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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Acts 3:17-18

Acts 3:17. And now, brethren. Notice the apostle no longer gravely, though courteously, addresses the people as ‘men of Israel' (Acts 3:12), but affectionately as ‘brethren.'

Through ignorance ye did it. Not recognising under that meek and lowly form the conquering Messiah they so fondly looked for to free Israel from the foreigner's degrading yoke which had so long weighed them down, the triumphant King who should restore the never-forgotten glories of David and Solomon.

As did also your rulers. Just one loving word to those Sadducean rulers, who then possessed such great power over the people, in case any of their proud unbelieving hearts had been pierced at his narrative of the death of ‘the Just.'

It was our Lord's words on the cross which suggested the beautiful thought of this 17th verse: ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do' (Luke 23:34; see also 1 Tim.; Ephesians 1:13).

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See also Acts 3:17-18 in other biblical comments:

  • A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament by Bruce M. Metzger

    ACTS 3:17 The Western text (D E ith, p copG67) introduces several changes: it (_a_) expands avdelfoi, into the more usual expression a;ndrej avdelfoi,, (_b_) accommodates the verb to the plural (evpi...

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Acts 3:17. _I WOT_] οιδα, _I know_. _Wot_ is from the Anglo-Saxon, [A.S.] _to know_; and hence _wit_, science or understanding. _THROUGH IGNORANCE YE DID IT_] This is a very tender excuse for...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND NOW, BRETHREN - Though they had been guilty of a crime so enormous, yet Peter shows the tenderness of his heart in addressing them still as his brethren. He regarded them as of the same nation wit...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

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  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    SPEECH OF PETER. Acts 3:12. The Facts. The idea and arrangement of the speech closely resemble that of Acts 2:14; it exhibits the style of controversy with the Jews. The hearers are addressed as men o...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    A NOTABLE DEED IS DONE (Acts 3:1-10)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

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  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

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  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

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  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

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  • Charles Box Commentaries

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  • Charles Rose Commentaries

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  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

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  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

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  • Combined Bible Commentary

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  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

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  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

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  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

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  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

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  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

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  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

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  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

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  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

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  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

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  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

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  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

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  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

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  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

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  • John Darby's Synopsis

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  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

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  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

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  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND NOW, BRETHREN, I WOT THAT THROUGH IGNORANCE YE DID IT, AS DID ALSO YOUR RULERS....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

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  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

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  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

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  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

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  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

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  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

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  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

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  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

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  • Sermon Bible Commentary

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  • Sermon Bible Commentary

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  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

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  • Summarized Bible Commentary

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  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Acts 3:1. _Peter and John went into the temple at the hour of prayer._ Some read, At the same time Peter and John went into the temple, intimating that this was the afternoon of the day of pentecost....

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    BECAUSE OF YOUR IGNORANCE. _"Forgive them, Father! They don't know what they are doing"_ (Luke 23:34)....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

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  • The Biblical Illustrator

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  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 3:17 YOU ACTED IN IGNORANCE, AS DID ALSO YOUR RULERS. They did not fully understand that Jesus was the Messiah and the true Son of God. But such ignorance does not release people fro...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 3:11 Peter’s second sermon in the temple area was primarily a call for Jews to repent of their rejection of Jesus as Messiah. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 3:18. ALL HIS HOLY PROPHETS.—Best taken as a collective phrase for the prophets as a whole. Most of the Books of the Old Testament foretell distinctly the sufferings and death...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ACTS 3:1 _Were going up _for _went up together, _A.V. and T.R. PETER AND JOHN. The close friendship of these two apostles is remarkable. The origin of it appears to have been their partner...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn to Acts, the third chapter. Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour (Acts 3:1). The day started at six o'clock in the morning, su...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 2:8; 1 Timothy 1:13; 2 Corinthians 3:14; Acts 13:27;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    FULFILLED PROPHECIES VERIFY UNFULFILLED PROPHECIES Acts 3:17 _; Acts 13:27_ INTRODUCTORY WORDS The Scripture chosen for today, is worth our thought. The first Scripture was spoken by Peter, the sec...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    And now, brethren — A word full of courtesy and compassion, I know — He speaks to their heart, that through ignorance ye did it — which lessened, though it could not take away, the guilt. As did also...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, 1. How careful the apostle was, not to drive these murtherers of Christ (and consequently the worst of men) to despair, but to draw them to repentance; in order to which, 1. He mitigate...

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Old Testament