Acts 5:31 teaches that God raised Jesus to the highest place of honor and authority, and that through him God offers two gifts: a changed heart that turns back to God, and the full forgiveness of sins. The verse is part of Peter’s answer to the Jewish council that had arrested the apostles for preaching about Jesus. Peter speaks as an apostle, and his words are aimed at the leaders of Israel who had put Jesus to death.
God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
Acts 5:31 (WEB)
What Acts 5:31 Means
The verse begins with God’s action: he “exalted” Jesus “with his right hand.” The right hand in Scripture stands for power and favor. Peter is saying that the same Jesus the leaders had crucified was lifted up by God to a position of honor and rule. The resurrection and ascension are the backdrop here, and the verse says that God’s verdict on Jesus was the reverse of the council’s.
Next, the verse gives two titles. Jesus is a “Prince,” meaning a ruler or leader, and a “Savior,” the one who rescues. Both words carry weight because Peter is speaking to people who expected a rescuer and a king. The verse then names what Jesus gives: “repentance” and “remission of sins.” Repentance means a turning of the heart and life toward God, and remission means the release of a debt or the cancellation of guilt.
The verse does not say that every person automatically receives these gifts, nor does it spell out how each person responds. It describes what God has done through the exalted Jesus and offers it to Israel, and the rest of Acts shows the message going out to others as well. It is a statement of what God gives, not a guarantee that outward circumstances will become easy.
The Context of Acts 5:31
The book of Acts was written by Luke, the same author who wrote the Gospel bearing his name, and it records the spread of the early church from Jerusalem outward. Luke addresses his account to a person named Theophilus, and his primary concern is showing how the message about Jesus moved from the Jewish community to the wider world. Tradition holds that Luke was a companion of Paul, though the book itself does not name its author.
Verses 28 through 34 show a courtroom scene. The high priest reminds the apostles that they were ordered not to teach in Jesus’ name, and Peter replies that obeying God comes before obeying human authority. Verse 31 sits at the center of that reply, and the verses that follow show the council’s fury and Gamaliel’s cautious advice. Read in that setting, the verse is not a quiet theological statement but a bold challenge: the men who condemned Jesus are told that God has vindicated him and offers forgiveness through him.
Key Phrases in Acts 5:31
Ephesians 1:20-21
20 Which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.
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These verses describe the same exaltation of Christ, placing him far above every rule and authority. Reading them alongside Acts 5:31 deepens the sense that the one who gives repentance and forgiveness reigns over all things.
Luke 24:46-47
46 He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
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In these words the risen Jesus tells his disciples that repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations. The passage shows that the gift Peter describes was part of Christ’s own commission before his ascension.
A Short Prayer From Acts 5:31
Lord Jesus, you have been lifted up by the Father to the place of highest honor, and you hold the authority to rescue and to rule. I thank you that you are the Savior who gives repentance and forgives sins. Open my heart to turn fully toward you, and free me from whatever I have carried for too long. Help me to receive your forgiveness and to extend the same mercy to others. Let my life today reflect the grace of the one who has been exalted for my sake. Amen.