Acts 3:20

20 and He may send Jesus Christ who before hath been preached to you,

Acts 3:20 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 3:20

And he shall send Jesus Christ
Or "that he may send Jesus Christ", as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it: not in person, for this regards neither his first, nor his second coming, both which might be terrible to the awakened Jews; the former, because he had been sent, and was come, and was gone again; and therefore might fear there was no hope for them, who had denied him, and crucified him; the latter, because they might conclude he would be sent, and come to take vengeance on them, when they should look upon him whom they had pierced with horror and trembling; but here it regards his being sent, and his coming in the ministration of the word, and by his Spirit, to the comfort of their souls: which before was preached unto you;
in the writings of the Old Testament, in the books of Moses, and of the Prophets, ( Acts 3:22 Acts 3:24 ) or, as it is read in the Alexandrian copy, and in other copies, and in the Complutensian edition, and in the Syriac and Arabic versions, who was "predetermined" or "prepared for you"; that is, in the purposes, council, and covenant of God. The Ethiopic version reads, "whom he before anointed"; to be prophet, priest, and King; and from each of these considerations much comfort might be drawn by sensible sinners.

Acts 3:20 In-Context

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

19 reform ye, therefore, and turn back, for your sins being blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

20 and He may send Jesus Christ who before hath been preached to you,

21 whom it behoveth heaven, indeed, to receive till times of a restitution of all things, of which God spake through the mouth of all His holy prophets from the age.

22 `For Moses, indeed, unto the fathers said -- A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me; him shall ye hear in all things, as many as he may speak unto you;