Acts 1:20

“For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his dwelling become desolate, and let there be no one living in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’”

Acts 1:20 · direct translation from the Greek
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20

Quotation · Psalms 69:25

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Peter applies Psalm 69:25 to Judas in the singular: “his dwelling,” where the Hebrew says “their encampment… their tents.”

Formula: γέγραπται γὰρ ἐν βίβλῳ ψαλμῶν “for it is written in the book of Psalms” (Acts 1:20)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: γέγραπται γὰρ ἐν βίβλῳ ψαλμῶν Γενηθήτω ἡ ἔπαυλις αὐτοῦ ἔρημος καὶ μὴ ἔστω ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν αὐτῇ καί Τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ λαβέτω ἕτερος

Hebrew (Masoretic text): תְּהִי טִירָתָם נְשַׁמָּה בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם אַל יְהִי יֹשֵׁב

Septuagint (Psalms 68:26 in the Septuagint numbering): γενηθήτω ἡ ἔπαυλις αὐτῶν ἠρημωμένη. καὶ ἐν τοῖς σκηνώμασιν αὐτῶν μὴ ἔστω ὁ κατοικῶν·

In the Septuagint verse that most resembles it, at most 4 consecutive words match the Greek of the NT. The transcription has reading errors, so a match may not show.

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Quotation · Psalms 109:8

Go to Psalms 109:8

Second quotation in the verse: “let another take his office” (Psalm 109:8).

Formula: γέγραπται γὰρ ἐν βίβλῳ ψαλμῶν “for it is written in the book of Psalms” (Acts 1:20)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: γέγραπται γὰρ ἐν βίβλῳ ψαλμῶν Γενηθήτω ἡ ἔπαυλις αὐτοῦ ἔρημος καὶ μὴ ἔστω ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν αὐτῇ καί Τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ λαβέτω ἕτερος

Hebrew (Masoretic text): יִהְיוּ יָמָיו מְעַטִּים פְּקֻדָּתוֹ יִקַּח אַחֵר

Septuagint (Psalms 108:8 in the Septuagint numbering): γενηθήτωσαν αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτοῦ ὀλίγαι, καὶ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ λάβοι ἕτερος·

In the Septuagint verse that most resembles it, at most 4 consecutive words match the Greek of the NT. The transcription has reading errors, so a match may not show.

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Acts 1:20, word by word

it is writtenγέγραπταιgegraptai

it is written

So the Bible says; a passage is quoted.

Where else “gegraptai” appears
the bookβίβλῳbiblōi

book

Book, written scroll.

Where else “biblōi” appears
of Psalmsψαλμῶνpsalmōn

psalm

Psalm: a song of praise; the book of Psalms.

Where else “psalmōn” appears
‘LetΓενηθήτωGenēthētō

become

To turn into something new, different from before.

Where else “Genēthētō” appears
dwellingἔπαυλιςepaulis

dwelling

Dwelling, homestead, the place where one lives.

Where else “epaulis” appears
desolateἔρημοςerēmos

desolate

A lonely or abandoned place.

Where else “erēmos” appears
let there beἔστωestō

there is

Something exists somewhere, or happens.

Where else “estō” appears
livingκατοικῶνkatoikōn

dwell, live

Dwell, live in a place, inhabit.

Where else “katoikōn” appears
‘Letλαβέτωlabetō

take

To grasp something in the hand, or take it from someone.

Where else “labetō” appears
anotherἕτεροςheteros

other, another

Other, another, different.

Where else “heteros” appears
office.’ἐπισκοπὴνepiskopēn

office

Role of overseer.

Where else “episkopēn” appears

Translation note

Psalms 69:25 and 109:8.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Psalms 69:25

Peter applies Psalm 69:25 to Judas in the singular: “his dwelling,” where the Hebrew says “their encampment… their tents.”

See them side by side

Acts 1:20

20For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his dwelling become desolate, and let there be no one living in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’

Psalms 69:25

25Let their encampment be desolate; in their tents let there be no one who dwells.

Quotation · Psalms 109:8

Second quotation in the verse: “let another take his office” (Psalm 109:8).

See them side by side

Acts 1:20

20For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his dwelling become desolate, and let there be no one living in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’

Psalms 109:8

8Let his days be few; let another take his office.

The context

19And it became known to all those who live in Jerusalem, so that that field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.

20 · This verse (above)

21So it is necessary, of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us,

Read all of Acts 1

To study Acts 1 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What does Jesus tell the apostles they will receive, and what will they be, before he is taken up? (v. 8)

  2. 2. What it means

    Why do you think Jesus does not answer their question about the timing and speaks instead of being witnesses? (vv. 6-8)

  3. 3. How I live it

    The disciples waited together in prayer (v. 14). What helps you hold steady when you wait for something and do not know when it will come?

How to use it