---
title: Acts 2:22
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/acts-2-22/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/acts-2-22.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: Acts 2:22
testament: NT
section: Acts
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# Acts 2:22

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

> Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.

## NWT Wording of the Key Phrase

- NWT (2013 revision): "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Nazarene was a man publicly shown to you by God through powerful works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know."

## JW Usage

Read as confirming that Jehovah authenticated Jesus as his representative through miracles — and, on the Watchtower's reading, that "a man publicly shown to you by God" indicates Jesus was a human being acting on God's behalf rather than God himself. The verse is used both for Christ's credentials and against his deity.

## Protestant Usage

On the "a man" phrase: Peter is speaking about the incarnate life, in a sermon whose whole point is that this crucified man has been raised and made Lord and Christ. Nobody disputes Jesus was truly human; Christians insist on it. A verse describing his humanity is not evidence against his deity unless you first assume he can only be one thing. The more useful thread is the pattern of attestation. In the first Christian sermon ever preached, Peter grounds the claim about Jesus in powerful works, wonders and signs — public events his hearers had witnessed. "Just as you yourselves know." He is appealing to shared, checkable evidence, not to his own authority. That is the New Testament's consistent shape: Hebrews 2:4 has God bearing witness with signs; 2 Corinthians 12:12 names them as the marks of an apostle; Jesus himself at John 15:24 rests his claim on works no one else had done. So it is fair to ask what accompanied any later claim to speak for God. The question is not hostile — it is the question Peter invited. Compare Hebrews 2:4, John 15:24, Matthew 11:23.

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [What Credential Did Russell Carry?](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/founder-miracle-credentials.md) — Apostolic attestation by signs and wonders — the missing piece of the Watchtower's authority claim [Authority]