“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter is carefully establishing that the scripture quoted cannot apply to David himself by pointing out the obvious, undeniable fact of his death and burial. The specific detail of David's tomb still being present "unto this day" served as concrete proof that David, unlike the one spoken of in the Psalm, had not been raised from the dead.
“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Peter is boldly explaining how a Psalm David wrote about his own suffering and resurrection actually points to Jesus, not David himself. He addresses the crowd respectfully as "brothers," acknowledging their shared heritage with David, before directly stating the undeniable fact that David died and was buried, and his tomb was still a known landmark. This establishes that David couldn't have been speaking of himself rising from the dead.
Peter is addressing a crowd who just accused him and his friends of being drunk. Yet, he speaks with profound respect, even when dismantling their potential assumptions about David. How can we be bold with truth while showing honor?
Peter begins by calling the crowd 'brothers' and referring to David as 'the patriarch.' This isn't just polite language; it's a strategic move. By using respectful terms, Peter disarms potential hostility and frames his argument in a way that honors their shared heritage.
A Gentle Approach
The term 'patriarch' (Greek: patriarches) emphasizes David's role as an ancestor and founder, someone highly revered. Peter acknowledges this deep respect before proceeding. He uses phrases like 'I may freely speak' or 'it is permitted me to speak' (Greek: exon eipein), indicating that the truth he's about to share is not only permissible but also evident and undeniable.
This teaches us that sharing God's truth doesn't require aggression. We can be direct and firm, yet rooted in respect and gentleness, acknowledging the person and their context.
Peter hammers home a simple, undeniable fact about David: he died and was buried. Why focus on such a basic truth, and how does it dismantle a common assumption?
The core of Peter's argument here hinges on the physical reality of David's death and burial. He states, 'he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.' This wasn't a theological debate; it was a matter of public knowledge and historical record.
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David's Tomb as Evidence
Archaeological and historical accounts confirm that David's tomb was a known landmark in Jerusalem. The fact that his tomb remained accessible and was even a site of historical interest (with treasures reportedly stored there) meant that David was demonstrably dead and had not resurrected.
This concrete evidence is crucial. When people debated certain Messianic prophecies, particularly those in the Psalms, they often assumed they referred to David. Peter uses the physical reality of David's death and burial – a fact no one could dispute – to show that these specific prophetic words could not have been about David himself.
David, the 'patriarch,' was buried in the City of David. How does this physical resting place connect to the divine promise of a Messiah who would rise?
Calling David a 'patriarch' (Greek: patriarches) highlights his foundational role, not just as a king, but as the ancestor from whom the promised Messiah would come. The Jews held a deep expectation for this descendant.
From the Patriarch's Tomb to the Messiah's Throne
Peter meticulously points out that David's tomb was in the city, a place of honor, signifying his earthly reign and his final rest. This physical tomb, containing his remains, stands in stark contrast to the Messianic prophecy he quoted. That prophecy spoke of God not abandoning the speaker's soul to the realm of the dead and not letting the speaker see decay (Acts 2:27).
David's burial means he did remain in the state of the dead and did experience decay. Therefore, the prophecy must point to someone else – Jesus – who would conquer death, whose soul would not be left in Hades, and whose body would not see decay. David's tomb, therefore, paradoxically serves as proof not of his own resurrection, but of the resurrection of the one he prophetically pointed towards.
Understand the original words
patriarchēs · Greek Noun
A founding father of the Jewish people, specifically the male ancestors of the nation of Israel. It emphasizes the historical and covenantal line from which the Messiah would come.
Peter's argument hinges on the fact that David, a revered ancestor and king, died and was buried, his tomb a known landmark in Jerusalem. This undeniable reality proves that the psalm quoted could not have referred to David himself but prophetically pointed to the Messiah, Jesus, who truly conquered death and whose tomb was found empty.
c. 1015 BC
David, King of Israel, Dies
David, a pivotal figure in Israel's history and ancestor of the Messiah, dies after a long reign. He is buried in Jerusalem, in the City of David.
c. 975 BC
Solomon Continues Royal Burials in Jerusalem
Solomon, David's son and successor, also reigns and dies. Tradition holds that royal burials continued in the City of David, likely in close proximity to David's tomb.
c. 700 BC - 1st Century AD
The Sepulchre of David Remains a Known Landmark
Despite the passage of centuries and potential destruction or rebuilding in Jerusalem, the location of David's tomb remains a recognized and even revered site, with historical accounts of treasures being found within.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
Jesus, whom Christians believe to be the promised Messiah, lives, teaches, dies, and is resurrected. His ministry fulfills prophecies previously thought to apply to David.
c. AD 30— this verse
The Day of Pentecost
Following Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples in Jerusalem, empowering them to preach. This event marks the birth of the Christian Church.
This is the very psalm passage Peter is referencing and explaining. He's showing how David, the writer, prophesied about the Messiah's resurrection, not his own.
Acts 13:36Paul uses a similar argument when preaching to the Lycaonians, emphasizing that David 'served his generation and then fell asleep,' died, and saw decay, highlighting the need for a resurrected Messiah.
1 Kings 2:10This verse confirms David's burial in the city of Jerusalem, aligning with Peter's point that David's tomb was a known, physical reality, proving he had not been resurrected.
Hebrews 11:21Though David commanded his sons to worship at his death, this verse shows his own act of worship involved faith in God's promises for the future, implying his own resting in hope, not an immediate resurrection.
barnesActs 2:29: "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day."
Men and brethren - This passage of the Psalms Peter now proves could not relate to David, but must have reference to the Messiah. He begins his argument in a respectful manner, addressing them as his brethren, though they had just charged him and the others with intoxication. Christians should use the usual respectful forms of salutatio…
vincentActs 2:29: "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day."
Let me speak (ἐξὸν εἰπεῖν)Lit., it is permitted me. Rev., I may. It is allowable for him to speak, because the facts are notorious.Freely (μετὰ παῤῥησίας)Lit., with freedom. The latter word from πᾶν, all, and ῥῆσις, speech; speaking everything, and therefore without reserve.The patriarch (πατριάρχου)From ἄρχω, to begin, an…
Peter is carefully establishing that the scripture quoted cannot apply to David himself by pointing out the obvious, undeniable fact of his death and burial. The specific detail of David's tomb still being present "unto this day" served as concrete proof that David, unlike the one spoken of in the Psalm, had not been raised from the dead.
Peter is boldly explaining how a Psalm David wrote about his own suffering and resurrection actually points to Jesus, not David himself. He addresses the crowd respectfully as "brothers," acknowledging their shared heritage with David, before directly stating the undeniable fact that David died and was buried, and his tomb was still a known landmark. This establishes that David couldn't have been speaking of himself rising from the dead.
Peter is boldly explaining how a Psalm David wrote about his own suffering and resurrection actually points to Jesus, not David himself. He addresses the crowd respectfully as "brothers," acknowledging their shared heritage with David, before directly stating the undeniable fact that David died and was buried, and his tomb was still a known landmark. This establishes that David couldn't have been speaking of himself rising from the dead.
"“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day." — Peter is carefully establishing that the scripture quoted cannot apply to David himself by pointing out the obvious, undeniable fact of his death and burial. The specific detail of David's tomb sti…
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Last reviewed October 2026