Acts 3:19

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 classical Greek the verb is opposed to ἐγγράφειν, to enter a name. So Aristophanes: "They do things not to be borne, entering (ἐγγράφοντες) some of us, and others, erasing (ἐξαλείφοντες) up and down, twice or thrice" ("Peace," 1180). More especially with reference to an item in an account. When (ὅπως ἄν) Wrong. Render in order that, or that (so there may come), as Rev. Times (καιροὶ) Better, seasons. See on Acts 1:7. Of refreshing (ἀναψύξως) Only here in New Testament. The word means cooling, or reviving with fresh air. Compare the kindred verb, to wax cold, Matthew 24:12, and see note. Presence (προσώπου) Lit., the face.

Acts 3:19-21 . Repent ye, therefore, &c. — Let it, therefore, be your principal and immediate care to secure an interest in the benefits procured by his death; and in order thereto, repent of this and all your other iniquities; and be converted — That is, be turned from sin and Satan to God, (chap. Acts 26:20 ,) in the way of sincere and universal obedience. The term, converted, so common in modern writings, rarely occurs in Scripture, at least in the sense we now use it, for an entire change of heart and life. That your sins may be blotted out — That you may be delivered from the heavy burden of your guilt, and may obtain peace with God through the sacrifice and intercession of him you crucified; when the times of refreshing shall come — Rather, that they may come; times when God shall largely bestow his refreshing grace; from the presence of the Lord — To you also. To others, those times will assuredly come, whether ye repent or not. Erasmus and Piscator render this clause, Seeing times of refreshment are come; but the authorities produced in favour of this version seem not sufficient to justify it. The blotting out of the sins of penitents, however, was not deferred to any distant time, and divine refreshment would, no doubt, immediately follow a sense of pardon to them, attended with a lively hope of eternal felicity to succeed in due time.

But “the following clause seems to intimate, that Peter apprehended the conversion of the Jews, as a people, would be attended with some extraordinary scene of prosperity and joy, and would open a speedy way to Christ’s descent from heaven, in order to the restitution of all things.” — Doddridge. And he shall send — Greek, και αποστειλη , and that he may send; Jesus — That, in consequence of your complying with this important counsel, you may not only be received to all the joys of a state of pardon and acceptance with God, but he may, at length, send unto you Christ, which before was preached unto you — By his disciples, both before and since his resurrection. But Tertullian, and several of the fathers, in quoting this passage, instead of προκεκηρυγμενον , before preached, read, προκεχειρισμενον , before appointed; that is, exhibited and set forth in a variety of types, and other symbols, namely, under the Old Testament dispensation, as the great Saviour of lost sinners. 1st, You shall have Christ in his spiritual presence; he that was sent into the world shall be sent to you, in and by his Spirit accompanying his word. The apostle meant, 2d, That God would send Christ to destroy the unbelieving and persecuting Jews, the enemies of God and his truth and cause, and so would deliver his true servants, both ministers and people, and give them a quiet possession of the gospel, with its privileges and blessings, which would be a time of refreshing to all that received it.

Repent ye therefore, and be converted; this is the true end, use, and application, both of the preceding miracle and sermon, to persuade unto repentance and conversion. That your sins may be blotted out; alluding to the manner of writing upon tables in those times, and not much disagreeing from what is in use amongst us, who write upon paper or parchment. There is a book of remembrance, and a record of all our sins kept: The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond, Jeremiah 17:1 . When sin is pardoned, it is said to be blotted out, Isaiah 44:22 ; and not to be found any more, though it should be sought for, Jeremiah 50:20 . Times of refreshing; or times of cooling; as afflictions are called a fiery trial, so deliverance from them is a season of refreshing or cooling. Such a time of refreshing shall come in this life, commonly from many troubles; but when this life ends, a deliverance comes from all afflictions to them that truly fear and serve God. Shall come from the presence of the Lord; God’s presence is the cause and ground from whence all the refreshment his people take do arise; heaven would not be heaven (a place of bliss and glory) without it: and as God is the object of our beatitude, so he is the giver of all comfort, and his Spirit is the only Comforter.

Acts 3:19 . Μετανοήσατε οὖν καὶ ἐπιστρέψατε , repent therefore and be converted ) Here, and in ch. Acts 26:20 , repentance is put before conversion ; whereas in Jeremiah 31:19 , conversion is put before repentance , “Surely after that I was turned (converted), I repented .” Conversion is put first, when there is signified the recovery of a man from sin and the return to his right mind [senses, Luke 15:17 ]: it is put after repentance , when there is signified in the person repenting the applying of himself to GOD.— εἰς τὸ ἐξαλειφθῆναι , that your sins may be blotted out ) The allusion is to the water of baptism.— τὰς ἁμαρτίας , your sins ) even that sin which ye perpetrated against Jesus,— ὅπως ἂν , that ) [“when”]. So ὅπως ἂν , Matthew 6:5 ; Luke 2:35 : and (for the Hebrew למען ) Acts 15:17 ; Romans 3:4 : ἂν being the potential particle, if, viz. ye exercise repentance (ye repent), does not make the whole sentence conditional, but is intended to stimulate the hearers to do their part.— ἔλθωσι , may come) even (also) to you. For those times of themselves were about to be, even though those hearers did not give ear to the Gospel (comp. Zechariah 6:15 , where similarly there is a particular condition); but in relation to the hearers, those times might be more or less hastened forward. On this account they are called καιροὶ , times [not the times], without the article.— καιροὶ , times) Comp.

Acts 3:21 , note.— ἀναψύξεως , of refreshing) The allusion is to the refreshing breeze (air) of the New Testament, full of grace, before which all heat retires.— ἀπὸ προσώπου , from the face [presence]) All joy is pure from the face of the Lord, when He regards us with a look of mercy. Psalm 44:3 , “The light of Thy countenance;” Numbers 6:25 .

19. when the times of refreshing shall come—rather, "in order that the times of refreshing may come"; that long period of repose, prosperity and joy, which all the prophets hold forth to the distracted Church and this miserable world, as eventually to come, and which is here, as in all the prophets, made to turn upon the national conversion of Israel.

Verse 19. - Turn again for be converted , A.V., with no difference in sense; that so there may come seasons of refreshing for when the times of refreshing shall come , A.V. Turn again . The turning to God is the consequence of the change of mind ( μετάνοια ). That so there may come ; rightly for the A.V. "when," etc., which the Greek cannot mean. What Peter conceives is that if Israel turns to God at once in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, then there will come at once those times of refreshing, those blessed days of righteousness, and peace, and rest, and universal joy, which are the characteristics of Christ's kingdom as foretold by the prophets. Those days are delayed by the unbelief of Israel. Seasons of refreshing . The A.V." times of refreshing" is manifestly right, though there is no article in the Greek. "Seasons of refreshing" seems very vague and vapid (see Alford, 1:1, who very appropriately and conclusively cites the phrase καιροὶ ἐθνών , "the times of the Gentiles"( Luke 21:24 ). Meyer also compares the παράκλησιν τοῦ Ἰσραήλ of Luke 2:25 , and so in ver. 21, χρόνων ἀποκαταστάσεως is rendered "the times of restoration." Acts 3:19

19 . Repent ye therefore ] i e. because you see the greatness of your offence. and be converted ] Lit. turn again , i.e. from the evil of your ways. The word convert has received much ongrowth of meaning since the A. V. was made. The same word is well rendered ( Acts 11:21 ), “a great number believed and turned unto the Lord.” when the times of refreshing shall come ] ὅπως ἂν cannot be translated when the times … shall come , but that the times … may come . These particles indicate a purpose, the accomplishment of which still lies in doubt. So the Apostle’s argument is, Repent, that your sins may be blotted out, that in this way (i.e. by your penitence) the times of refreshing may come. The particles are rendered in this sense Acts 15:17 , “that the residue of men might [better may ] seek after the Lord.” times of refreshing ] The Greek word signifies “appointed times,” i.e. which God hath appointed and which He keeps in His own power, but which the penitence of men will hasten. They are called “times of refreshing,” i.e. peace and blessedness, for the Apostle describes them afterwards as the coming of the Christ. But by the prophecies which he quotes he shews that the refreshing is for those only who repent ( Acts 3:23 ) and hear the prophet whom God sends. The anticipation of a speedy return of Christ from heaven was common among the first believers.