Acts 13:33 · Bible study
Acts 13:33 Commentary: Resurrection Declares Jesus the Son
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul applies Psalm 2:7 to the resurrection.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul announces that the resurrection of Jesus fulfills the promise made to the fathers and demonstrates that Jesus is God’s Son.
- Key words: ἐκπεπλήρωκεν (perfect, “has completely fulfilled”); ἀναστήσας (aorist participle, “having raised up”); σήμερον γεγέννηκά (“today I have begotten,” perfect tense).
- Main debate: Does the resurrection constitute Jesus’ “begetting” as Son (adoptionist reading) or declare an eternal Sonship (declarative reading)?
- Theological theme: The resurrection as the decisive fulfillment of God’s covenant promises, and the vindication of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.
- Best use: Preaching the resurrection as the vindication of Christ and the assurance that God keeps his word; small groups exploring how the Old Testament points to Jesus.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.’
WEB World English Bible 2000
that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’
KJV King James Version 1769
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
that God hath fulfilled the same unto our children, in that he raised up Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
God hath in full completed this to us their children, having raised up Jesus, as also in the second Psalm it hath been written, My Son thou art--I to-day have begotten thee.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
that God has fulfilled this to us their children, having raised up Jesus; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son: this day have I begotten thee.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
This same God hath fulfilled to our children, raising up Jesus, as in the second psalm also is written: Thou art my Son: this day have I begotten thee.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
La cual Dios ha cumplido á los hijos de ellos, á nosotros, resucitando á Jesús: como también en el salmo segundo está escrito: Mi hijo eres tú, yo te he engendrado hoy.
Assim como está escrito no salmo segundo: Tu és meu Filho, hoje eu te gerei.
Dieu l’ a accomplie pour nous leurs enfants, en ressuscitant Jésus, selon ce qui est écrit dans le Psaume deuxième:
daß sie Gott uns, ihren Kindern, erfüllt hat in dem, daß er Jesum auferweckte; wie denn im zweiten Psalm geschrieben steht: “ Du bist mein Sohn, heute habe ich dich gezeuget.”
Gelijk ook in den tweeden psalm geschreven staat: Gij zijt Mijn Zoon, heden heb Ik U gegenereerd.
Iddio l’ha adempiuta per noi, loro figliuoli, risuscitando Gesù, siccome anche è scritto nel salmo secondo: Tu sei il mio Figliuolo, oggi Io ti ho generato.
Jako też w Psalmie wtórym napisane jest: Syn mój jesteś ty, jam ciebie dziś spłodził.
как и во втором псалме написано: Ты Сын Мой: Я ныне родил Тебя.
神 已經向我們 這作 兒女 的應驗，叫耶穌 復活了。 正如 詩篇 第二 篇上記著說：你 是 我的 兒子，我 今日 生 你。
Which God has now put into effect for our children, by sending Jesus; as it says in the second Psalm, You are my Son; this day I have given you being.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 13:33
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Acts 13:33 is the climactic hinge of Paul's sermon at Pisidian Antioch. He announces that God has completely fulfilled (ἐκπεπλήρωκεν, perfect tense indicating a completed state resulting from a past action) the promise made to the fathers by raising up Jesus. The quotation from Psalm 2:7 is applied directly to the resurrection event. But they disagree on what “Today I have become your father” means. Barnes reads Paul’s usage as fixing the meaning of the psalm to the resurrection, so that Christ is called Son “because he was raised from the dead.” Clarke argues the phrase refers to the incarnation, the human nature begotten by the Holy Spirit, and insists that “eternal Sonship … is absolutely irreconcilable to reason.” Wesley and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown see the resurrection as the public declaration and vindication of an eternal, prior Sonship, not its origin. The perfect tense of γεγέννηκά (“have begotten”) and the adverb σήμερον (“today”) together stress the decisive, permanent nature of this declaration.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Eternal Sonship manifested at resurrection: Christ is Son from eternity; the resurrection is God’s public declaration and vindication of that Sonship (supported by Romans 1:4, Hebrews 1:5–6, and the grammar of γεγέννηκά as a declarative perfect).
- Sonship conferred at resurrection (or incarnation): Paul’s application of “Today I have begotten you” to the resurrection means Jesus becomes Son at that event; supported by the contrast with David’s decay and the emphasis on fulfillment at a specific point in time (Barnes, Clarke).
What is clear: Paul indisputably ties the declaration of Jesus as Son to his resurrection from the dead, and this resurrection fulfills the promise God made to the fathers, especially the Davidic covenant.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Sonship of Christ at the Resurrection | Christians agree that the resurrection is the event where God decisively declares Jesus to be His Son with power, citing Romans 1:4 and Acts 13:33. | Some traditions (often associated with Barnes and some Wesleyan interpreters) understand the resurrection as the moment Jesus is begotten or constituted as Son. Other traditions (Reformed, Catholic, Orthodox, and mainstream evangelical) hold that Jesus is the eternal Son of God, and the resurrection is the public declaration and vindication of that eternal relationship. |
| Fulfillment of the Davidic Promise | All agree that the resurrection of Jesus fulfills the promise made to David of an everlasting heir on the throne (2 Samuel 7:12, 16; Psalm 89:3, 4). | The debate focuses on whether the fulfillment is exclusively resurrection (the king is enthroned after death) or includes Jesus’ entire ministry, with the resurrection as the climactic act. The text itself links the resurrection directly to the promise in v.32, 33. |
| Citation of Psalm 2 as Messianic | Christians universally affirm that Psalm 2 is a messianic psalm pointing to Christ (see also Hebrews 1:5, 5:5). | The original context in Psalm 2 likely referred to the Davidic king’s coronation. The debate is about whether the psalm’s “Today I have begotten you” directly predicts the resurrection or speaks more broadly of the king’s installation as God’s son. Paul’s application settles the messianic reading but leaves room for different understandings of the timing. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul is preaching in a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch (v.14, 16) during a Sabbath service. After reading the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders invite him to speak. His sermon surveys God’s acts from the exodus to David, then pivots: from David’s seed God has brought a Saviour, Jesus (v.23). The promise “made to the fathers” (v.32) refers primarily to the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7), where God pledges an everlasting kingdom from David’s line.
The verb “raised up” (ἀναστήσας, an aorist participle) carries a double meaning in Jewish expectation: it refers both to God raising a deliverer (like a king or prophet) and to resurrection from the dead. In the context of v.30, 34, where Paul explicitly says “God raised him from the dead,” the resurrection sense is primary. Yet the surrounding argument about David seeing decay (v.36, 37) reinforces that Jesus’ resurrection is the unique event that fulfills the promise.
The citation of Psalm 2:7 draws on a psalm widely recognised in Second Temple Judaism as messianic. The textual variant, “in the second psalm” or “in the first psalm”, reflects that ancient Hebrew manuscripts sometimes combined Psalms 1 and 2 as a single composition. The Greek order in v.33 is emphatic: “unto their children, even us.” Paul wants his Jewish audience to see themselves as heirs of the promise, not just spectators.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note a textual variant in the phrase “in the second psalm.” A significant number of Greek manuscripts (including Codex Bezae) and several early church fathers read “in the first psalm” instead of “in the second psalm.” This variation likely arose because ancient Hebrew manuscripts sometimes combined Psalms 1 and 2 as a single composition, as attested by rabbinic tradition. Griesbach adopted “first psalm” into his text, but most modern critical editions (NA28, UBS5) read “second psalm,” and the meaning is unaffected, the quotation remains Psalm 2:7. No other significant textual variants are noted for this verse.
Reception History
Acts 13:33 has been central in Christological debates throughout church history. The early church, especially in the apologists and the Arian controversies, used the verse to argue for Christ’s divine Sonship, but they also wrestled with its temporal language (see Athanasius’s Orations against the Arians). During the Reformation, Calvin saw the resurrection as the “declaration” of a prior Sonship, while Wesley held that the resurrection was the moment of public manifestation. In modern scholarship, the verse is a touchstone for discussions about New Testament Christology, particularly whether it reflects an “adoptionist” strand or a high Christology that already presupposes pre-existence. The verse also appears in the lectionary for Easter, underscoring the resurrection as the day of Christ’s enthronement as Son.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God Keeps His Promise. The verb “has fulfilled” (ἐκπεπλήρωκεν) implies a complete carrying out of what was pledged to the fathers. The resurrection is not an afterthought, it is the arrival point of generations of hope.
- The Resurrection Declares Jesus as Son. Paul reads Psalm 2:7 as a divine decree spoken at the resurrection. Whether one sees this as a conferral of sonship or a public declaration of an eternal relationship, the resurrection is the moment God says “You are my Son” with unmistakable power.
- This Good News is for You. The phrase “to us, their children” insists that the promise lands on Paul’s hearers. The risen Son is not a distant figure; he is the fulfillment in which the congregation is invited to share.
Five-point outline
- The Context: Paul’s sermon in the synagogue (v.16, 41) traces God’s faithfulness from Egypt to David, setting up the promise of a Saviour.
- The Fulfillment: God “has fulfilled this to us”, the perfect tense underscores that the promise is now a settled reality.
- The Agent: Jesus, raised up from the dead, is the one through whom the promise comes.
- The Scriptural Witness: Psalm 2:7 confirms that the resurrection is the very event in which God calls Jesus “Son” and “begs” him in a new way.
- The Invitation: The resurrection is not just a past fact; it is the basis for preaching forgiveness (v.38) and justification (v.39) to everyone who believes.
Illustration hooks
- Adoption finalization: A child may live as part of a family for years, but the court date is the day the relationship is legally and publicly declared. The resurrection is that day for Jesus, God’s final, public “yes” to who he is.
- Graduation ceremony: The degree is earned through years of study, but the ceremony is the moment it is conferred and celebrated. The resurrection is the moment God sets Jesus in the place of honour and says, “This is my Son, the heir of all things.”
- Coronation of a king: A prince is the king’s son from birth, but his coronation is when he is publicly vested with royal authority. So Jesus, eternally God’s Son, is installed as the reigning King over all through the resurrection.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse mean Jesus wasn’t God’s Son before the resurrection? How do we reconcile this with the Trinity?
- If the resurrection is the “begetting,” what about Jesus’ incarnation and baptism? Were those also “begetting” moments?
- How does knowing that God kept his promise to the fathers help me trust him with the promises he has made to me?
Leading a Discussion
Paul preaches that the resurrection of Jesus is not an isolated miracle, it is the climax of God’s long history of faithfulness. This small group guide helps your group trace the thread of promise from the Old Testament to the resurrection and ask what it means for their own lives.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Read Acts 13:16, 41. What promises from Israel’s history does Paul mention before he gets to v.33?
- Observation: In v.33, what specific phrase from Psalm 2:7 does Paul apply to Jesus’ resurrection?
- Interpretation: The Greek verb for “has fulfilled” (ἐκπεπλήρωκεν) is a perfect tense. Why does that matter for understanding the certainty of God’s promise?
- Interpretation: The quotation says “Today I have become your father.” Some Christians take this to mean Jesus became God’s Son at the resurrection; others say it is a public declaration of an eternal Sonship. What evidence in the passage supports each view?
- Interpretation: Why does Paul connect the resurrection so closely with the Davidic promise (v.34, 37)? How does the decay of David’s body contrast with the resurrection of Jesus?
- Application: If the resurrection is God’s final “yes” to his promises, how should that shape your trust in God’s promises for your own life, especially promises that seem delayed or unfulfilled?
- Application: Paul ends this section with a call to respond (v.38, 41). What does believing in the risen Son mean practically for the way you handle guilt, failure, or the future?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 2:7 | I will tell of the decree: Yahweh said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father. |
| Hebrews 1:5 | For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?” |
| Hebrews 1:6 | When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” |
| Hebrews 5:5 | So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the textual difference between "first Psalm" and "second Psalm" arises simply because some Hebrew manuscripts join the two psalms as one. On the quotation itself, he argues it cannot refer to Christ's divine nature, which is uncreated and eternal, but only to the human nature conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that when Paul applies Psalm 2's words to Jesus' resurrection, the apostle fixes their meaning. "This day have I begotten thee" refers not to Christ's eternal generation or incarnation, but to God raising Him from the dead. For Barnes, Christ is called the Son of God in this passage because of the resurrection.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that Paul speaks of literal, physical children of Abraham, not merely spiritual ones through faith. He rejects those who allegorize this away, arguing that the covenant promise includes natural descendants, who are counted holy unless they reject God through unbelief. This is Calvin's double election: one common to the whole nation, and another confirmed by faith.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that Paul's Greek uses a strengthened verb form to declare God's "complete fulfillment" of the promise. The word order also emphasizes that this fulfillment is for the audience themselves, not just for their children. The resurrection of Jesus is presented as the decisive proof that He is the promised Messiah.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that God fulfilled His promise to the fathers by raising Jesus from the dead. They see the resurrection as the "begetting" of which Psalm 2 speaks, the day God publicly declared Jesus to be His Son.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that "raised up Jesus again" in this passage refers not to the resurrection but to God raising Jesus to royal dignity as the Messiah and King. He sees the promise fulfilled in Christ being established on David's throne, with the citation of Psalm 2 confirming this interpretation as a settled Jewish expectation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB insists that the resurrection did not originate Christ's Sonship. The quote from the second psalm, "This day have I begotten thee," refers to the resurrection as the public declaration of a Sonship Christ already possessed eternally. He also notes that "raised up" means raised from the dead.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Paul's sermon grounds salvation entirely in God's free election and grace, not human merit. He presents for the first time the distinctive Pauline teaching that the law cannot justify anyone; only faith in Christ brings forgiveness and righteousness. The discourse is authentically Pauline, not a later invention.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes how Paul builds his sermon on a deliberate recital of Israel's history, showing that every event from the patriarchs through the judges and kings was God's patient preparation for sending Jesus as the promised Savior. Even the rejection of Christ by Jerusalem's rulers, Paul argues, fulfilled the very prophets they heard read every Sabbath.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent draws attention to the Greek verb's prefix, noting that "ek" intensifies the action to mean "out and out." For him, the word signifies a complete, thorough fulfillment rather than a partial one, leaving nothing undone.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that “this day have I begotten thee” does not mean Christ became God’s Son at that moment, since He was Son from eternity. Rather, it refers to God publicly declaring Him as Son through the resurrection, which Wesley calls a new birth from the earth.