Acts 9:37 kjv
And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
Acts 9:37 nkjv
But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
Acts 9:37 niv
About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.
Acts 9:37 esv
In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
Acts 9:37 nlt
About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room.
Acts 9 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Heb 9:27 | "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment," | Human mortality, universal death |
| Job 30:23 | "For I know that You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed..." | Death as an inescapable human destiny |
| Ps 90:10 | "The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength..." | Brevity of human life |
| John 11:4 | "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son" | Sickness can precede a miraculous display of power |
| 2 Kings 20:1 | "In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet" | Sickness leading to near-death or death |
| James 4:14 | "For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little..." | Frailty and ephemeral nature of life |
| Matt 27:59 | "When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth," | Preparation of the dead for burial (Jesus) |
| John 19:40 | "Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen..." | Cultural custom of preparing a body for burial |
| Acts 8:2 | "And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation" | Burial of a believer by the community |
| Gen 50:2-3 | "Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So..." | Ancient custom of preparing bodies and mourning |
| Acts 1:13 | "And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they" | Upper room as a place for gathering, prayer |
| Mark 14:15 | "Then He will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared..." | Upper room used for significant events |
| Acts 20:8 | "There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered..." | Upper room for spiritual gatherings, teaching |
| Titus 3:8 | "These things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have..." | Encouragement for believers to be devoted to good works |
| James 2:17 | "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." | Importance of good works, exemplified by Tabitha |
| 1 Tim 5:10 | "having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, if..." | Good works expected of devout women, like Tabitha |
| Ps 116:15 | "Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints." | God's regard for the passing of His faithful |
| James 5:14 | "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church..." | Calling for prayer in times of crisis, healing |
| 1 Kings 17:19-22 | "He said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her bosom and..." | Elijah raises the widow's son (OT parallel to Peter) |
| 2 Kings 4:32-35 | "When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead..." | Elisha raises the Shunammite's son in an upper room |
| Mark 5:39-42 | "But when He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion...?”" | Jesus raises Jairus's daughter |
| Luke 7:12-15 | "And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was..." | Jesus raises the widow of Nain's son |
| John 11:43-44 | "Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus," | Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead |
| Matt 10:8 | "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons..." | Jesus commissions His disciples with power |
| John 14:12 | "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do" | Believers doing greater works through Christ |
Acts 9 verses
Acts 9 37 Meaning
Acts 9:37 describes the death of Tabitha (also known as Dorcas), a Christian woman in Joppa, who had fallen ill. After her passing, in accordance with the burial customs of the time, her body was respectfully washed and then placed in an upper room, signaling a delay in her immediate burial and setting the scene for a significant event.
Acts 9 37 Context
Acts chapter 9 shifts from the conversion of Saul to Peter’s ministry in the coastal towns of Lydda and Joppa. Just prior to verse 37, Peter has healed Aeneas in Lydda, leading to many turning to the Lord. This miracle establishes Peter's apostolic authority and the power of God at work through him. Joppa, a prominent port city, had a community of believers. Tabitha, a disciple renowned for her compassion and charitable acts, particularly making clothes for widows and the poor, falls ill and dies. The urgency with which the local disciples summon Peter, hearing he is nearby in Lydda, immediately following Tabitha’s death and her placement in the upper room, underscores the depth of their grief, their recognition of Peter’s divine anointing, and perhaps a flicker of hope for intervention. The meticulous detailing of her death and preparation further confirms the reality of her passing, setting the stage for the dramatic event that follows.
Acts 9 37 Word analysis
- And it came to pass (Egeneto de): This is a common Greek narrative connector, frequently used in the New Testament (especially by Luke) to signal a transition or sequence of events. It marks the progression of the story.
- in those days (en tais hēmerais ekeinais): Connects the event to the recent timeframe of Peter’s ministry in Lydda, establishing chronological continuity within Peter's journey.
- that she was sick (asthenēsasan): From asthenéō, meaning "to be weak, to be ill." It clearly states her physical decline leading to death, confirming the reality of her ailment.
- and died (apethanen): From apothnēskō, meaning "to die, perish." A stark, unambiguous statement of mortality. There is no ambiguity that she has truly passed away.
- And when they had washed her (lousantes autēn): From louō, "to wash or bathe the whole body." This describes a customary and essential step in ancient Jewish burial practices. It signifies an act of respect, cleansing, and preparation for burial, rather than embalming. This duty was often performed by women.
- they laid her (ethēkan): From tithēmi, "to put, place, lay." A simple act of placing the body after preparation.
- in an upper room (en hyperĹŤĹŤ): The hyperĹŤon was typically a room on the upper floor of a house, often accessed by an outer staircase. These rooms could serve as guest chambers, places of prayer, or private gathering spaces (e.g., Acts 1:13; Mark 14:15). In this context, placing the body here provided privacy for mourning, respectful care, and crucially, a delay in immediate burial. This delay creates an opportunity for divine intervention.
- Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And it came to pass in those days that she was sick and died.": This phrase emphasizes the undeniable reality of Tabitha's death, stressing her sickness was terminal. It also situates the event within the continuing narrative flow of Acts.
- "And when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.": This detail highlights both cultural fidelity (the customary washing) and an atypical departure from immediate burial, particularly significant in a warm climate where quick burial was common. Placing her in an hyperōon created a space of respect, anticipation, and an almost sacred privacy for the miracle to occur, reflecting the community’s deep regard for her.
Acts 9 37 Bonus section
- The Power of Delay: The decision not to bury Tabitha immediately after her death was crucial. In ancient Jewish custom, burials typically occurred within 24 hours due to climatic conditions and theological reasons (e.g., to prevent the land from being defiled). By washing and placing her in an upper room, the Joppa disciples intentionally (or perhaps intuitively) created a temporal space that allowed Peter to arrive, underscoring faith that God could intervene even after death.
- Echoes of Elisha's Miracle: Peter's actions in the subsequent verses (Acts 9:39-41) bear a striking resemblance to the prophet Elisha raising the Shunammite's son (2 Kings 4:32-37). Both miracles involve an upper room, a prophet entering alone, and a raising of the dead, strongly associating Peter with the powerful Old Testament prophets.
- Significance of the "They": The phrase "they had washed her" and "they laid her" refers to the community of believers in Joppa, particularly the women she served. This highlights the communal aspect of care for the deceased within the early Christian church and reflects the high esteem in which Tabitha was held due to her extensive good works.
Acts 9 37 Commentary
Acts 9:37 paints a poignant picture of death and the human response. Tabitha, a woman greatly cherished for her selfless acts of charity, succumbs to illness. The immediate actions of washing her body and placing it in an upper room are culturally significant: the washing demonstrates dignity and respect in preparing the dead for burial, while the choice of the upper room, instead of immediate interment, reveals the community’s profound sorrow and perhaps an unstated, desperate hope for something beyond the ordinary. This delaying of burial is critical, providing the window for Peter to be summoned from Lydda. The details of her death emphasize its certainty, thereby magnifying the power of God demonstrated in her subsequent resurrection. It portrays a loving Christian community united in grief and proactive in seeking divine help for one of their most beloved members.