Acts 2

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

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

But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

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:

And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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:

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

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:

Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

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.

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;

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

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.

For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

What does Acts 2:3 mean?

Explanation

Acts 2:3 describes a supernatural event that took place on the day of Pentecost.

Early Christians, including the apostles, were gathered in Jerusalem when what seemed to be flames of fire appeared and separated, resting on each individual present.

The "tongues like as of fire" symbolically represents the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The tongues being "cloven" or divided suggests that the Holy Spirit was imparting gifts individually to each person.

This event was a fulfillment of the promise Jesus gave to send the Holy Spirit to empower his followers after His ascension into heaven.

The imagery of fire often symbolizes purification, presence of God, and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

The manifestation of these fiery tongues indicated a powerful spiritual experience and the commissioning of the apostles for their missionary work.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The event described in Acts 2:3 occurred during the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which was celebrated fifty days after Passover and was also known as the Feast of Weeks.

This festival was one of three major feasts when Jews made pilgrimages to the Temple in Jerusalem.

The early followers of Jesus were Jews who continued to observe these traditional feasts.

This particular Pentecost was significant as it marked the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the followers of Jesus, symbolizing the birth of the Christian church.

Theological Insights

Various theological perspectives interpret this verse differently:

Traditional Christian View: This is seen as the fulfillment of the prophecy made by Jesus that He would send the Holy Spirit to guide and empower His disciples (John 14:26, 16:7).

The Holy Spirit's arrival marked the formal inauguration of the Christian Church.

Pentecostal View: Pentecostals particularly emphasize the experiential aspect of this verse, viewing the event as a model for a personal baptism in the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues and prophesying, which they seek in their spiritual life.
Reformed View: Some Reformed theologians may stress the sovereignty of God in the distribution of the Holy Spirit's gifts, and they may see this event as a unique, non-repeatable foundational moment in the history of the church.
Catholic View: Catholicism sees the Pentecost as the birthday of the church and recognizes the sacramental aspect, where the confirmation imparts the Holy Spirit in a manner that continues the grace first received at baptism.

Practical Applications

Spiritual Gifts: Believers can take from this verse that the Holy Spirit gifts individuals in unique ways for the common good of the community and for specific roles within the church.
Unity and Diversity: The verse illustrates diversity within unity, as the one Spirit gives various gifts and unites people from different cultures and languages.
Empowerment: It serves as an encouragement for believers to seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for effective witness and service in their communities and beyond.

Cross-References

Acts 1:8: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you..."
Acts 2:4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
John 14:26: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name..."
Joel 2:28-29: "...I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy..."

Language Study

"Tongues" (Greek: γλῶσσαι - glossai): Traditionally means languages; in this context, it is often understood to mean utterances or expressions given by the Holy Spirit.
"Like as of fire" (Greek: πυρὶ - puri): The simile "as of fire" indicates the appearance of the tongues, not that they were actual physical flames, but that they bore resemblance.
"Cloven" (Greek: διαμεριζόμεναι - diamerizomenai): Means divided or distributed, which indicates the individual and personal nature of the Holy Spirit's filling.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In different religious traditions, fire often symbolizes divine presence, purification, and enlightenment.

For example:

Judaism: Moses encountering God in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2).
Hinduism: Fire (Agni) has a holy significance and is present in various rites as a means of purification.
Zoroastrianism: Fire is a central symbol of truth and the divine.

Acts 2:3's portrayal of fire can be compared with these in terms of representing divine power and presence.

Scientific Perspectives

The scientific community typically does not interpret religious experiences as empirical events but may study them as psychological phenomena.

The vision of "cloven tongues like as of fire" could be understood from a neuropsychological perspective as a form of collective religious experience or vision, influenced by the cultural and religious expectations of the participants.

Commentaries

Many Bible scholars and commentators have provided insight on Acts 2:3, including:

Matthew Henry: He states that the flame was an emblem of the Holy Spirit, signifying the light of the Gospel and the fervency of the apostles.
William Barclay: He notes the dual symbolism of wind and fire as representative of the Spirit's power and purity.
John Calvin: He emphasizes the universality of the Spirit's gifts to the church and the importance of this event for the spread of the Gospel.
**F.F.

Bruce:** He discusses the phenomenon as the sign of the new era inaugurated by the death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus.

These commentaries often highlight the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the significance of Pentecost in the history of Christian mission.

Acts 2

Acts 2

What does Acts 2:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 2:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?