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Selected Verse: Acts 20:21 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ac 20:21 |
Strong Concordance |
Testifying [1263] both [5037] to the Jews [2453], and also [2532] to the Greeks [1672], repentance [3341] toward [1519] God [2316], and [2532] faith [4102] toward [1519] our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547]. |
| |
King James |
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Testifying both to Jews and . . . Greeks--laboring under a common malady, and recoverable only by a common treatment.
repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ--(See on Act 5:31). REPENTANCE, as distinguished from faith, is that state of the "honest and good heart" which arises from a discovery of one's contrariety to the righteous demands of the divine law. This is said to be "toward God," because seeing Him to be the party dishonored by sin, it feels all its acknowledgments and compunctions to be properly due to Him, as the great Lawgiver, and directs them to Him accordingly; condemning, humbling itself, and grieving before Him, looking also to Him as its only Hope of deliverance. FAITH is said to be "toward our Lord Jesus Christ," because in that frame of mind just described it eagerly credits the testimony of relief divinely provided in Christ, gladly embraces the overtures of reconciliation in Him, and directs all its expectations of salvation, from its first stage to its last, to Him as the one appointed Medium of all grace from God to a sinful world. Thus we have here a brief summary of all Gospel preaching. And it is easy to see why repentance is here put before faith; for the former must of necessity precede the latter. There is a repentance subsequent to faith, the fruit of felt pardon and restoration. It was this which drew the tears with which the Saviour's feet were once so copiously moistened. (Luk 7:37-38, Luk 7:47; and compare Eze 16:63). But that is not the light in which it is here presented. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Testifying - Bearing witness to the necessity of repentance toward God. Or teaching them the nature of repentance, and exhorting them to repent and believe. Perhaps the word "testifying" includes both ideas of giving evidence, and of urging with great earnestness and affection that repentance and faith were necessary. See Ti1 5:21; Ti2 2:14; where the word used here, and here translated "testify," is there translated correctly, "charge," in the sense of "strongly urging, or entreating with great earnestness."
And also to the Greeks - To all who were not Jews. "The Greeks" properly denoted "those who lived in Greece, and who spoke the Greek language." But the phrase, "Jews and Greeks," among the Hebrews, denoted "the whole human race." He urged the necessity of repentance and faith in all. Religion makes no distinction, but regards all as sinners, and as needing salvation by the blood of the Redeemer.
Repentance toward God - See the notes on Mat 3:2. Repentance is to be exercised "toward God," because:
(1) Sin has been committed against him, and it is proper that we express our sorrow to the Being whom we have offended; and,
(2) Because only God can pardon. Sincere repentance exists only where there is a willingness to make acknowledgment to the very Being whom we have offended or injured.
And faith - See the notes on Mar 16:16.
Toward - εἰς eis. In regard to; in; confidence in the work and merits of the Lord Jesus. This is required, because there is no other one who can save from sin. See the notes on Act 4:12. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Repentance toward God
Repentance has the article: the repentance which is due to God. So, also, faith: the faith which is due toward Christ, as the advocate and mediator. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Repentance toward God - The very first motion of the soul toward God is a kind of repentance. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Testify both to - Jews and - Greeks - He always began with the Jews; and, in this case, he had preached to them alone for three months, Act 19:8-10, and only left their synagogues when he found, through their obstinacy, he could do them no good.
Repentance toward God, etc. - As all had sinned against God, so all should humble themselves before him against whom they have sinned; but humiliation is no atonement for sin; therefore repentance is insufficient, unless faith in our Lord Jesus Christ accompany it. Repentance disposes and prepares the soul for pardoning mercy; but can never be considered as making compensation for past acts of transgression. This repentance and faith were necessary to the salvation both of Jews and Gentiles; for all had sinned, and come short of God's glory. The Jews must repent, who had sinned so much, and so long, against light and knowledge. The Gentiles must repent, whose scandalous lives were a reproach to man. Faith in Jesus Christ was also indispensably necessary; for a Jew might repent, be sorry for his sin, and suppose that, by a proper discharge of his religious duty, and bringing proper sacrifices, he could conciliate the favor of God: No, this will not do; nothing but faith in Jesus Christ, as the end of the law, and the great and only vicarious sacrifice, will do; hence he testified to them the necessity of faith in this Messiah. The Gentiles might repent of their profligate lives, turn to the true God, and renounce all idolatry: this is well, but it is not sufficient: they also have sinned, and their present amendment and faith can make no atonement for what is past; therefore, they also must believe on the Lord Jesus, who died for their sins, and rose again for their justification. |
63 That thou mayest remember [02142], and be confounded [0954], and never open [06610] thy mouth [06310] any more because [06440] of thy shame [03639], when I am pacified [03722] toward thee for all that thou hast done [06213], saith [05002] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069].
47 Wherefore [3739] [5484] I say [3004] unto thee [4671], Her [846] sins [266], which [3588] are many [4183], are forgiven [863]; for [3754] she loved [25] much [4183]: but [1161] to whom [3739] little [3641] is forgiven [863], the same loveth [25] little [3641].
37 And [2532], behold [2400], a woman [1135] in [1722] the city [4172], which [3748] was [2258] a sinner [268], when she knew [1921] that [3754] Jesus sat at meat [345] in [1722] the Pharisee's [5330] house [3614], brought [2865] an alabaster box [211] of ointment [3464],
38 And [2532] stood [2476] at [3844] his [846] feet [4228] behind [3694] him weeping [2799], and began [756] to wash [1026] his [846] feet [4228] with tears [1144], and [2532] did wipe [1591] them with the hairs [2359] of her [846] head [2776], and [2532] kissed [2705] his [846] feet [4228], and [2532] anointed [218] them with the ointment [3464].
31 Him [5126] hath God [2316] exalted [5312] with his [846] right hand [1188] to be a Prince [747] and [2532] a Saviour [4990], for to give [1325] repentance [3341] to Israel [2474], and [2532] forgiveness [859] of sins [266].
12 Neither [2532] [3756] is there [2076] salvation [4991] in [1722] any [3762] other [243]: for [1063] there is [2076] none [3777] other [2087] name [3686] under [5259] heaven [3772] given [1325] among [1722] men [444], whereby [1722] [3739] we [2248] must [1163] be saved [4982].
16 He that believeth [4100] and [2532] is baptized [907] shall be saved [4982]; but [1161] he that believeth not [569] shall be damned [2632].
2 And [2532] saying [3004], Repent ye [3340]: for [1063] the kingdom [932] of heaven [3772] is at hand [1448].
14 Of these things [5023] put them in remembrance [5279], charging [1263] them before [1799] the Lord [2962] that they strive [3054] not [3361] about words [3054] to [1519] no [3762] profit [5539], but to [1909] the subverting [2692] of the hearers [191].
21 I charge [1263] thee before [1799] God [2316], and [2532] the Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], and [2532] the elect [1588] angels [32], that [2443] thou observe [5442] these things [5023] without [5565] preferring one before another [4299], doing [4160] nothing [3367] by [2596] partiality [4346].
8 And [1161] he went [1525] into [1519] the synagogue [4864], and spake boldly [3955] for the space [1909] of three [5140] months [3376], disputing [1256] and [2532] persuading [3982] the things concerning [4012] the kingdom [932] of God [2316].
9 But [1161] when [5613] divers [5100] were hardened [4645], and [2532] believed not [544], but spake evil [2551] of that way [3598] before [1799] the multitude [4128], he departed [868] from [575] them [846], and separated [873] the disciples [3101], disputing [1256] daily [2596] [2250] in [1722] the school [4981] of one [5100] Tyrannus [5181].
10 And [1161] this [5124] continued [1096] by the space [1909] of two [1417] years [2094]; so [5620] that all [3956] they which dwelt in [2730] Asia [773] heard [191] the word [3056] of the Lord [2962] Jesus [2424], both [5037] Jews [2453] and [2532] Greeks [1672].