The Meaning of Acts 3:18 Explained

Acts 3:18

KJV: But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

YLT: and God, what things before He had declared through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He did thus fulfil;

Darby: but God has thus fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer.

ASV: But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  those things, which  God  before had shewed  by  the mouth  of all  his  prophets,  that Christ  should suffer,  he hath  so  fulfilled. 

What does Acts 3:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 3:11-26 - Searching Words
Peter's sermon was delivered in the eastern colonnade of the Temple. It derived its name probably from the fact that Solomon's Porch had originally occupied that site. The Apostle argued that the gospel which was given them to proclaim was only the flower of the revelations which had been given them through the prophets. How vast the change wrought in this man by the strength and illumination imparted to him at Pentecost! Why should we not seek to be similarly infilled!
How humble-not by their power! How daring-God had glorified Him whom they slew! What glorious conceptions of Christ-Prince of Life, holy and righteous! What pity for the ignorance of the Jews! The times of refreshing which are to come on this distracted world depend on the repentance and restoration of Israel. The Jew has the first offer of the gospel, as the child of the covenant; but its wide provisions lie open to us all, who by faith have become heirs of the promises made to Abraham. Christ begins His work of benediction for the soul by turning it away from iniquity. "Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be turned!" [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 3

1  Peter preaching to the people that came to see a lame man restored to his feet,
12  professes the cure to have been wrought by God, and his son Jesus;
13  withal reprehending them for crucifying Jesus;
17  which because they did it through ignorance,
18  and that thereby were fulfilled God's determinate counsel, and the Scriptures,
19  he exhorts them by repentance and faith to seek remission of their sins through Jesus

Greek Commentary for Acts 3:18

Foreshewed [προκατηγγειλεν]
First aorist active indicative of προκαταγγελλω — prokataggellō late compound to announce fully beforehand. Only twice in the N.T. in the critical text (Acts 3:18; Acts 7:52). [source]
That his Christ should suffer [πατειν τον Χριστον αυτου]
Accusative of general reference with the aorist active infinitive Their crime, though real, was carrying out God‘s purpose (Acts 2:23; John 3:16). See the same idea in Acts 17:3; Acts 26:23. This “immense paradox” (Page) was a stumbling block to these Jews as it is yet (1 Corinthians 1:23). Peter discusses the sufferings of Christ in 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 3:18

Acts 17:3 That it behoved the Christ to suffer [οτι τον Χριστον εδει πατειν]
The second aorist active infinitive is the subject of εδει — edei with τον Χριστον — ton Christon the accusative of general reference. This is Paul‘s major premise in his argument from the Scriptures about the Messiah, the necessity of his sufferings according to the Scriptures, the very argument made by the Risen Jesus to the two on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:25-27). The fifty-third chapter of Isaiah was a passage in point that the rabbis had overlooked. Peter made the same point in Acts 3:18 and Paul again in Acts 26:23. The minor premise is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. To rise again from the dead (αναστηναι εκ νεκρων — anastēnai ek nekrōn). This second aorist active infinitive αναστηναι — anastēnai is also the subject of εδει — edei The actual resurrection of Jesus was also a necessity as Paul says he preached to them (1 Thessalonians 4:14) and argued always from Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) and from his own experience (Acts 9:22; Acts 22:7; Acts 26:8, Acts 26:14; 1 Corinthians 15:8). This Jesus is the Christ More precisely, “This is the Messiah, viz., Jesus whom I am proclaiming unto you.” This is the conclusion of Paul‘s line of argument and it is logical and overwhelming. It is his method everywhere as in Damascus, in Antioch in Pisidia, here, in Corinth. He spoke as an eye-witness. [source]
Acts 3:18 Foreshewed [προκατηγγειλεν]
First aorist active indicative of προκαταγγελλω — prokataggellō late compound to announce fully beforehand. Only twice in the N.T. in the critical text (Acts 3:18; Acts 7:52). [source]
Romans 1:8 Through [δια]
As the mediator or medium of thanksgiving as in Romans 7:25. For (περι — peri). Concerning, about. That Or because. Either declarative or causal οτι — hoti makes sense here. Your faith (η πιστις υμων — hē pistis humōn). “Your Christianity” (Sanday and Headlam). Is proclaimed Present passive indicative of καταγγελλω — kataggellō to announce See also αναγγελλω — anaggellō to bring back news (John 5:15), απαγγελλω — apaggellō to announce from one as the source (Matthew 2:8), προκαταγγελλω — prokataggellō to announce far and wide beforehand (Acts 3:18). Throughout all the world (εν ολωι τωι κοσμωι — en holōi tōi kosmōi). Natural hyperbole as in Colossians 1:6; Acts 17:6. But widely known because the church was in the central city of the empire. [source]
Romans 1:8 That [οτι]
Or because. Either declarative or causal οτι — hoti makes sense here. Your faith (η πιστις υμων — hē pistis humōn). “Your Christianity” (Sanday and Headlam). Is proclaimed Present passive indicative of καταγγελλω — kataggellō to announce See also αναγγελλω — anaggellō to bring back news (John 5:15), απαγγελλω — apaggellō to announce from one as the source (Matthew 2:8), προκαταγγελλω — prokataggellō to announce far and wide beforehand (Acts 3:18). Throughout all the world (εν ολωι τωι κοσμωι — en holōi tōi kosmōi). Natural hyperbole as in Colossians 1:6; Acts 17:6. But widely known because the church was in the central city of the empire. [source]
Romans 1:8 Is proclaimed [καταγγελλεται]
Present passive indicative of καταγγελλω — kataggellō to announce See also αναγγελλω — anaggellō to bring back news (John 5:15), απαγγελλω — apaggellō to announce from one as the source (Matthew 2:8), προκαταγγελλω — prokataggellō to announce far and wide beforehand (Acts 3:18). Throughout all the world (εν ολωι τωι κοσμωι — en holōi tōi kosmōi). Natural hyperbole as in Colossians 1:6; Acts 17:6. But widely known because the church was in the central city of the empire. [source]
1 Peter 1:11 Of Christ [εἰς Χριστὸν]
Lit., unto Christ. So Rev., in margin. The sufferings destined for Christ, as in 1 Peter 1:10he speaks of the grace, εἰς ὑμᾶς , unto you; i.e., destined to come unto you. Peter was especially concerned to show that the sufferings of Christ were in fulfilment of prophecy, because it was a subject of dispute with the Jews whether the Christ was to suffer (Acts 3:18; Acts 26:22, Acts 26:23). [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 3:18 mean?

- But God what He foretold by [the] mouth of all the prophets [that] should suffer the Christ of Him He has fulfilled thus
δὲ Θεὸς προκατήγγειλεν διὰ στόματος πάντων τῶν προφητῶν παθεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπλήρωσεν οὕτως

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεὸς  God 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
προκατήγγειλεν  He  foretold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: προκαταγγέλλω  
Sense: to announce beforehand (that a thing will be).
στόματος  [the]  mouth 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: στόμα  
Sense: the mouth, as part of the body: of man, of animals, of fish, etc.
πάντων  of  all 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
προφητῶν  prophets 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: προφήτης  
Sense: in Greek writings, an interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things.
παθεῖν  [that]  should  suffer 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: πάσχω  
Sense: to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo.
Χριστὸν  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐπλήρωσεν  He  has  fulfilled 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πληρόω  
Sense: to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full.
οὕτως  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.