Acts 2:27 Meaning and Explanation
“Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God will not abandon the righteous to the grave, nor allow the death of the faithful to be final.
The Context of Acts 2:27
Continuing Psalm 16, Peter applies the promise of divine vindication after death specifically to Jesus' resurrection.
What Does Acts 2:27 Mean?
The 'hell' here is Sheol, the grave, the place of the dead. Peter is claiming that God will not leave David's soul there, and more pointedly, that God will not allow His 'Holy One' (Jesus) to remain in death. The word 'corruption' carries a double meaning: the decay of the body and also moral ruin. Peter is asserting that Jesus' death was not a defeat or a corruption of His holiness. God's refusal to leave Jesus in the grave is not a rescue of a guilty man but a vindication of the innocent. The parallel to the Exodus is deliberate: as God did not leave Israel in Egypt, God did not leave Jesus in death.
This verse became crucial for the early church's wrestling with the scandal of the cross. A crucified Messiah seemed like a curse, a failure. But Peter, drawing on Psalm 16, reframes it: that same death, when God vindicates it by raising Jesus, becomes the opening through which we all are ransomed. Corruption could not claim Him, and in His resurrection, He breaks the power of corruption for us too.
Acts 2:27 in the Original Language
hadokein (Gk), 'suffer' -- to permit, allow, grant; here 'allow to undergo'
How to Apply Acts 2:27 Today
When we feel death closing in, whether literal death or spiritual death, this verse anchors us: God does not abandon His own. Resurrection is not a rare exception but the pattern of God's faithfulness.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 2:27
What does Acts 2:27 mean?
God will not abandon the righteous to the grave, nor allow the death of the faithful to be final.
What is the context of Acts 2:27?
Continuing Psalm 16, Peter applies the promise of divine vindication after death specifically to Jesus' resurrection.
How can I apply Acts 2:27 today?
When we feel death closing in, whether literal death or spiritual death, this verse anchors us: God does not abandon His own. Resurrection is not a rare exception but the pattern of God's faithfulness.