titus sack Jerusalem and destroy the Second Temple, a catastrophic event that profoundly reshaped Jewish life and the future of early Christianity.
"Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out," — The phrase "that your sins may be blotted out" isn't just about future forgiveness; it's a vivid image of an erased debt or record. Peter calls them to repent and turn so that their past sins, like a…