Acts 1:18-20
What is written? (ESV)
(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) For it is written in the Book of Psalms, ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it;’ and ‘Let another take his office.’
What does it say?
(Now [Judas] used his ill-gotten gains to purchase a field, upon which he fell headlong and his body burst open so that his bowels came out. So the field became famous in Jerusalem as ‘Akeldama’, or ‘Field of Blood’.) Just as it is written in the Psalms, ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it;’ and also ‘Let another take his office.’
What is its immediate context?
Jesus has just ascended and the disciples are gathered to replace the apostle Judas. Psalms 69:25 and 109:8 are quoted, both Psalms of David as testified by Peter (vs 16).
How Acts 1:18-20 is applied across Bible answers
Must a New Testament writer always quote in context?
The apostles connect two statements from David in the Psalms with events surrounding the death of Judas and his replacement.
Peter (vs 16) identifies two statements originally made by David. In their original context, David is writing about his enemies in both Psalms 69 and 109. The "his" in David's context refers to his personal enemy(ies), while in Peter's context it's Judas.
