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 2:39 mean?

Explanation

Acts 2:39 presents a promise that is inclusive and expansive.

It is spoken by the Apostle Peter as part of his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, following the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples.

In this verse, the "promise" refers to the gift of the Holy Spirit which Peter says is available not only to his immediate audience but also to their children, to distant generations, and to all whom the Lord will call, regardless of their geographical or cultural background.

This demonstrates the inclusivity of God's salvation and the offer of the Holy Spirit, extending it beyond the immediate community to potentially everyone.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

This verse is situated within the event of Pentecost, which is chronicled in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus.

This event occurred after Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, and marks the beginning of the early Christian church.

Pentecost is a Jewish festival that occurred 50 days after Passover and Peter's audience primarily consisted of devout Jews from various nations who were in Jerusalem to celebrate this festival.

The apostle seized this opportunity to proclaim the crucified and risen Jesus as the Messiah and called his listeners to repentance and the acceptance of the gospel.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse reinforces several key concepts:

Universality of the Gospel: It underscores the idea that the gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone, not limited to a particular ethnicity, race, or social status.
Covenantal Continuity: It implies a connection between the new covenant established by Jesus Christ and the Abrahamic covenant, inclusive of the children of believers.
Efficacy of God's Call: This speaks to the belief that it is God who calls individuals to Himself, a call which cannot be frustrated by human boundaries or limitations.
The Role of the Holy Spirit: The referenced 'promise' ostensibly includes the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers, an important tenet in Christian doctrine.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in practical ways by encouraging inclusiveness within communities of faith, advocating for outreach and evangelism, and fostering openness to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.

Believers are reminded of their responsibility to share their faith with others and to trust in the sovereignty of God to call people to Himself.

It encourages intergenerational faith communities and the importance of nurturing faith in young people.

Cross-References

Joel 2:28 - "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy..."
Isaiah 44:3 - "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:"
Ephesians 2:13 - "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text for this verse include:

'Epangelia' (promise): Often refers to the promises of God, implying not just a spoken commitment but an assurance underpinned by divine faithfulness.
'Teknois' (children): This term naturally refers to offspring but can also be taken metaphorically to mean "those who follow" or disciples.
'Makran' (afar off): This denotes physical distance but can be interpreted to mean those far from Jewish customs or the covenant people.
'Kalesē' (shall call): Highlights the action of God in summoning individuals to Himself, suggesting both selection and invitation.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The inclusive nature of the promise in Acts 2:39 has parallels in other religious texts and cultural myths.

For instance, in the Hindu tradition, the Bhagavad Gita speaks of the divine being accessible to all regardless of caste or creed.

Similarly, universalism can be found in certain strands of Buddhism, which posit that enlightenment is available to all beings.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the notion of 'calling' can be associated with psychological understandings of personal vocation or the human search for purpose and meaning.

While science cannot comment on divine action, it can offer insight into the universal human experience of seeking connection and community, which this verse may be said to address.

Commentaries

According to the Matthew Henry Commentary, this verse affirms the grace of the gospel, which is not confined to any age or nation.

The Pulpit Commentary highlights the universality of the divine invitation and the promise as a fundamental part of the Christian message.

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible also emphasizes that this promise is designed to reach those at the greatest distance, whether geographically, morally, or spiritually.

Acts 2

Acts 2

What does Acts 2:39 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 2:39 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?