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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:
Acts 13:36 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw decay.
  • BSB For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay.
  • 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;
  • NASB For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay;
  • NLT 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.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

David served his own generation, then died and saw decay. The psalm's words cannot ultimately refer to him.

Overview

Paul reasons that David, having served God's purpose in his day, died and his body decayed, so Psalm 16 could not finally speak of David himself. This careful argument distinguishes David from the One the prophecy describes. It prepares the conclusion that the incorruptible Holy One is Jesus, the risen Messiah.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 30

  • Acts 2:29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
  • 1 Kgs 2:10So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
  • 2 Sam 7:12And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
  • Acts 13:22And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
  • 1 Chr 18:14So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.
  • 2 Chr 12:16And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.
  • 2 Chr 26:23So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
  • 2 Chr 21:1Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
  • 2 Chr 9:31And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
  • Job 21:26They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
  • Job 19:26–27And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
  • Job 17:14I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
  • John 11:39Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
  • 1 Chr 17:11And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
  • 1 Chr 15:25–29So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obededom with joy.
  • 1 Chr 13:2–4And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:
  • 1 Chr 22:1–19Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
  • 1 Cor 15:53–54For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
  • 1 Cor 15:6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
  • Gen 3:19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
  • Ps 49:14Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
  • Ps 78:71–72From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
  • Ps 49:9That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
  • 1 Cor 15:18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
  • 1 Chr 15:12–16And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.
  • Acts 20:27For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
  • Acts 7:60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
  • 1 Th 4:13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
  • 1 Chr 11:2And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.
  • 1 Cor 15:42–44So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 13:36YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 13:36 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.