Acts 1:20

Acts 1:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
• New International Version (NIV)“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “ ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “ ‘May another take his place of leadership.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)"For it is written in the Book of Psalms, "'May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it'; and "'Let another take his office.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)“For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’

Context of Acts 1:20

18With the money he received from the wrong he had done, he bought a piece of land where he fell headfirst to his death. His body split open, and all his internal organs came out. 19Everyone living in Jerusalem knows about this. They even call that piece of land Akeldama, which means ‘Field of Blood’ in their dialect. You’ve read in Psalms, ‘Let his home be deserted, and let no one live there,’ and ‘Let someone else take his position.’ “Therefore, someone must be added to our number to serve with us as a witness that Jesus came back to life. 21He must be one of the men who accompanied Jesus with us the entire time that the Lord Jesus was among us. 22This person must have been with us from the time that John was baptizing people to the day that Jesus was taken from us.”

Acts 1:20 word by word

γέγραπται γὰρ ἐν βίβλῳ ψαλμῶν· γενηθήτω ἡ ἔπαυλις αὐτοῦ ἔρημος καὶ μὴ ἔστω ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ λαβέτω ἕτερος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the bookβίβλοςbiblos · bookG976
• of Psalmsψαλμόςpsalmos · psalmG5568
• Letγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• habitationἔπαυλιςepaulis · residenceG1886
• desolateἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• letεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• noμήmē · notG3361
• man dwellκατοικέωkatoikeō · to dwellG2730
• bishoprickἐπισκοπήepiskopē · oversightG1984
• letλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087

Cross-references for Acts 1:20

• Acts 13:33God has fulfilled the promise for us, their descendants, by bringing Jesus back to life. This is what Scripture says in the second psalm: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’
• Luke 20:42David says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Take the honored position—the one next to me [God the Father] on the heavenly throne—
• Luke 24:44Then he said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you. I told you that everything written about me in Moses’ Teachings, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to come true.”
• Psalms 69:25Let their camp be deserted and their tents empty.
• Psalms 109:9“Let his children become fatherless and his wife a widow.
• Zechariah 5:3Then he said to me, “This is a curse that will go out all over the earth. The one side of the scroll says that every thief will be forced away. The other side of the scroll says that everyone who takes an oath will be forced away.
• Acts 1:25Show us who is to take the place of Judas as an apostle, since Judas abandoned his position to go to the place where he belongs.”
• Psalms 109:8Let his days be few ⌞in number⌟. Let someone else take his position.

Commentaries on Acts 1:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20For it is written in the book of Psalms - The places usually referred to are Psalm 69:25; : Let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents. And Psalm 109:8; : Let his days be few, and let another take his office, פקדתו pekudato, his overseership, his charge of visitation or superintendence, translated by the Septuagint, , Vulgate, episcopatum; and We, following both, bishopric, but not with sufficient propriety, for surely the office…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20For it is written … - See Psalm 69:25. This is the prediction doubtless to which Peter refers in Acts 1:16. The intermediate passage in Acts 1:18-19, is probably a parenthesis; the words of Luke, not of Peter. So Calvin, Kuinoel, Olshausen, DeWette, and Hackett understand it. It is not probable that Peter would introduce a narrative like this, with which they were all familiar, in an address to the disciples. The Hebrew in the Psalm is, “Let their…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-26Verses 15-26 The great thing the apostles were to attest to the world, was, Christ's resurrection; for that was the great proof of his being the Messiah, and the foundation of our hope in him. The apostles were ordained, not to wordly dignity and dominion, but to preach Christ, and the power of his resurrection. An appeal was made to God; "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men," which we do not; and better than they know their own. It is fit that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21May another take his position: It was extremely important to find someone to replace Judas so there would still be twelve apostles. The church was the new Israel so it needed twelve leaders chosen and appointed by God (see Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:29–30).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2615-26. in those days--of expectant prayer, and probably towards the close of them, when the nature of their future work began more clearly to dawn upon them, and the Holy Ghost, already "breathed" on the Eleven (Joh 20:22), was stirring in Peter, who was to be the leading spirit of the infant community (Mt 16:19). the number ... about an hundred and twenty--Many, therefore, of the "five hundred brethren" who saw their risen Lord "at once" (1Co 15:6), must…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 1:20

• Judas (Jude)
• Matthias
• Peter
• Prophecy
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• Accord
• Apostle
• Blood
• Gaze
• Ministry
• Passion
• Pertain
• Peter
• Promise
• Receive

Commentaries on Acts 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings