Bible Strands
Acts 13:36
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 Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia during a synagogue sermon. He introduces David as a historical example to contrast mortal kingship with the promised resurrection.
The words — The text uses ὑπηρετήσας (hupēretēsas), meaning “having served,” and γενεᾷ (genea), meaning “generation,” to mark David’s earthly ministry. These terms anchor the narrative in a specific historical period before noting his physical death.
The thread — The factual record of David’s death and burial appears in Acts 2:29 and 1 Kings 2:10, while 2 Samuel 7:12 provides the prophetic promise regarding his descendant. Acts 13:35 and 13:37 use this historical contrast to argue that Jesus’ resurrection fulfills the promise that the Holy One will not see decay.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to acknowledge that even a faithful king experienced physical decay. It establishes a baseline of human mortality that makes the claim of an undecaying resurrection historically and theologically distinct.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
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:
Cross-references
- Acts 2:29 Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
- 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.
- 1 Kings 2:10 Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.
- Acts 13:22 After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’
- 1 Chronicles 18:14 Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:
- Genesis 3:19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
- 1 Chronicles 13:2 And he said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if this is of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers in all the land of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites in their cities and pasturelands, so that they may join us.
- 1 Chronicles 15:25 So David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with rejoicing to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom.
- 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 22:1 Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the LORD God, as well as the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”