Acts 2:25
in Acts 2David says about Him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For David saith concerning him, I beheld the Lord always before my face; For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
KJV
For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
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This verse in Acts 2
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For Daniel speaketh ... - This doctrine that the Messiah must rise from the dead Peter proceeds to prove by a quotation from the Old Testament. This passage is taken from Psa 16:8-11. It is made from the Greek version of the Septuagint, with only one slight and unimportant change. Nor is there any material change, as will be seen, from the Hebrew. In what sense this Psalm can be applied to Christ will be seen after we have examined the expressions which Peter alleges. I foresaw the Lord - This is an unhappy translation.
This site's exposition
David says about Him
on Acts 2:25-28
In Psalm 16:8 to 11 David says to God, You will not abandon my soul to Hades. Hades translates the Hebrew sheol, the place of the dead, which the King James renders hell.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
And it is well said: "For David saith in reference to him"; that you may not refer that saying to the Prophet.
For the assertion, "Seeing that it was not possible that He should be holden of it," means this, that His rising was not common to the rest. Then, however, before their thoughts can enter at all into his meaning, he brings David upon them, an authority which sets aside all human reasoning. "For David saith (with reference) to Him." And observe how, once more, the testimony is lowly. For therefore he begins the citation further up, with the matters of lowlier import therefore was death not in the number of grievous things [because], says he, "I foresaw the Lord always before my face, that He is on my right hand that I should not be moved:" and, "that Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell."
I foresaw the Lord always in my sight: He passes on to the unique remedy by which to avoid sins, for the person who with the mental eye always gazes on the Lord in no way turns to sins. for he is at my right …
The Medieval Church2 voices
I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, that I should not be moved. Coming, he says, into the transient things, I did not take my eye off Him who always remains, foreseeing this, that after passing through …
For David says in reference to Him, that is, in His person: I foresaw the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, that I may not be moved. By explaining what the Mediator of God and men did, He gives us …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Next he brings forward David, who surpasses all human reason, because this kind of thing is prophecy, and says: "For David says concerning Him," and not concerning himself; and again he begins from the side of humility. Although this has been accomplished now, it was …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But it does not appear, that ever our Lord went into hell. His soul, when it was separated from the body, did not go thither, but to paradise, Luke xxiii, 43. The meaning is, Thou wilt not leave my soul in its separate state, nor suffer my body to be corrupted.
For David speaketh concerning him,.... The Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, in Psa 16:
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
a man approved of God--rather, "authenticated," "proved," or "demonstrated to be from God." by miracles . . . which God did by him--This is not a low view of our Lord's miracles, as has been alleged, nor inconsistent with Joh 2:11, but is in strict accordance with His progress from humiliation to glory, and with His own words in Joh 5:19.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
For David speaketh concerning him - The quotation here is made from Psa 16:8-11 (note), which contains a most remarkable prophecy concerning Christ, every word of which applies to him, and to him exclusively. See the notes there.
The words behind it
20 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Δαυὶδ | dauid | David | G1138 → | 59 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| λέγει | legei | says | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| εἰς | eis | about | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| αὐτόν· | auton | Him: | G846 → | 5565 times |
| προορώμην | prooromen | I was foresseeing | G4308 → | 4 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριον | kurion | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἐνώπιόν | enopion | before | G1799 → | 94 times |
| μου | mou | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| παντός, | pantos | all [times], | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἐκ | ek | at [the] | G1537 → | 911 times |
| δεξιῶν | dexion | right hand | G1188 → | 53 times |
| μού | mou | of me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | He is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| σαλευθῶ· | saleutho | I may be shaken; | G4531 → | 15 times |
ΔαυὶδDavid
dauidG1138 →59 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
λέγειsays
legeiG3004 →1325 times
εἰςabout
eisG1519 →1755 times
αὐτόν·Him:
autonG846 →5565 times
προορώμηνI was foresseeing
prooromenG4308 →4 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
κύριονLord
kurionG2962 →711 times
ἐνώπιόνbefore
enopionG1799 →94 times
μουme
mouG3165 →1936 times
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
παντός,all [times],
pantosG3956 →1235 times
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἐκat [the]
ekG1537 →911 times
δεξιῶνright hand
dexionG1188 →53 times
μούof me
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἐστινHe is
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
σαλευθῶ·I may be shaken;
saleuthoG4531 →15 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 41:13For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and tells you: Do not fear, I will help you.
it leads to
- Psalms 73:23
Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Psalms 63:8
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
- Psalms 109:31
For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.
- Isaiah 42:6
“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a…
- Psalms 73:23
Through
Psalms 109:31For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.
it leads to
- Psalms 16:8
I have set the LORD always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 121:5
The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand.
- Psalms 16:8
Through
Psalms 62:6He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken.
it leads to
- Psalms 112:6
Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous man will be remembered forever.
- Psalms 112:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies54
On this chapter
- Afterlife Vocabulary
- Baptism in the Holy Spirit (the Acts Evidence)
- The Twelve
- Bread
- David
- David, a Type of Christ
Show the next 6 titles
- Dreams in Scripture and in Egypt
- The Fall Feasts
- The Hebrew Feasts
- Fire
- Father, Forgive Them
- God and the Nations, from Abraham to the New Jerusalem
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- Head Coverings
- The Words Tiqvah and Elpis
- How Prophecy Works
- Infant Baptism and Believers' Baptism
- Jesus on the Holy Spirit
- Joel, the Study Guide
Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Bede, Retractions on Acts; Cassiodorus, Commentary (church-history corpus); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.