Acts 2:25

“For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord before me always, for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be shaken.”

Acts 2:25 · direct translation from the Greek
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At Pentecost Peter declares that God raised him and death could not hold himThe Resurrection

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25

Quotation · Psalms 16:8-11

Go to Psalms 16:8-11

Peter quotes Psalm 16:8-11. Where the Hebrew says “to Sheol” and “let your faithful one see the pit,” Acts says “to Hades” and “let your Holy One see decay.”

Formula: Δαυὶδ γὰρ λέγει εἰς αὐτόν “for David says concerning him” (Acts 2:25)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: Δαυὶδ γὰρ λέγει εἰς αὐτόν Προορώμην τὸν κύριον ἐνώπιόν μου διὰ παντός ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού ἐστιν ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῶ διὰ τοῦτο ηὐφράνθη ἡ καρδία μου καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο ἡ γλῶσσά μου ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν ἐγνώρισάς μοι ὁδοὺς ζωῆς πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου

Hebrew (Masoretic text): שִׁוִּיתִי יְהוָה לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד כִּי מִימִינִי בַּל אֶמּוֹט לָכֵן שָׂמַח לִבִּי וַיָּגֶל כְּבוֹדִי אַף בְּשָׂרִי יִשְׁכֹּן לָבֶטַח כִּי לֹא תַעֲזֹב נַפְשִׁי לִשְׁאוֹל לֹא תִתֵּן חֲסִידְךָ לִרְאוֹת שָׁחַת תּוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים שֹׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת פָּנֶיךָ נְעִמוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח

Septuagint (Psalms 15:8-11 in the Septuagint numbering): προορώμην τὸν κύριον ἐνώπιόν μου διὰ παντός, ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού ἐστιν, ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῶ. διὰ τοῦτο ηὐφράνθη ἡ καρδία μου καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο ἡ γλῶσσά μου, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι. ὅτι οὐκ ἐνκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχὴν μου εἰς ἅδην, οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. ἐγνώρισάς μοι ὁδοὺς ζωῆς· πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου· τερπνότητες ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ σου εἰς τέλος.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 33 consecutive words: “Προορώμην τὸν κύριον ἐνώπιόν μου διὰ παντός ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού ἐστιν ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῶ διὰ τοῦτο ηὐφράνθη ἡ καρδία μου καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο ἡ γλῶσσά μου ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει.”

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

Acts 2:25, word by word

DavidΔαυὶδDauid

David

David, the king of Israel from whose line God promised a king forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16).

Where else “Dauid” appears
saysλέγειlegei

say

To express something in words to others.

Where else “legei” appears
‘I sawΠροορώμηνProorōmēn

see beforehand, foresee

See beforehand, foresee; also keep before one's eyes.

Where else “Proorōmēn” appears
the Lordκύριονkyrion

Lord

The Lord: God, whose name is YHWH; also Jesus.

Where else “kyrion” appears
beforeἐνώπιόνenōpion

before, in front of

In front of, in the presence of.

Where else “enōpion” appears
he isἐστινestin

be present

To be in a place or with someone.

Where else “estin” appears
right handδεξιῶνdexiōn

right

Right (hand, side).

Where else “dexiōn” appears
be shakenσαλευθῶsaleuthō

unsettle

To unsettle someone, make them lose their calm.

Where else “saleuthō” appears

Translation note

Psalm 16:8-11, following the Greek.

Parallel passages

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

Quotation · Psalms 16:8-11

Peter quotes Psalm 16:8-11. Where the Hebrew says “to Sheol” and “let your faithful one see the pit,” Acts says “to Hades” and “let your Holy One see decay.”

See them side by side

Acts 2:25

25For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord before me always, for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be shaken.

Psalms 16:8-11

8I have set YHWH before me always; because he is at my right hand, I will not be moved.

The context

24Him God raised up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

25 · This verse (above)

26Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; and moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope,

Read all of Acts 2

To study Acts 2 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What happened on the day of Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, and what did the crowd hear? (vv. 4-8)

  2. 2. What it means

    Peter explains what happened using the Scriptures and Jesus. What does he want the people to understand about Jesus? (vv. 22-36)

  3. 3. How I live it

    The first believers shared teaching, meals and possessions (vv. 42-45). What could you share this week with someone close to you?

How to use it