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Selected Verse: Acts 3:23 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ac 3:23	Strong Concordance	And [1161] it shall come to pass [2071], that every [3956] soul [5590], which [3748] [302] will [191] not [3361] hear [191] that [1565] prophet [4396], shall be destroyed [1842] from among [1537] the people [2992].
	King James	And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And it shall come to pass - It shall be, or shall occur. This is not the usual word rendered "it shall come to pass." It is a word commonly expressing "futurity," but here it conveys the notion of "obligation." In this verse Peter has not quoted the passage in Deuteronomy literally, but he has given the sense. Every soul - Every "person" or "individual." Soul is often put for the whole man by the Hebrews, Act 7:14; Jos 10:28. Hear that Prophet - That is, obey his instructions. He shall have authority to declare the will of God; and he that does not obey him refuses to obey God. Compare Luk 10:16; Joh 13:20. Shall be destroyed - This quotation is made according to the sense, and not literally. In the Hebrew the expression is Deu 18:19, "I will require it of him," that is, I will hold him answerable or responsible for it; I will punish him. This expression the Septuagint has rendered by "I will take vengeance on him." The idea of the passage is, therefore, that God would publish the man that would not hear the prophet, without specifying the particular way in which it should be done. The usual mode of punishing such offences was by cutting the offender off from among the people, Exo 30:33; Exo 12:15; Exo 9:15; Num 15:31; Num 19:13; Lev 7:20-21, Lev 7:25, Lev 7:27, etc. The sense is, that he should be punished in the usual manner; that is, by excision, or by being destroyed from among the people. The word translated "shall be destroyed" means properly "to exterminate, wholly to devote to ruin," as of a wicked people, a wicked man whose life is taken, etc. To be destroyed from among the people means, however, to be excommunicated, or to be deprived of the privileges of a people. Among the Jews this was probably the most severe punishment that could be inflicted. It involved the idea of being cut off from the privileges of sacrifice and worship in the temple and in the synagogue, etc., and of being regarded as a pagan and an outcast. The idea which Peter expressed here was, that the Jews had exposed themselves to the severest punishment in rejecting and crucifying the Lord Jesus, and that they should, therefore, repent of this great sin, and seek for mercy. The same remark is applicable still to people. The Scriptures abundantly declare the truth, that if sinners will not hear the Lord Jesus, they shall be destroyed. And it becomes each individual to inquire with honesty whether he listens to his instructions and obeys his Law, or whether he is rejecting him and following the devices and desires of his own heart. It will be a solemn day when the sinner shall be called to render a reason why he has rejected the teachings and laws of the Son of God!

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And it shall come to pass - It shall be, or shall occur. This is not the usual word rendered "it shall come to pass." It is a word commonly expressing "futurity," but here it conveys the notion of "obligation." In this verse Peter has not quoted the passage in Deuteronomy literally, but he has given the sense.

Every soul - Every "person" or "individual." Soul is often put for the whole man by the Hebrews, Act 7:14; Jos 10:28.

Hear that Prophet - That is, obey his instructions. He shall have authority to declare the will of God; and he that does not obey him refuses to obey God. Compare Luk 10:16; Joh 13:20.

Shall be destroyed - This quotation is made according to the sense, and not literally. In the Hebrew the expression is Deu 18:19, "I will require it of him," that is, I will hold him answerable or responsible for it; I will punish him. This expression the Septuagint has rendered by "I will take vengeance on him." The idea of the passage is, therefore, that God would publish the man that would not hear the prophet, without specifying the particular way in which it should be done. The usual mode of punishing such offences was by cutting the offender off from among the people, Exo 30:33; Exo 12:15; Exo 9:15; Num 15:31; Num 19:13; Lev 7:20-21, Lev 7:25, Lev 7:27, etc. The sense is, that he should be punished in the usual manner; that is, by excision, or by being destroyed from among the people. The word translated "shall be destroyed" means properly "to exterminate, wholly to devote to ruin," as of a wicked people, a wicked man whose life is taken, etc.

To be destroyed from among the people means, however, to be excommunicated, or to be deprived of the privileges of a people. Among the Jews this was probably the most severe punishment that could be inflicted. It involved the idea of being cut off from the privileges of sacrifice and worship in the temple and in the synagogue, etc., and of being regarded as a pagan and an outcast. The idea which Peter expressed here was, that the Jews had exposed themselves to the severest punishment in rejecting and crucifying the Lord Jesus, and that they should, therefore, repent of this great sin, and seek for mercy. The same remark is applicable still to people. The Scriptures abundantly declare the truth, that if sinners will not hear the Lord Jesus, they shall be destroyed. And it becomes each individual to inquire with honesty whether he listens to his instructions and obeys his Law, or whether he is rejecting him and following the devices and desires of his own heart. It will be a solemn day when the sinner shall be called to render a reason why he has rejected the teachings and laws of the Son of God!

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Shall be destroyed (ἐξολοθρευθήσεται) Only here in New Testament. Rev., "utterly destroyed," giving the force of ἐξ, out.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Every soul who will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people - One cannot imagine a more masterly address than this, to warn the Jews of the dreadful consequence of their infidelity, in the very words of their favourite prophet, out of a pretended zeal for whom they rejected Christ.

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²⁷ Whatsoever soul [05315] it be that eateth [0398] any manner [03605] of blood [01818], even that soul [05315] shall be cut off [03772] from his people [05971].

²⁵ For whosoever eateth [0398] the fat [02459] of the beast [0929], of which men offer [07126] an offering made by fire [0801] unto the LORD [03068], even the soul [05315] that eateth [0398] it shall be cut off [03772] from his people [05971].

²⁰ But the soul [05315] that eateth [0398] of the flesh [01320] of the sacrifice [02077] of peace offerings [08002], that pertain unto the LORD [03068], having his uncleanness [02932] upon him, even that soul [05315] shall be cut off [03772] from his people [05971].
²¹ Moreover the soul [05315] that shall touch [05060] any unclean [02932] thing, as the uncleanness [02932] of man [0120], or any unclean [02931] beast [0929], or any abominable [08263] unclean [02931] thing, and eat [0398] of the flesh [01320] of the sacrifice [02077] of peace offerings [08002], which pertain unto the LORD [03068], even that soul [05315] shall be cut off [03772] from his people [05971].

¹³ Whosoever toucheth [05060] the dead [04191] body [05315] of any man [0120] that is dead [04191], and purifieth [02398] not himself, defileth [02930] the tabernacle [04908] of the LORD [03068]; and that soul [05315] shall be cut off [03772] from Israel [03478]: because the water [04325] of separation [05079] was not sprinkled [02236] upon him, he shall be unclean [02931]; his uncleanness [02932] is yet upon him.

³¹ Because he hath despised [0959] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], and hath broken [06565] his commandment [04687], that soul [05315] shall utterly [03772] be cut off [03772]; his iniquity [05771] shall be upon him.

¹⁵ For now I will stretch out [07971] my hand [03027], that I may smite [05221] thee and thy people [05971] with pestilence [01698]; and thou shalt be cut off [03582] from the earth [0776].

¹⁵ Seven [07651] days [03117] shall ye eat [0398] unleavened bread [04682]; even [0389] the first [07223] day [03117] ye shall put away [07673] leaven [07603] out of your houses [01004]: for whosoever eateth [0398] leavened bread [02557] from the first [07223] day [03117] until the seventh [07637] day [03117], that soul [05315] shall be cut [03772] off from Israel [03478].

³³ Whosoever [0834] [0376] compoundeth [07543] any like it, or whosoever putteth [05414] any of it upon a stranger [02114], shall even be cut [03772] off from his people [05971].

¹⁹ And it shall come to pass, that whosoever [0376] will not hearken [08085] unto my words [01697] which he shall speak [01696] in my name [08034], I will require [01875] it of him.

²⁰ Verily [281], verily [281], I say [3004] unto you [5213], He that receiveth [2983] whomsoever [1437] [5100] I send [3992] receiveth [2983] me [1691]; and [1161] he that receiveth [2983] me [1691] receiveth [2983] him that sent [3992] me [3165].

¹⁶ He that heareth [191] you [5216] heareth [191] me [1700]; and [2532] he that despiseth [114] you [5209] despiseth [114] me [1691]; and [1161] he that despiseth [114] me [1691] despiseth [114] him that sent [649] me [3165].

²⁸ And that day [03117] Joshua [03091] took [03920] Makkedah [04719], and smote [05221] it with the edge [06310] of the sword [02719], and the king [04428] thereof he utterly destroyed [02763], them, and all the souls [05315] that were therein; he let [07604] none remain [08300]: and he did [06213] to the king [04428] of Makkedah [04719] as he did [06213] unto the king [04428] of Jericho [03405].

¹⁴ Then [1161] sent [649] Joseph [2501], and called [3333] his [846] father [3962] Jacob [2384] to him, and [2532] all [3956] his [846] kindred [4772], [1722] threescore [1440] and fifteen [4002] souls [5590].