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 2:32 mean?

Explanation

Acts 2:32 presents a statement from the apostle Peter as he addresses a crowd in Jerusalem during the festival of Pentecost.

He boldly proclaims that Jesus Christ, who had been crucified, was resurrected from the dead, and that this event was witnessed by the apostles themselves.

The literal meaning is clear: Peter is asserting the historical fact of Jesus' resurrection.

On a deeper level, the verse serves to affirm the identity of Jesus as the Messiah and to validate the Christian faith, as the resurrection is a cornerstone belief in Christianity.

It also serves to establish the credibility of the apostles as witnesses who have personally encountered the risen Christ.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Acts 2:32 is situated in the Book of Acts, which outlines the early history of the Christian church following Jesus' ascension.

The book was written by Luke, who is also the author of the Gospel of Luke.

This verse is part of Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost, a Jewish feast day that took place fifty days after Passover.

This event also coincides with the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, marking the beginning of their public ministry.

Peter's speech aims to communicate the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies through Jesus and to call his listeners to repentance and faith.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, Acts 2:32 provides insights into several key doctrines in Christian theology:

Resurrection: It underscores the belief in Jesus' bodily resurrection as a fundamental truth of Christianity. 2.

Witness: The apostles are presented as primary witnesses, giving their testimony a foundational role for the faith. 3.

Christology: The verse supports the view of Jesus as the divine Son of God, whose resurrection signifies His victory over death and sin. 4.

Eschatology: It also looks forward to the end times by pointing to Jesus' resurrection as the first fruits of the general resurrection that believers anticipate.

Different Christian denominations might emphasize various aspects of this verse, but the majority hold the resurrection as an essential tenet of faith.

Practical Applications

Acts 2:32 encourages believers to have confidence in their faith in Jesus Christ. Practical applications include:

Evangelism: Believers are inspired to share the message of the resurrection as central to the Gospel. 2.

Faith: It reinforces the call to trust in eyewitness accounts of the apostles, thus strengthening personal faith. 3.

Hope: In facing death or loss, Christians can find comfort and hope in the resurrection of Christ, which promises eternal life. 4.

Witnessing: It serves as an example of the boldness required to testify one's faith in the face of adversity.

Cross-References

Acts 1:22: "Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection."
1 Corinthians 15:20: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."
Acts 4:33: "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the verb "raised up" (ἀνέστησεν - anestesen) is aorist indicative active, which denotes a punctiliar action, emphasizing the definiteness of the event.

The phrase "whereof we all are witnesses" uses the word "witnesses" (μάρτυρες - martyres), which implies those who bear testimony or provide evidence.

Thus, the language verifies the apostles' roles as actual eyewitnesses to Jesus' resurrection.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparisons can be made with ancient myths that include themes of dying and rising gods, such as the Egyptian mythology of Osiris.

However, in the Christian narrative, Jesus' resurrection is presented as a unique historical event rather than a cyclical or symbolic story.

Moreover, the testimony of witnesses distinguishes the Christian claim from mere mythological assertions.

Scientific Perspectives

The resurrection is not an event that can be evaluated by scientific methods, as it is a supernatural occurrence outside the realm of empirical testing.

Modern scientific understanding presupposes that dead people do not rise, which poses a challenge to the acceptance of miraculous events like the resurrection.

It is at this juncture that faith becomes crucial for belief in such events.

Commentaries

John Stott (Anglican): Stott emphasizes the centrality of the resurrection in Christian proclamation and asserts that the apostolic witness to the resurrection is the strongest historical evidence for the event.
William Barclay (Presbyterian): According to Barclay, the entire Christian faith rests on the fact of the resurrection, and it is the apostles' firsthand experience that undergirds their preaching.
**Craig S.

Keener (Evangelical):** Keener focuses on the historicity and implications of the resurrection as a validation of Jesus' mission and deity, as understood within the context of first-century Jewish expectations.

These commentaries reflect the generally held Christian belief in the historicity and foundational importance of the resurrection of Jesus.

Acts 2

Acts 2

What does Acts 2:32 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 2:32 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?