“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.' — the promise extends to the present generation, their descendants (children, teknois), and the distant (far off, makran, far away geographically and temporally), all within God's calling (proskalēō, call to oneself, invite). This universalizes the gospel's reach while maintaining God's sovereign election. The inclusive promise respects both human agency and divine initiative.
Church Fathers on Acts 2:39
For the promise is unto you Acts 2:39: for he had spoken of a promise above. And to your children, he says: the gift is greater, when these are to be heirs of the blessings. And to all, he continues, that are afar off: if to those that are afar off, much more to you that are near: even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Observe the time he takes for saying, To those that are afar off. It is when he finds them conciliated and self-accusing. For when the soul pronounces…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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