Acts 13:32-39
32And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors, ▼▼tn Or “to our forefathers”; Grk “the fathers.”
33that this promise ▼▼tn Grk “that this”; the referent (the promise mentioned in the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
▼ God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising ▼▼tn Or “by resurrecting.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anastēsas) is taken as instrumental here.
▼ Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; ▼ today I have fathered you.’ ▼▼tn 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.”
▼ 34But regarding the fact that he has raised Jesus ▼▼tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
from the dead, never ▼▼tn 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.
again to be ▼▼tn The translation “to be in again” for ὑποστρέφω (hupostrephō) is given in L&N 13.24.
in a state of decay, God ▼▼tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you ▼▼tn The pronoun “you” is plural here. The promises of David are offered to the people.
the holy and trustworthy promises ▼▼tn 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. BDAG 728 s.v. ὅσιος 3 understands it to refer to divine decrees: “I will grant you the sure decrees of God relating to David.” BDAG 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.
made to David.’ ▼ 35Therefore he also says in another psalm, ▼▼tn Grk “Therefore he also says in another”; the word “psalm” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
‘You will not permit your Holy One ▼ to experience ▼▼tn 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.”
decay.’ ▼ 36For David, after he had served ▼▼tn The participle ὑπηρετήσας (hupēretēsas) is taken temporally.
God’s purpose in his own generation, died, ▼▼tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaō) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
was buried with his ancestors, ▼▼tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “was gathered to his fathers” (a Semitic idiom).
and experienced ▼▼tn 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.
decay, 37but the one ▼▼sn The one whom God raised up refers to Jesus.
whom God raised up did not experience ▼▼tn 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.”
decay. 38Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one ▼▼tn That is, Jesus. This pronoun is in emphatic position in the Greek text. Following this phrase in the Greek text is the pronoun ὑμῖν (humin, “to you”), so that the emphasis for the audience is that “through Jesus to you” these promises have come.
forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39and by this one ▼▼sn This one refers here to Jesus.
everyone who believes is justified ▼▼tn Or “is freed.” The translation of δικαιωθῆναι (dikaiōthēnai) and δικαιοῦται (dikaioutai) in Acts 13:38-39 is difficult. BDAG 249 s.v. δικαιόω 3 categorizes δικαιωθῆναι in 13:38 (Greek text) under the meaning “make free/pure” but categorizes δικαιοῦται in Acts 13:39 as “be found in the right, be free of charges” (BDAG 249 s.v. δικαιόω 2.b.β). In the interest of consistency both verbs are rendered as “justified” in this translation.
from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify ▼▼tn Or “could not free.”
you. ▼▼tn Grk “from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation, with “by the law of Moses” becoming the subject of the final clause. The words “from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify you” are part of v. 38 in the Greek text, but due to English style and word order must be placed in v. 39 in the translation.
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