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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Acts 4:25

You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David Your servant: Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples plot futile things?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - David;   Prophecy;   Quotations and Allusions;   Vanity;   The Topic Concordance - Anointing;   Jesus Christ;   Persecution;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Holy Spirit, the, Is God;   Vanity;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - David;   Inspiration;   Prayer;   Predestination;   Psalms, book of;   Quotations;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Holy Spirit;   Psalms, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Prophet;   Psalms;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Herod;   Inspiration;   Joseph;   Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Gentiles;   Prayer;   Vain;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Mark, Gospel According to;   Sadducees;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Acts of the Apostles (2);   Atonement (2);   David ;   Eschatology;   Fellowship (2);   Heathen;   Holy Spirit;   Interpretation;   James and John, the Sons of Zebedee;   Mouth Lips;   Nathanael ;   Old Testament;   Prayer;   Psalms (2);   Reading ;   Resurrection of Christ;   Scripture;   Septuagint;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Children;   Psalms, Book of;   Servant;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Reed;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Inspiration;   Psalms;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Imagine;   Inspiration;   Intercession;   Psalms, Book of;   Quotations, New Testament;  

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
you used the Holy Spirit to talk to David, your cowboy, saying, 'Why is everyone so angry? Why do they think their plans will work?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, 'WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?
Legacy Standard Bible
who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,‘Why did the Gentiles rage,And the peoples devise vain things?
Bible in Basic English
Who has said, by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David your servant, Why are the nations so violently moved, and why are the thoughts of the people so foolish?
Darby Translation
who hast said by the mouth of thy servant David, Why have [the] nations raged haughtily and [the] peoples meditated vain things?
New King James Version
who by the mouth of Your servant David [fn] have said: 'Why did the nations rage,And the people plot vain things?
World English Bible
who by the mouth of your servant, David, said, 'Why do the nations rage, And the peoples plot a vain thing?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Who saidst by the mouth of thy servant David, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
Weymouth's New Testament
and didst say through the Holy Spirit by the lips of our forefather David Thy servant, "`Why have the nations stamped and raged, and the peoples formed futile plans?
King James Version (1611)
Who by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast saide, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vaine things?
Literal Translation
who through the mouth of Your servant David said, "Why did the nations rage, and the peoples meditate foolish things?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
that by the mouth of Dauid thy seruaut hast sayde: Why do the Heythe rage? and ye people ymagin vayne thinges?
Mace New Testament (1729)
who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said , "why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
Amplified Bible
who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David, Your servant, said, 'WHY DID THE NATIONS (Gentiles) BECOME ARROGANT and RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS [against the Lord]?
American Standard Version
who by the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things?
Revised Standard Version
who by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, didst say by the Holy Spirit, 'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
which by the mouth of thy servaunt David hast sayd: Why dyd the hethen rage and the people immagen vayne thinges.
Update Bible Version
who by the Holy Spirit, [by] the mouth of our father David your son, said, "Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things?
Webster's Bible Translation
Who, by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
Young's Literal Translation
who, through the mouth of David thy servant, did say, Why did nations rage, and peoples meditate vain things?
New Century Version
By the Holy Spirit, through our father David your servant, you said: ‘Why are the nations so angry? Why are the people making useless plans?
New English Translation
who said by the Holy Spirit through your servant David our forefather, ‘ Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot foolish things?
Berean Standard Bible
You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: 'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
Contemporary English Version
And by the Holy Spirit you spoke to our ancestor David. He was your servant, and you told him to say: "Why are all the Gentiles so furious? Why do people make foolish plans?
Complete Jewish Bible
By the Ruach HaKodesh, through the mouth of our father David, your servant, you said, ‘Why did the nations rage and the peoples devise useless plans?
English Standard Version
who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast saide, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine vaine things?
George Lamsa Translation
You are the One who spoke through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of your servant David when he said, Why did the people rage and the nations devise worthless things?
Hebrew Names Version
who by the mouth of your servant, David, said, 'Why do the nations rage, And the peoples plot a vain thing?
International Standard Version
You said by the Holy Spirit through the voice of our ancestor, your servant David,Psalm 2:1;">[xr] 'Why do the Gentiles rage, and the people devise useless plots?
Etheridge Translation
And thou art he who hast spoken by the Spirit of Holiness in the mouth of David thy servant: Why rage the Heathen, And the peoples imagine vanity ?
Murdock Translation
And it is thou who hast said, by the Holy Spirit in the mouth of David thy servant: Why do the nations rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
New Living Translation
you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
New Life Bible
You said through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of our father David, ‘Why are the nations so shaken up and the people planning foolish things?
English Revised Version
who by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things?
New Revised Standard
it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who, by our father, through means of the Holy Spirit, even by the mouth of David thy servant, said - Unto what end did nations rage, and, peoples, busy themselves with empty things?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who, by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, hast said: Why did the Gentiles rage: and the people meditate vain things?
King James Version
Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
Lexham English Bible
the one who said by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples conspire in vain?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Which by the mouth of thy seruaunt Dauid, hast sayde: Why dyd the Heathen rage, & the people imagine vayne thynges?
Easy-to-Read Version
Our ancestor David was your servant. With the help of the Holy Spirit he wrote these words: ‘Why are the nations shouting? Why are the people planning such useless things?
New American Standard Bible
who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, 'WHY WERE THE NATIONS INSOLENT, AND THE PEOPLES PLOTTING IN VAIN?
Good News Translation
By means of the Holy Spirit you spoke through our ancestor David, your servant, when he said, ‘Why were the Gentiles furious; why did people make their useless plots?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
bi the mouth of oure fadir Dauid, thi child, Whi hethen men gnastiden with teeth togidre, and the puplis thouyten veyn thingis?

Contextual Overview

23 After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, "Master, You are the One who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David Your servant: Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples plot futile things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers assembled together against the Lord and against His Messiah. 27 "For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your message with complete boldness, 30 while You stretch out Your hand for healing, signs, and wonders to be performed through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God's message with boldness.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

by: Acts 1:16, Acts 2:30

Why: Psalms 2:1-6

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 22:44 - delivered Psalms 38:19 - they that Psalms 56:2 - many Psalms 62:4 - consult Psalms 83:2 - lo Psalms 93:3 - the floods lift Isaiah 7:7 - General Daniel 11:14 - exalt Hosea 7:15 - imagine Nahum 1:9 - do Matthew 21:39 - caught Matthew 26:3 - assembled Mark 14:1 - chief Mark 15:1 - straightway Luke 9:22 - General Luke 22:22 - truly Luke 22:66 - elders Acts 14:5 - when Acts 15:7 - by my 1 Corinthians 2:6 - of the 2 Corinthians 10:5 - down

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
Adam was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have had a male child with the Lord 's help."
Genesis 4:3
In the course of time Cain presented some of the land's produce as an offering to the Lord .
Genesis 4:4
And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:8
Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
Genesis 4:10
Then He said, "What have you done? Your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground!
Genesis 4:11
So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood you have shed.
1 Chronicles 1:1
Adam, Seth, Enosh,
Luke 3:38
son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Who by the mouth of thy servant David has said,.... In Psalms 2:1 from whence we learn, that that psalm, though it is without a title, and does not bear David's name, yet is one of his and so Kimchi says, that David composed it at the beginning of his reign; though Aben Ezra thinks, that it was composed by one of the singers for him, on the day he was anointed; yet he afterwards seems to doubt of it, and on Psalms 2:7 says, they are the words of David, or the words of the singer. And certain it is, that in the apostles' time this psalm was reckoned to be David's by the Jews in common; and therefore they speak of it as such: and it was the sense of the ancient doctors of the synagogue, that this psalm is to be understood of the Messiah. Jarchi says, our Rabbins expound the business (of this psalm) concerning the King Messiah; and Kimchi observes, that there are some that interpret this psalm of Gog and Magog k, and the Messiah, or anointed, that is the King Messiah; though one of these writers was of opinion, that it is best to understand it of David himself; and Aben Ezra says, that it was composed either for David, or for the Messiah, and to understand it of the Messiah, the thing is more clear. The verses Psalms 2:7 are particularly applied to the Messiah in some of their most ancient writings l, and also in modern ones m, as is Psalms 2:2 to Messiah ben Joseph n: and indeed the whole psalm belongs to the Messiah, as appears from the express mention of him, and the vain attempts of the kings of the earth against him; from the decree and resolution of God to make and declare him king of Zion, notwithstanding their utmost efforts; from his having the Gentiles for his inheritance, which is true of no other; and especially from that reverence, adoration, and worship, which were to be given to him, and that trust and confidence to be placed in him, which can by no means agree with David, nor with any mere creature. The Syriac version reads, "who in the Holy Ghost, by the mouth", c. and so read Beza's most ancient copy, and five other manuscripts of his and the Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions, read, "who in the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of our father David", c. and the Alexandrian copy, but does not seem to be a genuine reading since the Jews were not used to call David, but Abraham, their father; nor is it, with propriety, expressed, that God the Father said in, or by the Spirit, what follows,

why did the Heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? that is, the Gentiles, and the people of the Jews, Pilate, and his council, with the Roman soldiers, and the Jewish sanhedrim, with the common people; who raged against Christ, seized him in a furious manner, led him as a malefactor, and hurried him from bar to bar, in a tumultuous way, and with great noise and clamour urged the crucifixion of him; nor did their rage cease until they had put him to death: yet it was a vain thing in them to imagine he should be held under the power of death; or that this would put a stop to the spread of his doctrine, and the enlargement of his kingdom and interest; since he rose from the dead, as a triumphant conqueror, over all his enemies, and pouring forth his Spirit, in an extraordinary way, he spread his Gospel, and his glory throughout the earth.

k Vid. T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol 3. 2. l Zohar in Numb. fol. 82. 2. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 44. fol. 38. 4. & T. Bab. Succa, fol. 52. 1. m Maimon. in Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 1. Abarbinel Mashmiah, Jeshua, fol. 37. 4. & 38. 1. n Pirke Eliezer, c. 19.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who by the mouth ... - , Psalms 2:1-2. This is a strong, solemn testimony to the inspiration of David. It is a declaration of the apostles, made in solemn prayer, that God himself spake by the mouth of David. This is the second part of their prayer. In the first, they acknowledge the right of God to rule; in this, they appeal to a prophecy; they plead that this was a thing foretold; and as God had foreseen it and foretold it, they appealed to him to protect them. The times of tumult and opposition which had been foreseen, as about to attend the introduction of the gospel, had now come. They inferred, therefore, that Jesus was the Messiah; and as God had designed to establish his kingdom, they appealed to him to aid and protect them in this great work. This passage is taken from Psalms 2:1-2, and is an exact quotation from the Septuagint. This proves that the Psalm had reference to the Messiah. Thus, it was manifestly understood by the Jews; and the authority of the apostles settles the question. The Psalm was composed by David, but on what occasion is not known; nor is it material to our present purpose. It has been a matter of inquiry whether it referred to the Messiah primarily, or only in a secondary sense. Grotius supposes that it was composed by David when exposed to the hostility of the Assyrians, the Moabites, Philistines, Amalekites, etc.; and that, in the midst of his dangers, he sought consolation in the purpose of God to establish him and his kingdom. But the more probable opinion is, that it referred directly and solely to the Messiah.

Why did the heathen - The nations which were not Jews. This refers, doubtless, to the opposition which would be made to the spread of Christianity, and not merely to the opposition made to the Messiah himself, and to the act of putting him to death.

Rage - This word refers to the excitement and tumult of a multitude; not a settled plan, but rather the heated and disorderly conduct of a mob. It means that the progress of the gospel would encounter tumultuous opposition, and that the excited nations would rush violently to put it down and destroy it.

And the people - The expression “the people” does not refer to a class of people different essentially from the pagan. The “pagan,” Hebrew and Greek, “the nations,” refer to people as organized into communities; the expression the people is used to denote the same persons without respect to their being so organized. The Hebrews were in the habit, in their poetry, of expressing the same idea essentially in parallel members of a sentence; that is, the last member of a sentence or verse expressed the same idea, with some slight variation, as the former. (See Lowth on the sacred poetry of the Hebrews.)

Imagine - The word “imagine” does not quite express the force of the original. The Hebrew and the Greek both convey the idea of meditating, thinking, purposing. It means that they employed “thought,” “plan,” “purpose,” in opposing the Messiah.

Vain things - The word used here κενά kena is a literal translation of the Hebrew רק rēyq, and means usually “empty,” as a vessel. which is not filled; then “useless,” or what amounts to nothing, etc. Here it means that they devised a plan which turned out to be vain or ineffectual. They attempted an opposition to the Messiah which could not succeed. God would establish his kingdom in spite of their plans to oppose it. Their efforts were vain because they were not strong enough to oppose God; because he had purposed to establish the kingdom of his Son; and because he could overrule even their opposition to advance his cause.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 4:25. By the mouth of thy servant David hast said — Several add, but impertinently, δια πνευματος αγιου, by the Holy Spirit; but it is sufficient that GOD has said it; and thugs we find that David spoke by the inspiration of God; and that the second Psalm relates to Jesus Christ, and predicts the vain attempts made by Jewish and heathen powers to suppress Christianity.


 
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