God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The original Hebrew word Peter uses here can mean both "cords" and "pains," so "loosing the pangs of death" is a powerful image. It suggests death isn't just a suffering, but a binding force that Jesus broke free from, not because it couldn't hurt Him, but because its power to hold Him was fundamentally broken.
God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter is in the midst of a powerful sermon, addressing the crowd in Jerusalem just weeks after Jesus’ crucifixion. He's emphatically proving that Jesus, whom they saw die such a shameful death, is actually the promised Messiah. He’s already highlighted God’s approval of Jesus through miracles and is now zeroing in on the ultimate proof: God’s direct intervention to raise Jesus from the dead.
The text says Jesus was raised, 'loosing the pangs of death.' What does this really mean? Was death holding Him captive?
The phrase 'loosing the pangs of death' paints a powerful picture. While the original Greek word can refer to 'birth pangs,' many scholars believe it here draws from a Hebrew concept that links 'pangs' with 'cords' or 'bands.' Think of it like this: death isn't just a passive state; it's depicted as an active force, trying to bind and hold people. Jesus, in His resurrection, broke free from these 'cords of death.' It wasn't that He suffered more pains after dying, but that the power holding Him in the grave was broken. The grave couldn't keep the 'Prince of Life' (Acts 3:15). His resurrection is the ultimate demonstration that death's grip is not permanent, especially for the one who conquered it.
The verse states it was 'not possible' for Jesus to be held by death. Why? Was it a physical impossibility, or something more profound?
The impossibility of Jesus remaining dead isn't about a biological limit. It's a theological and scriptural necessity. Peter is arguing that Jesus' resurrection was inevitable for several key reasons:
Ask a follow-up
Therefore, God raising Jesus was a confirmation of everything Jesus claimed and a fulfillment of all that the Scriptures promised.
Understand the original words
anistēmi · Greek Verb
Refers to the literal and historical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This act signifies God's vindication of Christ’s mission, His victory over sin and death, and the foundation of the Christian hope.
thanatos · Greek Noun
The state of non-existence or separation from God initiated by sin. In the context of Christ, it refers to the grave or the power of death that Jesus overcame through His resurrection, demonstrating that death has no ultimate claim on Him.
Peter's bold declaration that Jesus could not be held by death directly counters any lingering doubts or political narratives that might have sought to dismiss Jesus' ministry or finality of his death. It grounds the resurrection in God's divine power and purpose, fulfilling ancient promises of hope and restoration for Israel.
c. 700 BC
Prophecies of Exile and Restoration
The period leading up to the Babylonian Exile saw prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah warning of judgment but also promising future restoration and a renewed covenant.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports Judean nobles, including Daniel, marking the beginning of the Babylonian Captivity.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, scattering most of the remaining Jewish population into exile.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of Jewish exiles to their homeland.
c. 516 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
The Second Temple in Jerusalem is completed under the leadership of Zerubbabel, a symbol of the people's return and renewed worship.
c. AD 30— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth is crucified in Jerusalem under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. His followers believe God raised him from the dead three days later.
c. AD 33
Pentecost and the First Christian Sermon
The Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus' followers in Jerusalem, empowering them to preach. Peter delivers his powerful sermon, citing Jesus' resurrection as proof of his identity.
This Old Testament psalm is directly quoted by Peter in Acts 2:25-28 and speaks prophetically about God not abandoning the Messiah to the realm of death, directly echoing the idea that death could not hold Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4Paul summarizes the core gospel message here, including Christ's death for our sins according to the Scriptures and his resurrection on the third day, which is the very event Peter is proclaiming in Acts 2.
Romans 6:9This passage emphasizes that Christ, having been raised from the dead, no longer dies, and death has no dominion over him, powerfully reinforcing the 'loosed from the pangs of death' concept.
Hebrews 2:14-15This text explains that Jesus became human so that through death he might destroy the one who holds the power of death—the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death, aligning with Jesus' triumph over death's grip.
clarkeActs 2:24: "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."
Whom God hath raised up - For, as God alone gave him up to death, so God alone raised him up from death. Having loosed the pains of death - It is generally supposed that this expression means, the dissolving of those bonds or obligations by which those who enter into the region of the dead are detained there till the day of the resurrection; and this is supposed to…
barnesActs 2:24: "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."
Whom God hath raised up - This was the main point, in this part of his argument, which Peter wished to establish. He could not but admit that the Messiah had been in an ignominious manner put to death. But he now shows them that God had also raised him up; had thus given his attestation to his doctrine; and had sent down his Spirit according to the promise which th…
The original Hebrew word Peter uses here can mean both "cords" and "pains," so "loosing the pangs of death" is a powerful image. It suggests death isn't just a suffering, but a binding force that Jesus broke free from, not because it couldn't hurt Him, but because its power to hold Him was fundamentally broken.
Peter is in the midst of a powerful sermon, addressing the crowd in Jerusalem just weeks after Jesus’ crucifixion. He's emphatically proving that Jesus, whom they saw die such a shameful death, is actually the promised Messiah. He’s already highlighted God’s approval of Jesus through miracles and is now zeroing in on the ultimate proof: God’s direct intervention to raise Jesus from the dead.
Peter is in the midst of a powerful sermon, addressing the crowd in Jerusalem just weeks after Jesus’ crucifixion. He's emphatically proving that Jesus, whom they saw die such a shameful death, is actually the promised Messiah. He’s already highlighted God’s approval of Jesus through miracles and is now zeroing in on the ultimate proof: God’s direct intervention to raise Jesus from the dead.
"God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." — The original Hebrew word Peter uses here can mean both "cords" and "pains," so "loosing the pangs of death" is a powerful image. It suggests death isn't just a suffering, but a binding force that Jes…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026