37Now having heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the other apostles: 'What shall we do, men, brothers?' [2:38] Peter then said to them: 'Do repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [2:39] For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all those at a distance — as many as the Lord our God may call to himself.' [2:40] And with many other words he earnestly testified and was exhorting them, saying: 'Do be saved from this perverse generation.' [2:41] Those then indeed who received his word were baptized, and there were added on that day about three thousand souls.
ACT 2:37-41
Three Thousand Believe
In the world it was spoken into
In the context of Second-Temple Judaism, Peter’s audience would have understood his call to repentance as a radical reorientation of life, not merely a feeling of regret. Repentance in this era was tied to returning to covenantal faithfulness, often accompanied by ritual acts like baptism, which symbolized purification and renewal. The phrase 'pierced to the heart' evokes the deep emotional and spiritual conviction that would have been familiar in Jewish prophetic traditions, where such language signaled a call to turn back to God. Baptism 'in the name of Jesus Christ' would have been startling, as it shifted the focus from traditional Jewish purification rites to allegiance to Jesus as Messiah. The promise of the Holy Spirit echoed prophetic hopes of God’s eschatological restoration. Peter’s exhortation to 'be saved from this crooked generation' would have resonated with Jewish apocalyptic expectations of deliverance from a morally corrupt world.
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How other translations render this
ACT 2:37
- KJV
- Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
- BSB
- When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
- Koinōnos
- Now having heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the other apostles: 'What shall we do, men, brothers?
ACT 2:38
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Koinōnos
- Peter then said to them: 'Do repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
ACT 2:39
- KJV
- For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.
- BSB
- This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
- Koinōnos
- For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all those at a distance — as many as the Lord our God may call to himself.
ACT 2:40
- KJV
- And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
- BSB
- With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.”
- Koinōnos
- And with many other words he earnestly testified and was exhorting them, saying: 'Do be saved from this perverse generation.
ACT 2:41
- KJV
- Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
- BSB
- Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.
- Koinōnos
- Those then indeed who received his word were baptized, and there were added on that day about three thousand souls.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
ACT 2:37
- they were pierced:The word translated 'they were pierced' suggests a deep, internal wounding or a sharp, sudden pain, as if struck to the heart by a weapon. It implies a profound emotional and spiritual impact.
ACT 2:38
- do repent:The term translated 'do repent' means to change one's mind or purpose, implying a reorientation of one's entire way of thinking and living, not just feeling sorry for past actions.
ACT 2:40
- do be saved:The word translated 'do be saved' carries a broad sense of being rescued, delivered, or preserved from danger, harm, or destruction, encompassing physical, spiritual, and eternal well-being.
- perverse:The word translated 'perverse' literally means 'crooked' or 'bent,' suggesting something that deviates from what is straight, right, or proper, implying moral distortion or corruption.