New Living Translation
Acts 13:36
36This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.
Acts 13:36 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
- New International Version (NIV)“Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;
Context of Acts 13:36
34For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, ‘I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.’ 35Another psalm explains it more fully: ‘You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.’ This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed. 37No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay. 38“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.
Read all of Acts 13Acts 13:36 word by word
Δαυὶδ μὲν γὰρ ἰδίᾳ γενεᾷ ὑπηρετήσας τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ βουλῇ ἐκοιμήθη καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶδεν διαφθοράν·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- DavidΔαυείδ, Δαυίδ, ΔαβίδDabid · DavidG1138
- after he had servedὑπηρετέωhupēreteō · to serveG5256
- his ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
- generationγενεάgenea · generationG1074
- by the willβουλήboulē · planG1012
- of Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- fell on sleepκοιμάωkoimaō · to sleepG2837
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- was laidπροστίθημιprostithēmi · to add (to)G4369
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- corruptionδιαφθοράdiaphthora · decayG1312
- ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
Cross-references for Acts 13:36
- Acts 13:22But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’
- 1 Chronicles 11:2In the past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the Lord your God told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be the leader of my people Israel.’”
- 1 Chronicles 13:2Then he addressed the entire assembly of Israel as follows: “If you approve and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send messages to all the Israelites throughout the land, including the priests and Levites in their towns and pasturelands. Let us invite them to come and join us.
- 1 Chronicles 15:12He said to them, “You are the leaders of the Levite families. You must purify yourselves and all your fellow Levites, so you can bring the Ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.
- 1 Chronicles 18:14So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.
- 1 Chronicles 22:1Then David said, “This will be the location for the Temple of the Lord God and the place of the altar for Israel’s burnt offerings!”
- Psalms 78:71He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants— God’s own people, Israel.
- Acts 7:60He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
- 2 Samuel 7:12For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong.
- 1 Kings 2:10Then David died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.
- 1 Corinthians 15:6After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.
- Acts 2:29“Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us.
- 1 Chronicles 17:11For when you die and join your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong.
- 2 Chronicles 9:31When he died, he was buried in the City of David, named for his father. Then his son Rehoboam became the next king.
- 2 Chronicles 12:16When Rehoboam died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Abijah became the next king.
Commentaries on Acts 13:36
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 36David - fell on sleep - and saw corruption - David died, was buried, and never rose again; therefore, David cannot be the person spoken of here: the words are true of some other person; and they can be applied to Jesus Christ only; and in him they are most exactly fulfilled. See the notes on Acts 2:29, Acts 2:30, etc.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 36For David - This verse is designed to show that the passage in Psalm 16:1-11; could not refer to David, and must therefore relate to some other person. In Acts 13:37 it is affirmed that this could refer to no one, in fact, but to the Lord Jesus. After he had served his own generation - See the margin. Syriac, “David in his own generation having served the will of God, and slept,” etc. Arabic, “David served in his own age, and saw God.” The margin…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 32-37Verses 32-37 The resurrection of Christ was the great proof of his being the Son of God. It was not possible he should be held by death, because he was the Son of God, and therefore had life in himself, which he could not lay down but with a design to take it again. The sure mercies of David are that everlasting life, of which the resurrection was a sure pledge; and the blessings of redemption in Christ are a certain earnest, even in this world. David was…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-37Paul reviewed how Jesus had been treated with shame, including an unjust sentence and death. But God raised Jesus from the dead, and many witnesses saw him. This message is good news, because through Jesus people can receive forgiveness of sins. But people must respond with faith, or they will face serious consequences.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 34-3734-37. now no more to return to corruption--that is, to the grave where death reigns; and compare Ro 6:9, "Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him." I will give you the sure mercies of David--(Is 55:3). The word rendered "mercies" is peculiar, denoting the sanctity of them, as comprehending the whole riches of the new covenant; while the other word, "sure," points to the certainty with which they would…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 13:36
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 13
- 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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries