Acts 2:21-40

A.(21) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

B.(22) Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

C.(23) Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

D.(24) Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

E.(25) For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face,

F. for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

G.(26) Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: (27) Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (28) Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

H.(29) Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

I. (30) Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

H’. (31) He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ,

G’.that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (32) This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

F’.(33) Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

E’.(34) For David is not ascended into the heavens:

D’. but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, (35) Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

C’.(36) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

B’.(37)  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? (38) 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.

A'(39) 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. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

2 thoughts on “Acts 2:21-40”

  1. Been looking at the chiasm in Acts 2. I wonder whether this is a better one:

    A. Whosoever shall call (2:21)
    B. Jesus of Nazareth (v22)
    C. Ye have… Crucified (v23)
    D. Whom God hath raised up (v24)
    E. For David speaketh (v25)
    F. I foresaw the Lord also before my face (v25)
    G. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (v27)
    g. Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption (v27)
    f. Full of joy with thy countenance (v28)
    e. Let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David (v29)
    d. This Jesus hath God raised up (v32)
    c. Ye have crucified (v36)
    b. The name of Jesus Christ (v38)
    a. The Lord our God shall call (v39)

    With this structure the centre of the chiasm is the resurrection of Christ, which is the whole point of Peter’s preaching on the day of Pentecost.

  2. The phrase “both Lord and Christ” is an inversion of the argument of the previous verses. Psalm 16 and Psalm 132 are quoted to show that jesus is the Christ, and Psalm 110 is quoted to show that Jesus is Lord.

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