Limitless Word
Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.’
Acts 3:23 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
  • KJV And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
  • NKJV And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
  • NASB And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
  • NLT Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Anyone who refuses to listen to this Prophet will be cut off from God's people. Rejecting Christ carries grave and final consequences.

Overview

Continuing the Deuteronomy citation, Peter warns that refusing the promised Prophet brings exclusion and judgment. The gospel is good news, but it comes with sober accountability: to spurn Christ is to spurn God who sent him. This balances the offer of grace with the warning that there is no salvation apart from heeding the One God has appointed.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 14

  • Deut 18:19And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name.
  • John 12:48There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
  • Heb 10:39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
  • Heb 12:25See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?
  • Heb 10:28–30Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
  • Rev 20:15And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
  • Lev 23:29If anyone does not humble himself on this day, he must be cut off from his people.
  • Heb 2:3how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
  • John 3:18–20Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
  • Acts 13:38–41Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
  • Mark 16:16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
  • 2 Th 1:7–9and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels
  • John 8:24That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
  • Rev 13:8And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 3:23YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 3:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.