Acts 2:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.

NIV: because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay.

NASB: FOR YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.

CSB: because you will not abandon me in Hades or allow your holy one to see decay.

NLT: For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.

KJV: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

NKJV: For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

Peter is using David's conversation with God about Jesus to show a crowd in Jerusalem that Jesus is the Messiah. In Psalm 16:8–11, David identifies his Lord as the one who grants him strength and authority (Psalm 16:8) and does not experience permanent death (Psalm 16:10).

Acts 2:27 is the core of the quote and the center of the chiasm. Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Because of that, we also have a hope and a path to eternal life (Acts 2:26, 28). Jesus' life and presence bring us joy (Acts 2:25–26, 28). As Paul later proves in 1 Corinthians 15:12–19, the resurrection of Christ is the root of all good things.

We know that David's psalm is addressed to God in part because the first line starts, "Preserve me, O God…" (Psalm 16:1). But also, God is the one who decides who goes to and stays in Hades. The Old Testament doesn't present a fully developed theology of heaven and hell. Those ideas were more fully explained in the New Testament. "Hades" is Greek for the Hebrew Sheol which is just a term for where the souls of the dead go.

In most of Psalm 16, David spoke for himself. In Psalm 16:10, he spoke for the "Holy One." Peter explains that David spoke for one of his descendants, the Jewish Messiah, who David foresaw would be raised from death (Acts 2:30–31).

"Corruption" is from the Greek root word diaphthora and means the decay experienced by a dead body. In direct contrast, Jesus shed His original body and gained a new, imperishable body. But "corruption" also refers to the pit or grave. Jesus did not stay in the grave as David did. Peter's audience knows where David's body lay—the tomb is in Jerusalem (Acts 2:29). But, as there is no body for Jesus, this is strong evidence that Jesus is God's "Holy One" as well as David's "Lord" (Acts 2:25).

Prophecy in the Psalms is often hard to figure out. It's notable that Peter didn't unpack this passage until he had received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–4).

Acts 2:14–36 transcribes the first sermon ever given by a Christian. The Holy Spirit that Jesus promised (John 14:16–17) has come upon 120 of His followers in Jerusalem (Acts 1:15; 2:1–4). They immediately start speaking in different languages, shocking a crowd of Jews and proselytes who are in town to celebrate Pentecost (Acts 2:5–11). Some of the crowd dismiss the speech as nonsense; others are very interested (Acts 2:12–13). Peter, combining his natural enthusiasm as spokesman for the group with wisdom from the Spirit, responds by obeying Jesus and being His witness (Acts 1:8).

Acts 2 describes the beginning of the church in three episodes. First, the Holy Spirit comes upon the Jesus-followers in Jerusalem, equipping them with the ability to teach the gospel in different languages (Acts 2:1–13). Second, Peter gives a public declaration using Old Testament prophecy to show Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah (Acts 2:14–36). Third, people believe. They repent, trust Jesus will forgive their sins, and agree to be baptized as a public sign that they are now Jesus-followers (Acts 2:37–47). That quickly, the church is born.

Acts 2 describes the creation of Jesus' church. Forty days after Jesus' resurrection He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9). One hundred and twenty disciples obeyed His command to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4, 2–15). In Acts 2, they receive the Holy Spirit and share the gospel with a crowd of people who have come to celebrate Pentecost. Three thousand believe, and the church comes to life. In the following chapters, Jesus-followers fulfill Jesus' promise that they will be His witnesses ''in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth'' (Acts 1:8).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.