Acts 13 36

Acts 13:36 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:

Acts 13:36 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;

Acts 13:36 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.

Acts 13:36 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,

Acts 13:36 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.

Acts 13 verses

Acts 13 36 Meaning

Acts 13:36 concisely encapsulates the culmination of King David's life and service within God's divine plan, while critically contrasting his end with that of Jesus Christ. It asserts that David fulfilled his preordained purpose on Earth, serving his generation according to God's deliberate counsel, ultimately dying and experiencing the common human fate of physical decay. This statement sets the stage for Paul's central argument that Jesus, unlike David, did not see corruption, thus proving His unique resurrection and identifying Him as the promised Messiah and Lord over life and death.

Acts 13 36 Context

Acts 13:36 is part of Paul's inaugural recorded sermon in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:16-41). Paul, having established David as the ancestor of the Messiah (Acts 13:23), now uses David's known death and burial, along with his seeing corruption, as a theological pivot point. He explicitly contrasts David's fate with Jesus's resurrection, which remarkably occurred without His body seeing decay (Acts 13:35). The historical context is a synagogue filled with Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, well-versed in the Old Testament. Paul draws upon the common understanding of David's death as a historical fact to strengthen his radical claim about Jesus's resurrection. This verse functions as the essential premise in Paul's argument for Jesus's Messiahship, rooted in the fulfillment of prophecies found in Psalm 16:10 (quoted in Acts 13:35) and Psalm 2:7 (quoted in Acts 13:33). The larger aim is to proclaim salvation through Jesus to both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 13:38-39). The implicit polemic is against any view that considers David to be the final messianic figure or his kingdom the ultimate one, emphasizing that a greater son, one who conquers death fully, has arrived.

Acts 13 36 Word analysis

• For (γάρ - gar): A conjunction introducing a causal explanation. Paul is providing the reason or support for his previous statements, specifically the argument contrasting David and Jesus.

• David (Δαυΐδ - Dauid): Refers to the renowned King David, a pivotal figure in Israelite history and central to Messianic prophecies. His historical reality and universal recognition are crucial for Paul's argument.

• after he had served (ὑπηρετήσεν - hypēretēsen): From hypēreteō, meaning "to serve as a subordinate," "to minister," "to perform duty." It implies active, diligent, and perhaps humble service, suggesting the fulfillment of a given task or ministry. David fulfilled his God-ordained role.

• his own generation (ἰδίᾳ γενεᾷ - idia genea): Refers to the specific historical period or people among whom David lived and ruled. This emphasizes that David's service was temporal and limited to his era, distinct from Christ's eternal and universal reign.

• by the counsel (βουλῇ - boulē): From boulē, meaning "will," "plan," "purpose," "deliberate counsel." This highlights God's sovereign and predetermined plan for David's life, death, and indeed all history, leading to Christ. David's life was not arbitrary but orchestrated by God.

• of God (Θεοῦ - Theou): Signifies the divine origin and authority of the "counsel." David's life and service were part of God's sovereign blueprint for salvation history.

• fell asleep (ἐκοιμήθη - ekoimēthē): A common euphemism for death in both ancient Greek and biblical literature. In the New Testament, especially for believers, it often carries the nuance of rest with the hope of resurrection. While David physically died, the phrase doesn't yet distinguish his "sleep" from Christ's unique triumph over death.

• and was laid among his fathers (προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ - prosetethē pros tous pateras autou): Lit. "was added to his fathers." This idiom refers to burial and joining deceased ancestors in the family tomb or Sheol, the common fate of all mortals. It underscores the definitive end of his earthly life and physical presence.

• and saw corruption (καὶ εἶδεν διαφθοράν - kai eiden diapthoran): From eidon (to see) and diaphthora (corruption, decay, dissolution, putrefaction). This is the pivotal phrase. It unequivocally states that David's body experienced the natural process of decomposition after death, contrasting starkly with Paul's claim for Jesus (Acts 13:35, quoting Ps 16:10), who did not see corruption.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "after he had served his own generation by the counsel of God": This phrase encapsulates David's purposeful life, acknowledging that his entire existence, including his achievements as king and prophet, was divinely orchestrated and fulfilled a specific role in God's unfolding plan. His ministry was to his particular historical generation and was driven by God's sovereign will, not merely his own ambition. It signifies a life of obedience to divine appointment.
  • "fell asleep and was laid among his fathers and saw corruption": This sequence of phrases emphasizes the complete and typical human experience of death and burial. David's physical body succumbed to the natural processes of death and decay. This ordinary end for a human being, even a righteous king, sets him apart from Christ, who uniquely experienced resurrection without physical disintegration, validating His divine nature and ultimate victory over death. The phrase "saw corruption" is key to establishing Jesus's exceptional status and the fulfillment of Psalm 16:10 in Him alone.

Acts 13 36 Bonus section

• The phrasing "by the counsel of God" implicitly dismisses the idea of a Messiah chosen merely by human will or popular acclamation. It grounds the Davidic line, and ultimately Christ's advent, squarely within God's sovereign, immutable plan.
• This verse provides a subtle argument against any potential misinterpretation of the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7) that might suggest David himself or his immediate descendants would be the eternal King. Paul highlights that while the covenant established an everlasting dynasty, the person of David was mortal and subject to decay, indicating a future, greater King (Jesus) would embody the eternal nature of the covenant.
• The argument "saw corruption" versus "did not see corruption" became a foundational piece of early Christian apologetics. It was easily verifiable for David (his tomb was known), making the contrast with Jesus even more profound. The absence of Jesus's decaying body was empirical evidence, crucial in an oral culture.

Acts 13 36 Commentary

Acts 13:36 is a powerful and concise statement within Paul's sermon in Antioch, serving as a critical piece in his apologetic for Jesus as the Messiah. It begins by honoring David, acknowledging his divinely appointed life and service ("served his own generation by the counsel of God"). This establishes David's legitimate role in God's plan, yet simultaneously places boundaries on that role: David fulfilled his temporal purpose and mandate. The use of "counsel of God" emphasizes God's sovereign control over history, ensuring that even David's life and death served a greater, predestined purpose.

The pivot comes with "fell asleep and was laid among his fathers and saw corruption." Paul uses common language for death and burial to assert the undeniable historical reality of David's death and physical decay. This is not a slight against David but a stark theological contrast. Every person born of Adam, David included, is subject to the consequence of sin, which is death and physical corruption (Rom 5:12, Gen 3:19). This universal truth sets up the singular exception: Jesus Christ.

The genius of Paul's argument (drawing from Peter's earlier sermon in Acts 2) lies in comparing David's end to Christ's. David's body saw corruption, clearly distinguishing him from the "Holy One" of Psalm 16:10 who would not see decay. Paul thus asserts that Jesus's incorruptible resurrection is the true fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy. This argument discredits any notion that David's kingdom or life was the final, eternal fulfillment of God's promises, redirecting hope solely to Jesus. It implies that true, ultimate salvation and victory over death come only through Christ, whose resurrection proves He is Lord of both the living and the dead.

Practically, this verse reminds us that even the most godly and God-ordained human service has a temporal limit and ultimately leads to death for mortals. However, it points us to the eternal service and victory of Christ. Our ultimate hope and confidence are not in human figures or accomplishments, no matter how great, but in Jesus, who conquered corruption itself.