Acts 3:19 Meaning and Explanation
“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;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Turn back to God, and the record of our sins is wiped clean, with His own refreshing to follow.
The Context of Acts 3:19
Peter is preaching in the temple at Solomon's porch, just after a man lame from birth was healed in Jesus' name (Acts 3:1 to 11). A crowd has gathered in wonder, and Peter points them past the miracle to the One who did it, calling the people of Jerusalem to turn back to the God they had pierced.
What Does Acts 3:19 Mean?
Peter has just told the crowd a hard truth: they handed Jesus over to be killed (verse 14). Now he opens a door. 'Repent', he says, turn around, change your mind, and 'be converted', turn your whole self back toward God. When that turning happens, 'your sins may be blotted out', wiped away as ink is wiped from a page until nothing of the debt remains. The picture is mercy that goes beyond a clean slate to a record erased. Peter speaks to the very people who rejected Christ, and still he offers them this.
And there is more than pardon waiting. 'Times of refreshing' will come 'from the presence of the Lord', seasons of relief and renewal that flow out of God's nearness. Forgiveness opens onto more still: the cool, reviving presence of God Himself. All of this is held out because of Jesus, the One they crucified, now risen and offering His own people a way home. The turning we are invited to make leads straight into His refreshing.
Acts 3:19 in the Original Language
metanoeo (μετανοέω), 'repent' -- to change one's mind and turn, a true turning of heart back to God.
How to Apply Acts 3:19 Today
When the weight of what we have done feels permanent, this verse promises that turning back to God can wipe the record clean. Repentance here is a door, opening past forgiveness into the refreshing presence of the Lord. The same mercy Peter offered to those who crucified Christ is offered still to us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 3:19
What does Acts 3:19 mean?
Turn back to God, and the record of our sins is wiped clean, with His own refreshing to follow.
What is the context of Acts 3:19?
Peter is preaching in the temple at Solomon's porch, just after a man lame from birth was healed in Jesus' name (Acts 3:1 to 11). A crowd has gathered in wonder, and Peter points them past the miracle to the One who did it, calling the people of Jerusalem to turn back to the God they had pierced.
How can I apply Acts 3:19 today?
When the weight of what we have done feels permanent, this verse promises that turning back to God can wipe the record clean. Repentance here is a door, opening past forgiveness into the refreshing presence of the Lord. The same mercy Peter offered to those who crucified Christ is offered still to us.