The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Parallel translations
- WEB The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take council together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’
- BSB The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’
- NKJV The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’
- NASB ‘The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’
- NLT The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.’
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
The psalm describes earthly kings and rulers uniting against the Lord and his Christ. The believers apply this directly to the opposition Jesus faced.
Overview
Continuing Psalm 2, the quotation depicts the world's powers arrayed against God's Anointed. The early church sees this fulfilled in the alliance against Jesus, soon to be named explicitly. The verse affirms Jesus as the Lord's Christ, the very Messiah the psalm foretold. It reassures believers that organized human hostility to Christ, however formidable, ultimately serves God's sovereign design.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Ps 2:2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
- Rev 17:12–14And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
- Dan 9:24Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
- Ps 83:2–8For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
- Acts 10:38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
- Heb 1:9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
- Rev 17:17For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
- Joel 3:9–14Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
- Luke 4:18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
- Rev 12:10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
- Rev 11:15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
- Rev 19:16–21And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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 4:26 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.