The argument in this verse is very much the same as in 2.29 ff. David did indeed die and his body remained in the grave; therefore the prophecy does not refer to him but to Jesus Christ whom God raised from the dead. Most commentators understand the Greek of verse 36 in the same way as the Good News Translation, that is, for David served God’s purposes in his own time; and then he died. However, it is possible to connect the last clause and then he died with God’s purposes, and so translate “for David served in his own/time; and then he died, as was God’s purpose.” In fact the Greek text may even be understood in a third way, though it makes little sense: “for David served God’s purposes; and then he died in his own time/generation.”

The equivalent of served God’s purposes may in some languages be “did as God had planned for him.”

Suffered decay is equivalent to “his body rotted.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .