Acts 2:23 Meaning and Explanation
“Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Peter declares that Jesus was delivered up according to the settled plan and foreknowledge of God, and that by wicked hands they crucified and killed him.
What Does Acts 2:23 Mean?
Peter sets two truths side by side without softening either. The cross was no accident and no defeat — Jesus was delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. And yet the hands that took and crucified him were wicked, and the guilt is laid plainly at the hearers' feet.
Scripture holds both together: the purpose of God ran through the darkest deed in history, and those who did it were fully responsible. Neither truth cancels the other. From this mystery shines the gospel — what men meant for evil, God wove into salvation, so that the cross itself becomes the place of mercy for the very ones who raised it. Peter accuses in order to heal; conviction here is the doorway to forgiveness.
Acts 2:23 in the Original Language
boule (βουλή), 'counsel' -- a settled plan or deliberate purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 2:23
What does Acts 2:23 mean?
Peter declares that Jesus was delivered up according to the settled plan and foreknowledge of God, and that by wicked hands they crucified and killed him.