Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore i e. because you see the greatness of your offence.

and be converted Lit. turn again, i.e. from the evil of your ways. The word converthas received much ongrowth of meaning since the A. V. was made. The same word is well rendered (Acts 11:21), "a great number believed and turnedunto the Lord."

when the times of refreshing shall come ὅπως ἂν cannot be translated whenthe times … shall come, but thatthe times … may come. These particles indicate a purpose, the accomplishment of which still lies in doubt. So the Apostle's argument is, Repent, that your sins may be blotted out, that in this way(i.e. by your penitence) the times of refreshing maycome. The particles are rendered in this sense Acts 15:17, "that the residue of men might [better may seek after the Lord."

times of refreshing The Greek word signifies "appointed times," i.e. which God hath appointed and which He keeps in His own power, but which the penitence of men will hasten. They are called "times of refreshing," i.e. peace and blessedness, for the Apostle describes them afterwards as the coming of the Christ. But by the prophecies which he quotes he shews that the refreshing is for those only who repent (Acts 3:23) and hear the prophet whom God sends. The anticipation of a speedy return of Christ from heaven was common among the first believers. St Peter here does not directly state this opinion, but we can see how current it was from St Paul's second Epistle to the Thessalonians, where he finds it necessary to warn the Christians of that Church against the disquiet which the immediate expectation of the second Advent was causing among them.