Acts 13:36
New International Version
“Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.

New Living Translation
This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.

English Standard Version
For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,

Berean Standard Bible
For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay.

Berean Literal Bible
For indeed David, having served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was added to his fathers, and saw decay.

King James Bible
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

New King James Version
“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;

New American Standard Bible
For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay;

NASB 1995
“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay;

NASB 1977
“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay;

Legacy Standard Bible
For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid among his fathers and saw corruption;

Amplified Bible
For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was buried among his fathers and experienced decay [in the grave];

Christian Standard Bible
For David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and decayed,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For David, after serving his own generation in God’s plan, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and decayed.

American Standard Version
For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

Contemporary English Version
When David was alive, he obeyed God. Then after he died, he was buried in the family grave, and his body decayed.

English Revised Version
For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After doing God's will by serving the people of his time, David died. He was laid to rest with his ancestors, but his body decayed.

Good News Translation
For David served God's purposes in his own time, and then he died, was buried with his ancestors, and his body rotted in the grave.

International Standard Version
Now David, after he had served God's purpose in his own generation, died and was buried with his ancestors, and so he experienced decay.

Majority Standard Bible
For when David had served God?s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay.

NET Bible
For David, after he had served God's purpose in his own generation, died, was buried with his ancestors, and experienced decay,

New Heart English Bible
For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was placed with his fathers, and saw decay.

Webster's Bible Translation
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, and was laid to his fathers, and saw corruption:

Weymouth New Testament
For David, after having been useful to his own generation in accordance with God's purpose, did fall asleep, was gathered to his forefathers, and did undergo decay.

World English Bible
For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, was laid with his fathers, and saw decay.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for David, indeed, having served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, and was added to his fathers, and saw corruption,

Berean Literal Bible
For indeed David, having served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was added to his fathers, and saw decay.

Young's Literal Translation
for David, indeed, his own generation having served by the will of God, did fall asleep, and was added unto his fathers, and saw corruption,

Smith's Literal Translation
For David, truly having served his own generation by the will of God, was set to sleep, and was added to his fathers, and saw corruption:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For David, when he had served in his generation, according to the will of God, slept: and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For David, when he had ministered to his generation in accordance with the will of God, fell asleep, and he was placed next to his fathers, and he saw corruption.

New American Bible
Now David, after he had served the will of God in his lifetime, fell asleep, was gathered to his ancestors, and did see corruption.

New Revised Standard Version
For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, died, was laid beside his ancestors, and experienced corruption;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For David, after he had served his own generation with the will of God, passed away; though he was a greater man than his fathers, yet he saw corruption.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For David served the will of God in his generation and he fell asleep and was added to his fathers and he saw corruption.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For David, after serving the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw corruption.

Godbey New Testament
For David, indeed having served his own generation according to the will of God, went to sleep, and did see corruption:

Haweis New Testament
For David indeed, after having served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, and was placed with his fathers, and saw corruption.

Mace New Testament
for David, after he had serv'd in his time the designs of providence, died and was buryed with his fathers, and was subject to corruption.

Weymouth New Testament
For David, after having been useful to his own generation in accordance with God's purpose, did fall asleep, was gathered to his forefathers, and did undergo decay.

Worrell New Testament
For David, indeed, having served his own generation according to the will of God, fell asleep, and was added to his fathers, and saw corruption;

Worsley New Testament
Now David having served his own generation according to the will of God, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw corruption: but He whom God raised,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
In Pisidian Antioch
35So also, He says in another Psalm: ‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’ 36For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay. 37But the One whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.…

Cross References
1 Kings 2:10
Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.

2 Samuel 7:12
And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.

Psalm 16:10
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.

Psalm 89:20-21
I have found My servant David; with My sacred oil I have anointed him. / My hand will sustain him; surely My arm will strengthen him.

Psalm 132:11
The LORD swore an oath to David, a promise He will not revoke: “One of your descendants I will place on your throne.

1 Chronicles 17:11
And when your days are fulfilled and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

1 Chronicles 29:28
He died at a ripe old age, full of years, riches, and honor, and his son Solomon reigned in his place.

2 Samuel 5:4-5
David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. / In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

1 Kings 15:5
For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not turned aside from anything the LORD commanded all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

2 Samuel 23:1
These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:

Hebrews 11:13
All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Matthew 1:1
This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Luke 1:32
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,

Luke 1:69
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,

John 7:42
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”


Treasury of Scripture

For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid to his fathers, and saw corruption:

served, etc.

Acts 13:22
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

1 Chronicles 11:2
And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.

1 Chronicles 13:2-4
And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us: …

fell.

Acts 7:60
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

2 Samuel 7:12
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

1 Kings 2:10
So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

and was.

Acts 2:29
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

1 Chronicles 17:11
And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

2 Chronicles 9:31
And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

and saw.

Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Job 17:14
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

Job 19:26,27
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: …

Jump to Previous
Accordance Asleep Body Buried Corruption Counsel David Decay Destruction Fall Fathers Fell Forefathers Gathered Generation God's Indeed Laid Ministered Purpose Served Sleep Undergo Useful Work
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Accordance Asleep Body Buried Corruption Counsel David Decay Destruction Fall Fathers Fell Forefathers Gathered Generation God's Indeed Laid Ministered Purpose Served Sleep Undergo Useful Work
Acts 13
1. Paul and Barnabas are chosen to go to the Gentiles.
6. Of Sergius Paulus, and Elymas the sorcerer.
13. Paul preaches at Antioch that Jesus is Christ.
42. The Gentiles believe;
44. but the Jews talked abusively against Paul,
46. whereupon they turn to the Gentiles, of whom many believe.
50. The Jews raise a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, who go to Iconium.














For David
The mention of David here is significant as he is a central figure in Jewish history, revered as a king after God's own heart. The Greek name "David" (Δαυίδ) is a direct transliteration from the Hebrew דָּוִד, meaning "beloved." David's life and reign are pivotal in understanding the lineage of Jesus Christ, as he is often seen as a type of Christ, foreshadowing the coming Messiah.

when he had served
The Greek word used here for "served" is "ὑπηρετήσας" (hupēretēsas), which implies a sense of ministering or fulfilling a duty. This suggests that David's life was not just about his own ambitions but was dedicated to fulfilling a divine mission. His service was not merely political or military but was deeply spiritual, aligning with God's overarching plan.

God’s purpose
The phrase "God’s purpose" underscores the sovereignty and intentionality of God in the unfolding of history. The Greek word for "purpose" is "βουλή" (boulē), which can also mean counsel or will. This indicates that David's life was intricately woven into God's divine plan, serving as a reminder that each believer is called to align their life with God's will.

in his own generation
This phrase highlights the temporal and contextual nature of David's service. The Greek word "γενεά" (genea) refers to a generation or age. David's impact was not just for his time but set the stage for future generations. It serves as an encouragement for believers to make a difference in their own time, understanding that their actions have lasting implications.

fell asleep
The term "fell asleep" is a euphemism for death, used frequently in the New Testament. The Greek word "κοιμηθείς" (koimētheis) suggests a temporary state, reflecting the Christian hope in the resurrection. This metaphor indicates that death is not the end but a transition to eternal life, offering comfort and hope to believers.

he was buried with his fathers
This phrase connects David to the patriarchs and the continuity of God's covenantal promises. The act of being buried with one's ancestors was a sign of honor and continuity in Jewish culture. It emphasizes the faithfulness of God across generations and the importance of family and heritage in the biblical narrative.

and saw decay
The Greek word for "decay" is "διαφθορά" (diaphthora), meaning corruption or decomposition. This highlights the human mortality of David, contrasting with the resurrection of Jesus, who "did not see decay" (Acts 13:37). It underscores the uniqueness of Christ's victory over death, affirming His divine nature and the hope of resurrection for all who believe in Him.

(36) After he had served his own generation.--Literally, ministered to his own generation. There is, perhaps, a suggested contrast between the limits within which the work of service to mankind done by any mere man, however great and powerful, is necessarily confined, and the wide, far-reaching, endless ministry to the whole human family which belongs to the Son of Man.

By the will of God.--The words are, perhaps, better connected with the verb that follows. It was by the will (literally, counsel) of God that David fell asleep when his life's work was accomplished.

Fell on sleep.--It is not without interest to not that St. Paul uses the same word for death as had been used by the historian in the case of Stephen (Acts 7:36). It agreed with the then current language of mankind that death was as a sleep. It differed from it in thinking of that sleep not as "eternal" (the frequently recurring epithet in Greek and Roman epitaphs), but as the prelude to an awakening.

Verse 36. - In his own generation served the counsel of God for served his own generation by the will of God, A.V. Many good commentators construe the words as the R.T. does, only some, instead of in his own generation, render "for," i.e. for the good of, "his own generation." But the A.V. is the most natural division of the sentence, and gives the best sense, only the punctuation should connect the words "by the will of God" with "fell on sleep." There is an allusion to 2 Samuel 7:12 and 1 Kings 2:l, 10, and it is intimated that God was still caring for David in his death. But there was this vast difference between David and Christ. David had a work to do limited to his own generation, and when that work was done he died and saw corruption. But Christ had a work to carry on for eternal generations, and so he rose and saw no corruption.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

[when] David
Δαυὶδ (Dauid)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1138: David, King of Israel. Of Hebrew origin; Dabid, the Israelite king.

had served
ὑπηρετήσας (hypēretēsas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5256: To minister to, serve. From huperetes; to be a subordinate, i.e. subserve.

God’s
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

purpose
βουλῇ (boulē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1012: Counsel, deliberate wisdom, decree. From boulomai; volition, i.e. advice, or purpose.

in his own
ἰδίᾳ (idia)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2398: Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication, private or separate.

generation,
γενεᾷ (genea)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1074: From genos; a generation; by implication, an age.

he fell asleep.
ἐκοιμήθη (ekoimēthē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2837: From keimai; to put to sleep, i.e. to slumber; figuratively, to decease.

[His body] was buried
προσετέθη (prosetethē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4369: To place (put) to, add; I do again. From pros and tithemi; to place additionally, i.e. Lay beside, annex, repeat.

with
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

fathers
πατέρας (pateras)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

saw
εἶδεν (eiden)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

decay.
διαφθοράν (diaphthoran)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1312: Destruction, decay, corruption. From diaphtheiro; decay.


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NT Apostles: Acts 13:36 For David after he had in his (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 13:35
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