^13:30But God raised¹²⁰ him from the dead, ^13:31and¹²¹ for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied¹²² him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These¹²³ are now his witnesses to the people. ^13:32And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors,¹²⁴^13:33that this promise¹²⁵ God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising¹²⁶ Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son;¹²⁷ today I have fathered you.’¹²⁸^13:34But regarding the fact that he has raised Jesus¹²⁹ from the dead, never¹³⁰ again to be¹³¹ in a state of decay, God¹³² has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you¹³³ the holy and trustworthy promises¹³⁴ made to David.’¹³⁵^13:35Therefore he also says in another psalm,¹³⁶ ‘You will not permit your Holy One¹³⁷ to experience¹³⁸ decay.’¹³⁹^13:36For David, after he had served¹⁴⁰ God’s purpose in his own generation, died,¹⁴¹ was buried with his ancestors,¹⁴² and experienced¹⁴³ decay, ^13:37but the one¹⁴⁴ whom God raised up did not experience¹⁴⁵ decay.

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Footnotes

120 See the note on the phrase “raised up” in v. , which is the same Greek verb used here.
121 Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the conjunction “and” and the pronoun “he” at this point to improve the English style.
122 Those who had accompanied him refers to the disciples, who knew Jesus in ministry. Luke is aware of resurrection appearances in Galilee though he did not relate any of them in Luke 24.
123 Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “these” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the awkwardness of two relative clauses (“who for many days appeared” and “who are now his witnesses”) following one another.
124 Or “to our forefathers”; Grk “the fathers.”
125 Grk “that this”; the referent (the promise mentioned in the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity. This promise refers to the promise of a Savior through the seed (descendants) of David that is proclaimed as fulfilled (Rom 1:1–7).
126 Or “by resurrecting.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anastēsas) is taken as instrumental here. By raising (i.e., by resurrection) tells how this promise came to be realized, though again the wordplay also points to his presence in history through this event (see the note on “raised up” in v. ).
127 You are my Son. The key to how the quotation is used is the naming of Jesus as “Son” to the Father. The language is that of kingship, as Ps 2 indicates. Here is the promise about what the ultimate Davidic heir would be.
128 Grk “I have begotten you.” The traditional translation for γεγέννηκα (gegennēka, “begotten”) is misleading to the modern English reader because it is no longer in common use. Today one speaks of “fathering” a child in much the same way speakers of English formerly spoke of “begetting a child.” A quotation from Ps 2:7.
129 Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
130 Although μηκέτι (mēketi) can mean “no longer” or “no more,” the latter is more appropriate here, since to translate “no longer” in this context could give the reader the impression that Jesus did experience decay before his resurrection. Since the phrase “no more again to be” is somewhat awkward in English, the simpler phrase “never again to be” was used instead.
131 The translation “to be in again” for ὑποστρέφω (hupostrephō) is given in L&N 13.24.
132 Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
133 The pronoun “you” is plural here. The promises of David are offered to the people.
134 Or “the trustworthy decrees made by God to David.” The phrase τὰ ὅσια Δαυὶδ τὰ πιστά (ta hosia Dauid ta pista) is “compressed,” that is, in a very compact or condensed form. It could be expanded in several different ways. ὅσιος 3 understands it to refer to divine decrees: “I will grant you the sure decrees of God relating to David.” then states that this quotation from Isa 55:3 is intended to show that the following quotation from Ps 16:10 could not refer to David himself, but must refer to his messianic descendant (Jesus). L&N 33.290 render the phrase “I will give to you the divine promises made to David, promises that can be trusted,” although they also note that τὰ ὅσια in Acts 13:34 can mean “divine decrees” or “decrees made by God.” In contemporary English it is less awkward to translate πιστά as an adjective (“trustworthy”). The concept of “divine decrees,” not very understandable to the modern reader, has been replaced by “promises,” and since God is the implied speaker in the context, it is clear that these promises were made by God.
135 A quotation from Isa 55:3. The point of this citation is to make clear that the promise of a Davidic line and blessings are made to the people as well.
136 Grk “Therefore he also says in another”; the word “psalm” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
137 The Greek word translated “Holy One” here (ὅσιόν, hosion) is related to the use of ὅσια (hosia) in v. 34. The link is a wordplay. The Holy One, who does not die, brings the faithful holy blessings of promise to the people.
138 Grk “to see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “to see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “to look at decay,” while here “see decay” is really figurative for “experience decay.”
139 A quotation from Ps 16:10.
140 The participle ὑπηρετήσας (hupēretēsas) is taken temporally.
141 The verb κοιμάω (koimaō) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
142 Or “forefathers”; Grk “was gathered to his fathers” (a Semitic idiom).
143 Grk “saw,” but the literal translation of the phrase “saw decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “looked at decay,” while here “saw decay” is really figurative for “experienced decay.” This remark explains why David cannot fulfill the promise.
144 The one whom God raised up refers to Jesus.
145 Grk “see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “did not see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “did not look at decay,” while here “did not see decay” is really figurative for “did not experience decay.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

“ ‘You are my Son,

today I have begotten you.’

And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

“ ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

Therefore he says also in another psalm,

“ ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

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, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

“We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

“ ‘You are my son;

today I have become your father.’

God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

“ ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’

So it is also stated elsewhere:

“ ‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’

“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. But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But God raised him from the dead, and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors. God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm:

You are my Son;

today I have become your Father.

As to his raising him from the dead, never to return to decay, he has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure promises of David. Therefore he also says in another passage, You will not let your Holy One see decay. For David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and decayed, but the one God raised up did not decay.

NLTNew Living Translation

But God raised him from the dead! And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel.

“And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors, and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus:

‘You are my Son.

Today I have become your Father.’

For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, ‘I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.’ Another psalm explains it more fully: ‘You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.’ 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. No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But God raised him from the dead, who appeared for many days to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem—who are now his witnesses to the people. And we proclaim the good news to you: that the promise that was made to the fathers, this promise God has fulfilled to our children by raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second psalm,

‘You are my Son;

today I have fathered you.’

But that he has raised him from the dead, no more going to return to decay, he has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the reliable divine decrees of David.’ Therefore he also says in another psalm,

‘You will not permit your Holy One to experience decay.’

For David, after serving the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was buried with his fathers, and experienced decay. But he whom God raised up did not experience decay.

KJV 1900King James Version

But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 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: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

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