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Selected Verse: Acts 2:33 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Ac 2:33	King James	Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Therefore, being by the right hand - The right hand among the Hebrews was often used to denote "power"; and the expression here means, not that he was exalted to the right hand of God. but by his power. He was raised from the dead by his power, and borne to heaven, triumphant over all his enemies. The use of the word "right hand" to denote "power" is common in the Scriptures: Job 40:14, "Thine own right hand can save thee"; Psa 17:7, "Thou savest by thy right hand them that trust in thee"; Psa 18:35; Psa 20:6; Psa 21:8; Psa 44:3; Psa 60:5, etc. Exalted - Constituted King and Messiah in heaven. Raised up from his condition of humiliation to the glory which he had with the Father before the world was, Joh 17:5. And having received ... - The Holy Spirit was promised to the disciples before his death, Joh 14:26; Joh 15:26; Joh 16:13-15. It was expressly declared: (1) That the Holy Spirit would not be given except the Lord Jesus should return to heaven Joh 16:7; and, (2) That this gift was in the power of the Father, and that he would send him, Joh 14:26; Joh 15:26. This promise was now fulfilled, and those who witnessed the extraordinary scene before them could not doubt that it was the effect of divine power. Hath shed forth this ... - This power of speaking different languages and declaring the truth of the gospel. In this way Peter accounts for the remarkable events before them. What had occurred could not be produced by new wine, Act 2:15. It was expressly foretold, Act 2:16-21. It was predicted that Jesus would rise, Act 2:22-31. The apostles were witnesses that he had risen, and that he had promised that the Holy Spirit would descend; and the fulfillment of this promise was a rational way of accounting for the scene before them. It was unanswerable; and the effect on those who witnessed it was such as might be expected.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Therefore, being by the right hand - The right hand among the Hebrews was often used to denote "power"; and the expression here means, not that he was exalted to the right hand of God. but by his power. He was raised from the dead by his power, and borne to heaven, triumphant over all his enemies. The use of the word "right hand" to denote "power" is common in the Scriptures: Job 40:14, "Thine own right hand can save thee"; Psa 17:7, "Thou savest by thy right hand them that trust in thee"; Psa 18:35; Psa 20:6; Psa 21:8; Psa 44:3; Psa 60:5, etc.

Exalted - Constituted King and Messiah in heaven. Raised up from his condition of humiliation to the glory which he had with the Father before the world was, Joh 17:5.

And having received ... - The Holy Spirit was promised to the disciples before his death, Joh 14:26; Joh 15:26; Joh 16:13-15. It was expressly declared:

(1) That the Holy Spirit would not be given except the Lord Jesus should return to heaven Joh 16:7; and,

(2) That this gift was in the power of the Father, and that he would send him, Joh 14:26; Joh 15:26. This promise was now fulfilled, and those who witnessed the extraordinary scene before them could not doubt that it was the effect of divine power.

Hath shed forth this ... - This power of speaking different languages and declaring the truth of the gospel. In this way Peter accounts for the remarkable events before them. What had occurred could not be produced by new wine, Act 2:15. It was expressly foretold, Act 2:16-21. It was predicted that Jesus would rise, Act 2:22-31. The apostles were witnesses that he had risen, and that he had promised that the Holy Spirit would descend; and the fulfillment of this promise was a rational way of accounting for the scene before them. It was unanswerable; and the effect on those who witnessed it was such as might be expected.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Being exalted by the right hand of God - By the right hand; that is, the mighty power of God. Our Lord was exalted at his ascension to God's right hand in heaven.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
By the right hand of God exalted - Raised by omnipotence to the highest dignity in the realms of glory, to sit at the right hand of God, and administer the laws of both worlds. The promise of the Holy Ghost - This was the promise that he had made to them a little before he suffered, as may be seen in Joh 14:16, etc., Joh 16:7, etc., and after he had risen from the dead. Luk 24:49, and which as the apostle says was now shed forth.

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²² Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
²³ Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
²⁴ Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
²⁵ For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
²⁶ Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
²⁷ Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
²⁸ Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
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.
³⁰ Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
³¹ He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

¹⁶ But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
¹⁷ And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
¹⁸ And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
¹⁹ And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
²⁰ The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
²¹ And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

¹⁵ For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

²⁶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

²⁶ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

¹³ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
¹⁴ He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
¹⁵ All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

²⁶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

²⁶ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

⁵ And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

⁵ That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.

³ For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

⁸ Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.

⁶ Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.

³⁵ Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

⁷ Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

¹⁴ Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

⁴⁹ And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;