Discovery BoxActs 3:19-21 
Context3:19 Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out, 3:20 so that times of refreshing 1 may come from the presence of the Lord, 2 and so that he may send the Messiah 3 appointed 4 for you – that is, Jesus. 3:21 This one 5 heaven must 6 receive until the time all things are restored, 7 which God declared 8 from times long ago 9 through his holy prophets.
1 tn Or “relief.”
sn Times of refreshing. The phrase implies relief from difficult, distressful or burdensome circumstances. It is generally regarded as a reference to the messianic age being ushered in.
2 tn The words “so that…Lord” are traditionally placed in v. 19 by most English translations, but in the present translation the verse division follows the standard critical editions of the Greek text (NA27, UBS4).
3 tn Or “the Christ”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn He may send the Messiah appointed for you – that is, Jesus. The language points to the expectation of Jesus’ return to gather his people. It is a development of the question raised in Acts 1:6.
4 tn Or “designated in advance.”
5 tn Grk “whom,” continuing the sentence from v. 20.
6 sn The term must used here (δεῖ, dei, “it is necessary”) is a key Lukan term to point to the plan of God and what must occur.
7 tn Grk “until the times of the restoration of all things.” Because of the awkward English style of the extended genitive construction, and because the following relative clause has as its referent the “time of restoration” rather than “all things,” the phrase was translated “until the time all things are restored.”
sn The time all things are restored. What that restoration involves is already recorded in the scriptures of the nation of Israel.
8 tn Or “spoke.”
9 tn Or “from all ages past.”
sn From times long ago. Once again, God’s plan is emphasized.
