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 2:6 mean?

Explanation

Acts 2:6 speaks of a moment during the Day of Pentecost, shortly after Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven. The apostles were gathered together when they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The verse in question reveals the reaction of the multitude that had gathered, likely for the Pentecost festival in Jerusalem. The "noise abroad" likely refers to the sound of the apostles speaking in these tongues, a miraculous event that caught the attention of people around.

The people gathered were "confounded," which means they were amazed and confused, because they were hearing the apostles speak in their own native languages.

This was surprising because the apostles were Galileans and would not have naturally known all these diverse languages.

The deeper meaning here reflects the work of the Holy Spirit in transcending communication barriers and unifying different peoples.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Acts 2:6 occurs during the feast of Pentecost, which is a Jewish festival occurring 50 days after Passover, celebrating the firstfruits of the wheat harvest and also, according to Jewish tradition, commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Pentecost in Christian tradition marks the descent of the Holy Spirit and is often referred to as the "birthday" of the Church.

Jerusalem would have been crowded with Jews from all over the Roman Empire who returned for this major festival, which explains the multitude present from various nations and regions.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this event is seen as the fulfillment of the promise Jesus made about the coming of the Holy Spirit. It signifies the initiation of the spread of the Gospel to all nations, foreshadowing the Great Commission.

It is also seen as a reversal of the Tower of Babel narrative in Genesis, where the unity of language was confounded and people were scattered, while in Acts, diverse languages are brought into unity as the Gospel is understood by people of different tongues.

Different Christian denominations may place varying levels of emphasis on the speaking in tongues.

Some view it as a sign of the Holy Spirit's presence and a gift still active today (Pentecostalism), while others regard it as a miracle relevant to that specific historical setting.

Practical Applications

Practically, Acts 2:6 can inspire believers to recognize the importance of reaching out across cultural and linguistic barriers with the message of the Gospel.

It also encourages the embrace of diversity within the Christian community.

On a more personal level, it may be interpreted as an encouragement that the Holy Spirit can empower individuals in ways that seem impossible, such as speaking to people's needs in a manner they can understand, sometimes even beyond language.

Cross-References

Genesis 11:7-9: The Tower of Babel story where languages were confused and people scattered.
Acts 1:8: Reference to receiving power when the Holy Spirit comes upon the apostles.
Acts 2:11: Further detail on the people hearing the apostles speaking in their own languages.
Mark 16:17: Jesus speaks of new signs that will accompany believers, including speaking in new tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:22: Talks about tongues being a sign for unbelievers, not believers.

Language Study

The key term in Acts 2:6 is "heard" (Greek: ἤκουσαν akousan), which is more than just auditory; it indicates understanding and perception.

Another term worth noting is "confounded" (Greek: συνεχύθη synexythe), which suggests being thrown into confusion or disorder.

This reflects not just an emotional reaction but intellectual amazement.

Also, "speak" (Greek: λαλοῦντες lalountes) in this verse is significant as it indicates active communication and not just the making of sounds.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Within various ancient cultures, the concept of a divine language or the ability for deities to communicate across all human languages is not unique.

In Greek mythology, Hermes, the messenger god, was capable of crossing boundaries and was a divine interpreter.

Meanwhile, in many traditional religions, shamans or priests were believed to communicate with the spirit world in languages unknown to the average person.

This verse may evoke such ideas but places them within a new context defined by the Christian narrative.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the phenomenon described in Acts 2:6 could be related to what is known today as xenoglossy, the supposed paranormal phenomenon in which a person is able to speak or write a language they could not have acquired by natural means.

It could also be considered a miraculous event for which there is no conventional scientific explanation, as it involves a supernatural element of divine intervention.

Commentaries

Various biblical commentaries offer insights into Acts 2:6.

Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the miracle that the apostles could speak in various languages as a sign that the Gospel was for all nations.

The Expositor's Bible Commentary discusses the significance of this manifestation of the Holy Spirit as a reversal of Babel and a sign of the inclusive nature of the Christian message.

John Calvin's Commentary suggests that this linguistic miracle was a temporary sign provided by God to establish the early church and affirm the apostles' authority.

Acts 2

Acts 2

What does Acts 2:6 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 2:6 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?