Acts 2 26

Acts 2:26 kjv

Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

Acts 2:26 nkjv

Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.

Acts 2:26 niv

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope,

Acts 2:26 esv

therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.

Acts 2:26 nlt

No wonder my heart is glad,
and my tongue shouts his praises!
My body rests in hope.

Acts 2 26 Cross References

Verse Text Reference
Ps 16:9-11 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices... nor will you let your faithful one see decay... Original prophetic source quoted by Peter.
Acts 2:27 because you will not abandon my soul to Hades... nor let your holy one see decay. Immediate context; clarifies "rest in hope" means not seeing decay.
Acts 2:31 He foresaw and spoke about the Messiah’s resurrection, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see decay. Peter's interpretation, direct explanation of Psa 16:9-10.
Acts 13:35-37 Therefore he also says in another psalm, ‘You will not let your Holy One see decay’... But he whom God raised up did not see decay. Paul's sermon, affirming Peter's use of Ps 16.
Ps 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Theme of divine joy in God's appointed day of salvation.
Isa 53:10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days... Messianic prophecy of Christ's suffering, death, and subsequent extended life.
John 10:17-18 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord... Christ's authority and deliberate choice over His own life and resurrection.
Luke 24:44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Jesus' own declaration of OT prophecies fulfilled in Him.
1 Cor 15:3-4 that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures... Summary of the Gospel message; emphasis on Christ's burial and resurrection according to prophecy.
Rom 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies... God's power to raise Christ; implications for believer's future resurrection.
Phil 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name... Christ's humility leading to ultimate exaltation after His death.
Heb 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame... The joy of Christ motivating His endurance of the cross.
Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces... Prophecy of God's final victory over death.
Hos 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Grave, is your destruction? Prophetic promise of deliverance from death and the grave.
Matt 27:52-53 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised... The reality of resurrection connected to Christ's death and resurrection.
Rev 1:18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Christ's triumph over death and ultimate authority.
Rom 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit... The nature of Christian hope, secured by God's love and the Spirit.
2 Tim 1:10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Christ Jesus destroying death.
1 Pet 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... Hope linked to Christ's resurrection.
Ps 49:15 But God will redeem my life from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. Old Testament anticipation of redemption from death.

Acts 2 verses

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Acts 2 26 Meaning

This verse declares the Messiah's profound inner joy and confident vocal expression, even in the face of death, because His physical body (flesh) would securely "rest" in the grave, confident of not undergoing corruption and anticipating resurrection. It is a prophetic utterance of Christ's unwavering hope and divine assurance of victory over death, fulfilling God's promise.

Acts 2 26 Context

Acts 2:26 is part of Peter's sermon to the Jewish crowd on the Day of Pentecost. Following the miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues (Acts 2:1-13), the bewildered multitude questions the phenomena. Peter, empowered by the Spirit, begins to explain that these events fulfill Old Testament prophecies. He specifically quotes Psalm 16:8-11, attributed to David, arguing that David could not have been speaking about himself in terms of not seeing decay, since David's tomb was visible and his body experienced death and decay. Instead, Peter asserts, David was prophetically speaking of the Messiah—Jesus of Nazareth—whose body did not see decay because He was raised from the dead by God. This verse, therefore, underpins the core message of the Gospel: the resurrection of Jesus as the proof of His Messiahship and the cornerstone of the early church's witness.

Acts 2 26 Word analysis

  • "Therefore" (διδ - dio): This connecting word points back to Psalm 16:8 (LXX: "I kept the Lord always before my face; because he is on my right hand, I shall not be shaken"). It establishes a causal link: because the Lord was constantly before Him and at His right hand (indicating support and strength), the joy and hope described in this verse followed. It signals the conclusion of David's (and thus Messiah's) steadfast reliance on God.
  • "did my heart rejoice" (εὐφράνθη μου ἡ καρδία - euphranthe mou hē kardia):
    • "heart" (καρδία - kardia): In biblical terms, kardia refers not just to the emotion center, but the seat of intellect, will, and moral character—the core of one's being. It denotes the Messiah's complete inner man.
    • "rejoice" (εὐφράνθη - euphranthe): From euphrainō, meaning "to cheer up," "make merry," "be joyful." Here it describes deep-seated, abiding joy, an internal state of contentment and well-being rooted in absolute trust and divine assurance.
    This phrase emphasizes the profound, internal peace and confidence Jesus possessed even as He faced death, knowing His Father's plan.
  • "and my tongue was glad" (ἠγαλλιάσατο ἡ γλῶσσά μου - ēgalliasato hē glōssa mou):
    • "tongue" (γλῶσσα - glōssa): Represents outward expression, speech, and praise.
    • "was glad" (ἠγαλλιάσατο - ēgalliasato): From agalliaō, meaning "to exult," "leap for joy," "rejoice exceedingly." It describes an exuberant, often demonstrative, joy.
    This phrase indicates that the inner joy (heart) overflowed into vocal expression, a praise or testimony of confidence and hope, even to the point of exultation. It speaks of Messiah's joyful proclamation of God's faithfulness.
  • "moreover also my flesh" (ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου - eti de kai hē sarx mou):
    • "flesh" (σάρξ - sarx): Refers to the physical body, the human nature. Here, it explicitly refers to the physical body of the Messiah, which would experience death and burial.
    This specifies that even the physical aspect of the Messiah would share in this hope, contrasting with the general human experience of decay after death.
  • "shall rest" (κατασκηνώσει - kataskēnōsei):
    • From kataskēnoō, meaning "to settle down," "pitch one's tent," "dwell securely." In the context of the Septuagint Psalm 16:9, it often carries the connotation of a secure or undisturbed dwelling, even in the grave. It implies a protected resting place, not subject to permanent destruction or decay. Peter will clarify that this 'resting' meant not seeing decay.
  • "in hope" (ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι - ep’ elpidi):
    • "hope" (ἐλπίδι - elpidi): In biblical terms, elpis is not a mere wish but a firm, confident expectation, a certainty about future realities promised by God. The Messiah's rest in the grave was founded on the sure expectation of resurrection.
    This vital phrase reveals the absolute certainty that His rest in death was not final, but a prelude to victory, driven by God's promise.


  • Words-Group Analysis:
    • "did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad": This pairing of inner emotional state with outward vocal expression signifies the completeness and depth of Messiah's joy and confidence. It highlights His full reliance on God, radiating from His innermost being to His external praise, even in the most daunting circumstances (death). This perfect harmony demonstrates His obedient and trusting relationship with the Father.
    • "my flesh shall rest in hope": This powerful phrase encapsulates the Christian victory over death. It acknowledges the physical reality of death and burial ("flesh shall rest") but immediately elevates it to a realm of certainty and divine purpose ("in hope"). For the Messiah, physical death was merely a secure, temporary resting place, a transient phase leading directly to life and triumph, entirely different from ordinary human decay. This highlights the unique nature of Christ's death.

Acts 2 26 Bonus section

  • Peter's choice to quote from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) rather than directly from the Hebrew Masoretic Text of Psalm 16 demonstrates the early Church's reliance on and common use of the Septuagint among Greek-speaking Jews and proselytes. This specific Greek phrasing (κατασκηνώσει - kataskēnōsei) allowed Peter to draw a clear distinction from physical decay, directly supporting his argument for Jesus' resurrection.
  • This verse, along with the rest of Peter's sermon, establishes the method of biblical interpretation used by the apostles: understanding Old Testament prophecies not primarily as historical narratives pertaining only to Israel or individuals like David, but as direct foretellings of Christ's life, death, resurrection, and the coming of His Spirit. It highlights the Christocentric nature of biblical prophecy.
  • The 'hope' described in this verse for the Messiah provides a foundational template for the Christian hope. Just as Christ's physical body rested "in hope" of resurrection, believers are encouraged to face death with a similar "living hope" (1 Pet 1:3), confident in the resurrection because Christ has pioneered the way.

Acts 2 26 Commentary

Acts 2:26 provides a profound insight into Christ's perfect confidence and prophetic knowledge, even as He approached and endured death. It emphasizes that His suffering and burial were not experiences of despair but of anticipated triumph. His "heart rejoice" and "tongue was glad" underscore His unshakeable trust in God's plan, fulfilling His mission with complete internal and external alignment to the Father's will. The promise that His "flesh shall rest in hope" directly prophesies the resurrection, ensuring that His body would not undergo the common process of decay but would rise intact and glorious. Peter leverages this prophecy from Psalm 16 to powerfully argue for Jesus' Messiahship, demonstrating that Jesus, unlike David, was truly the one whom God raised from the dead without seeing corruption. This verse is thus foundational to understanding the early church's declaration of Christ's resurrection as a divine, prophesied event.