Acts 2 · Verse 34

Acts 2:34

For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Acts 2:34, King James Version

Acts 2:34 in other translations

BSBFor David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand
WEBFor David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand
ASVFor David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
YLTfor David did not go up to the heavens, and he saith himself: The Lord saith to my lord, Sit thou at my right hand,
DARBYFor David has not ascended into the heavens, but he says himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at my right hand
BBEFor David has not gone up into heaven, but says, himself, The Lord said to my Lord, Be seated at my right hand,
WebsterFor David did not ascend into the heavens, but he saith himself, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

What does Acts 2:34 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 2:29-36

29-36. David ... is ... dead and buried, &c.--Peter, full of the Holy Ghost, sees in this sixteenth Psalm, one Holy Man, whose life of high devotedness and lofty spirituality is crowned with the assurance, that though He taste of death, He shall rise again without seeing corruption, and be admitted to the bliss of God's immediate presence. Now as this was palpably untrue of David, it could be meant only of One…

Read the full comment on Acts 2:29-36 →

Barnes' Notes
Verses 34, 35. For David is not ascended into the heavens. That is, David has not risen from the dead, and ascended to heaven. This further shows that Ps 16 could not refer to David, but must refer to the Messiah. Great as they esteemed David, and much as they were accustomed to apply these expressions of the Scripture to him, yet they could not be applicable to him. They must refer to some other being; and especially that passage which Peter now proceeds to quote. It was of great importance to show that these expressions could not apply to David, and also that David bore testimony to the exalted character and dignity of the Messiah. Hence Peter here adduces David himself as affirming that the Messiah was to be exalted to a dignity far above his own. This does not affirm that David was not saved, or that his spirit had not ascended to heaven, but that he had not been exalted in the heavens in the sense in which Peter was speaking of the Messiah.

But he saith himself. Ps 110:1.

The Lord. The small capitals used in translating the word LORD in the Bible, denote that the original word is Jehovah. The Hebrews regarded this as the peculiar name of God, a name incommunicable to any other being. It is not applied to any being but God in the Scriptures. The Jews had such a reverence for it that they never pronounced it; but when it occurred in the Scriptures they pronounced another name, Adoni. Here it means, Jehovah said, etc.

My Lord. This is a different word in the Hebrew: it is Adoni -- . It properly is applied by a servant to his master, or a subject to his sovereign, or is used as a title of respect by an inferior to a superior. It means here, "Jehovah said to him whom I, David, acknowledge to be my superior and sovereign. Thus, though he regarded him as his descendant according to the flesh, yet he regarded him also as his superior and Lord. By reference to this passage our Saviour confounded the Pharisees, Mt 22:42-46. That the passage in this Psalm refers to the Messiah is clear. Our Saviour, in Mt 22:42-46, expressly applied it thus, and in such a manner as to show that this was the well-understood doctrine of the Jews. Mt 22:42, etc.

(g) "The Lord" Ps 110:1, Mt 22:44

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 34 David is not ascended - Consequently, he has not sent forth this extraordinary gift, but it comes from his Lord, of whom he said, The Lord said unto my Lord, etc. See the note on these words, Mat 22:44 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 2:22-36

From this gift of the Holy Ghost, Peter preaches unto them Jesus: and here is the history of Christ. Here is an account of his death and sufferings, which they witnessed but a few weeks before. His death is considered as God's act; and of wonderful grace and wisdom. Thus Divine justice must be satisfied, God and man brought together again, and Christ himself glorified, according to an eternal counsel, which could…

Read the full comment on Acts 2:22-36 →

Acts 2:34 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οὐouNotG3756
γὰρgarforG1063
ΔαυὶδDauidDavidG1138
ἀνέβηanebēascendedG305
εἰςeisintoG1519
τοὺςtoustheG3588
οὐρανούς,ouranousheavens,G3772
λέγειlegeihe saysG3004
δὲdehoweverG1161
αὐτός·autoshimself:G846
εἶπενeipenSaidG2036
ὁhotheG3588
κύριοςkuriosLordG2962
τῷtōto theG3588
κυρίῳkuriōLordG2962
μου·mouof me;G3165
κάθουkathoudo sitG2521
ἐκekatG1537
δεξιῶνdexiōn[the] right handG1188
μου,mouof Me,G3165

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 2:34

  • Psalms 110:1

    A Psalm of David. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

  • Matthew 22:42-45

    Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

  • Hebrews 1:13

    But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

  • Ephesians 1:22

    And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

  • Mark 12:36

    For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:25

    For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

  • Luke 20:42-43

    And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The Lord.
Ps 110:1; Mt 22:42-45; Mr 12:36; Lu 20:42,43; 1Co 15:25; Eph 1:22
Heb 1:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 2:33

    Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

  • Acts 2:34

    For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

  • Acts 2:35

    Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

Read all of Acts 2

Acts 2:34 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque David no subió á los cielos; empero él dice: Dijo el Señor á mi Señor: Siéntate á mi diestra,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car David n’est pas monté dans les cieux; mais lui-même dit: « Le ✶Seigneur a dit à mon seigneur: Assieds-toi à ma droite,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn nicht David ist in die Himmel aufgefahren; er sagt aber selbst: "Der Herr sprach zu meinem Herrn: Setze dich zu meiner Rechten,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non enim David ascendit in cælum: dixit autem ipse: Dixit Dominus Domino meo: Sede a dextris meis,