Acts 2:4-8

2:4 All ¹  of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages ²  as the Spirit enabled them. ³ 

2:5 Now there were devout Jews ⁴  from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. ⁵  2:6 When this sound ⁶  occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, ⁷  because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said, ⁸  “Aren’t ⁹  all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them ¹⁰  in our own native language? ¹¹ 

[2:4]  ¹ tn Grk “And all.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[2:4]  ² tn The Greek term is γλώσσαις (glwssai"), the same word used for the tongues of fire.

[2:4]  ³ tn Grk “just as the spirit gave them to utter.” The verb ἀποφθέγγομαι (apofqengomai) was used of special utterances in Classical Greek (BDAG 125 s.v.).

[2:5]  ⁴ tn Grk “Jews, devout men.” It is possible that only men are in view here in light of OT commands for Jewish men to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at various times during the year (cf. Exod 23:17, 34:23; Deut 16:16). However, other evidence seems to indicate that both men and women might be in view. Luke 2:41-52 shows that whole families would make the temporary trip to Jerusalem. In addition, it is probable that the audience consisted of families who had taken up permanent residence in Jerusalem. The verb κατοικέω (katoikew) normally means “reside” or “dwell,” and archaeological evidence from tombs in Jerusalem does indicate that many families immigrated to Jerusalem permanently (see B. Witherington, Acts, 135); this would naturally include women. Also, the word ἀνήρ (ajnhr), which usually does mean “male” or “man” (as opposed to woman), sometimes is used generically to mean “a person” (BDAG 79 s.v. 2; cf. Matt 12:41). Given this evidence, then, it is conceivable that the audience in view here is not individual male pilgrims but a mixed group of men and women.

[2:5]  ⁵ tn Grk “Now there were residing in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.”

[2:6]  ⁶ tn Or “this noise.”

[2:6]  ⁷ tn Or “was bewildered.”

[2:7]  ⁸ tn Grk “They were astounded and amazed, saying.” The two imperfect verbs, ἐξίσταντο (existanto) and ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon), show both the surprise and the confusion on the part of the hearers. The verb ἐξίσταντο (from ἐξίστημι, existhmi) often implies an illogical perception or response (BDAG 350 s.v. ἐξίστημι): “to be so astonished as to almost fail to comprehend what one has experienced” (L&N 25.218).

[2:7]  ⁹ tn Grk “Behold, aren’t all these.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[2:8]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “we hear them, each one of us.”

[2:8]  ¹¹ tn Grk “in our own language in which we were born.”