Limitless Word
‘You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’
Acts 2:28 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
  • KJV Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
  • BSB You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’
  • NKJV You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
  • NLT You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’

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 celebrates that God made known the paths of life and fullness of joy in His presence. It anticipates resurrection life and joy fulfilled in Christ.

Overview

The 'ways of life' and gladness in God's presence point to victory over death. In the risen Christ this hope is realized and offered to His people. Peter uses David's words to direct the crowd to the life found in Jesus.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • Ps 16:11You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.
  • Ps 21:6For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in your presence.
  • Ps 42:5Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.
  • Ps 25:4Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths.
  • Ps 17:15As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form.
  • John 11:25–26Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.
  • Prov 2:19None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life:
  • Prov 8:20I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice;
  • Heb 12:2looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
  • Ps 21:4He asked life of you, you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever.
  • Ps 4:6–7Many say, “Who will show us any good?” Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us.
  • John 14:6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (8)

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 2:28YouTube · 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 2:28 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.