Acts - 2:12



12 They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, "What does this mean?"

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Acts 2:12.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: What meaneth this?
And they were all amazed and in perplexity, saying one to another, What would this mean?
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one unto another, 'What would this wish to be?'
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What means this?
They were all astounded and bewildered, and asked one another, "What can this mean?"
And they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this?
And they were all astonished, and they wondered, saying to one another: "But what does this mean?"
They were all utterly amazed and bewildered. "What does it mean?" they asked one another.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

Others mocking Hereby it appeareth how monstrous as well the sluggishness, as also the ungodliness of men is, when Satan hath taken away their mind. If God should openly (and visibly) descend from heaven, his majesty could scarce more manifestly appear than in this miracle. Whosoever hath any drop of sound understanding in him must needs be stricken with the only hearing of it. How beastly, then, are those men who see it with their eyes, and yet scoff, and go about with their jests to mock the power of God? But the matter is so. There is nothing so wonderful which those men do not turn to a jest who are touched with no care of God; because they do, even upon set purposes, harden themselves in their ignorance in things most plain. And it is a just punishment of God, which he bringeth upon such pride, to deliver them to Satan, to be driven headlong into blind fury. Wherefore, there is no cause why we should marvel that there be so many at this day so blind in so great light, if they be so deaf when such manifest doctrine is delivered, yea, if they wantonly refuse salvation when it is offered unto them. For if the wonderful and strange works of God, wherein he doth wonderfully set forth his power, be subject to the mockery of men, what shall become of doctrine, which they think tasteth of nothing but of that which is common? Although Luke doth signify unto us that they were not of the worst sort, or altogether past hope, which did laugh (and mock;) but he meant rather to declare how the common sort was affected when they saw this miracle. And truly it hath been always so in the world, for very few have been touched with the true feeling of God as often as he hath revealed himself. Neither is it any marvel; for religion is a rare virtue, and a virtue which few men have; which is, indeed, the beginning of understanding. Nevertheless, howsoever the more part of men, through a certain hard stiff-neckedness, doth reject the consideration of the works of God, yet are they never without fruit, as we may see in this history.

Were in doubt - This expression, διηπόρουν diēporoun, denotes "a state of hesitancy or anxiety about an event." It is applied to those who are traveling, and are ignorant of the way, or who hesitate about the road. They were all astonished at this; they did not know how to understand it or explain it, until some of them supposed that it was merely the effect of new wine.

(2) And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
(2) God's word pierces some in such a way that it drives them to seek out the truth, and it so chokes others that it forces them to be witnesses of their own impudency.

And they were all amazed,.... That is, all these devout men, Jews and proselytes, which came from other nations before mentioned:
and were in doubt; not whether the apostles spoke in various languages, nor about the sense of their words; for they not only heard them with their ears, and were assured of the facts, but they seem also to understand what was said, since they call the things delivered, the great or wonderful things of God; but they were at a loss in their minds what should be the cause of this, or the reason of such a dispensation,
saying, one to another, what meaneth this? from whence is it? what is the design of it? or what the end to be answered by it? or what will follow upon it? surely something considerable.

They were all amazed - All the devout men.

*More commentary available at chapter level.


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