Acts 10:43 Meaning and Explanation
“To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Peter brings his sermon in Cornelius's house to its central promise: remission of sins through Jesus' name. The promise is open to "whosoever" believes, and Peter grounds it in the united witness of the prophets. The following verses show God confirming this message among the Gentile hearers.
Peter declares that the prophets bear witness to Jesus and that everyone who believes in him receives remission of sins through his name. Forgiveness is offered widely through the authority and saving work of Christ.
The Context of Acts 10:43
After declaring God's impartial welcome, Peter announces peace through Jesus Christ, Lord of all. He recounts Jesus' anointing with the Holy Ghost and power, his ministry of doing good and healing, his death on a tree, and God's raising of him on the third day. Peter says the risen Jesus commissioned chosen witnesses to testify that he is ordained by God as Judge of quick and dead. Verse 43 completes that testimony by joining the prophets' witness to forgiveness through Jesus' name. While Peter is still speaking, the Holy Ghost falls on those hearing the word. They are then commanded to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
What Does Acts 10:43 Mean?
"To him give all the prophets witness" places Jesus within the continuing testimony of Scripture. Peter does not name individual prophetic passages here, so the verse invites us to hear the prophets as bearing a converging witness toward God's saving purpose in Christ. The promise is stated plainly: "whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." Remission means forgiveness, the release of sins from their condemning hold. The phrase "through his name" directs attention to Jesus himself, his authority, and the saving reality God has established in him. Peter offers no ethnic qualification. The promise is as wide as "whosoever" and as focused as faith in Christ.
The chapter makes this promise the climax of a carefully prepared meeting. Cornelius's prayer and alms are remembered; Peter is taught to enter a Gentile home; the gathered household stands before God to hear his command; and Peter tells the story of Jesus. Forgiveness is not introduced as a detached idea. It follows the account of Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and future judgment. The one who will judge quick and dead is also the one through whom remission is received. This joins holy accountability with genuine hope. Cornelius and his companions are invited to place their trust in the one whom God raised and appointed.
The Holy Ghost falls "while Peter yet spake these words," showing God's approval of the message and its hearers. The Jewish believers recognize that the gift has been poured on Gentiles also, and Peter commands water baptism in the Lord's name. These events do not reduce forgiveness to a private inward claim. Faith in Christ enters a worshiping people who magnify God and receive the apostolic command. Peter's language also reaches back to the commission in Luke's Gospel, where repentance and remission of sins are to be preached in Christ's name among all nations. Acts 10 displays that commission taking effect in Caesarea.
Bible Verses Related to Acts 10:43
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
- Luke 24:47
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:”
- Acts 13:38
“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
- Isaiah 53:11
“And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
- Jeremiah 31:34
Where Acts 10:43 Echoes in Scripture
Luke 24:47 closely echoes Peter's wording by joining repentance and remission of sins with preaching in Christ's name among all nations. Acts 10 shows that commission unfolding in a Gentile household. Peter's declaration is therefore part of the risen Lord's own mission, extending the prophetic hope of forgiveness beyond the boundaries people had assumed were fixed.
How to Apply Acts 10:43 Today
Forgiveness through Christ's name gives us a truthful way to face sin. We need not conceal it, rename it, or carry it as though release were impossible. Faith turns toward Jesus, trusting the one whose death, resurrection, and authority Peter has proclaimed. This promise also reshapes how we regard others. Since Peter says "whosoever," no person is beyond the reach of the invitation. In prayer, confession, conversation, and gathered worship, we can hold together seriousness about sin, confidence in God's mercy, and readiness to welcome those who are seeking to hear God's word.
Reflection & Prayer
What sin, failure, or burden do we need to bring honestly before the name of Jesus? Let Peter's promise lead us into trust rather than despair. Pray: "God, grant us faith in your Son, forgive us through his name, and help us magnify you with grateful and obedient lives."