Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
- KJV Men 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.
- NKJV “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
- NASB “Brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
- NLT “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.
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
Peter notes that David died, was buried, and his tomb remains, so the psalm cannot finally be about David. It clears the way to apply the prophecy to Jesus.
Overview
By pointing to David's known tomb, Peter shows David himself did see decay. Therefore Psalm 16 must speak of someone greater. This careful argument leads directly to the resurrection of the Messiah.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Acts 13:36For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay.
- Heb 7:4Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder.
- Acts 7:8–9Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
- Neh 3:16Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth-zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Mighty.
- 1 Kgs 2:10Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.
- Acts 26:26For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 2:29 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.