Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
What does Acts 2:38 mean?
From the first delivery of that Divine message, it appeared that there was Divine power going with it; and thousands were brought to the obedience of faith.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Acts 2:37-40 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them - Peter had been the chief speaker, though others had also addressed them. He now, in the name of all, directed the multitude what to do. Repent - See the notes on Matthew 3:2 . Repentance implies sorrow for sin as committed against God, along with a purpose to forsake it. It is not merely a fear of the consequences of sin or of the wrath of God in hell. It is such a view of sin, as evil in itself, as to lead the mind to hate it and forsake it. Laying aside all view of the punishment of sin, the true penitent hates it.
Key words
- Peter
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Then Peter said unto them,.
- them
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Then Peter said unto them,.
Context in Acts 2
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Acts 2 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as Jerusalem church. Acts traces the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the Gentile world through Peter, Paul, and the Spirit-led church. Read this chapter with the wider themes of Spirit, mission, and church in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Key passages on turning away from sin, returning to God, the call to repent, and the mercy that meets those who do.
Key passages for baptismal services, cards, and invitations — verses on water, new life, identification with Christ, and the meaning of baptism.
Passages on trusting God, receiving Christ, persevering without sight, and the relation between faith and lived obedience.
Bible verses about suffering and trials
Key passages on grief, endurance, lament, divine mystery, and the Christian claim that suffering is neither final nor meaningless.
Passages on asking, persistence, confession, dependence, and the way prayer shapes Christian life and attention.
Key passages on God's unmerited favour, the grace of Christ, salvation by grace through faith, and how grace transforms the way believers live.
Glossary
- Peter Person
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Originally called Simon (=Simeon, i. e., “hearing”), a very common Jewish name in the New Testament. He was the son of Jona ( Matt. 16:17 ). His mother is nowhere named in Scripture.