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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_2:5-13
5Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8"And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? 9"Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God." 12And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13But others were mocking and saying, "They are full of sweet wine."
Act_2:5 "devout" This term means "taking hold of something well" (cf. LXX Lev_15:31; Mic_7:2). In the case of first century Judaism, it implies a reverence toward God and the traditions of the Elders (i.e., Oral Traditions, which became the Talmud). These were pious, religious men (cf. Act_8:2; Act_22:12; Luk_2:25). This is similar in meaning to "blameless" used of Noah and Job.
▣ "from every nation under heaven" All male Jews were strongly urged to attend the three major annual feast days (cf. Leviticus 23) at the Temple (cf. Deu_16:16). There were
1. probably pilgrims from all over the Mediterranean area who had come to Jerusalem for Passover and stayed until Pentecost
2. permanent residents who had moved from somewhere outside of Jerusalem (cf. use of the word in Act_4:16; Act_7:24; Act_9:22; Act_9:32)
This has great theological implications (cf. Mat_28:19-20; Luk_24:47; Act_1:8).
Act_2:6 "when this sound occurred" This could refer to (1) the noise of the rushing wind (cf. Act_2:2) or (2) the believers speaking in other languages (cf. Act_2:4).
NASB, NRSV,
NJB "bewildered"
NKJV "confused"
TEV "excited"
This same term is used in the Septuagint in Gen_11:7; Gen_11:9, relating to the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel. I think Pentecost is the symbolic reversal of the nationalism begun at the Tower of Babel, first in punishment for mankind's sinful rejection of God's will to disperse and second for mankind's protection from a one-world government. The Jerome Biblical Commentary, vol. 2, p. 172, further reinforces this view by the use of diamezizô in Act_2:3, which is a rare term, but also used in the Septuagint of Deu_32:8 for dispersion of the Tower of Babel. Believers are no longer separated by nationality! See note at Act_9:22.
▣ "the crowd came together" This implies that this occurred in the Temple area because a great crowd could not fit in a small upper room or in the small streets of Jerusalem.
▣ "And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born" This may have been a miracle of hearing, not necessarily speaking (cf. Act_2:8; Act_2:11). If this many people, all speaking a different language, spoke at the same time it would be confusion. This is the theological reversal of The Tower of Babel (cf. Genesis 11).
This is the Greek term dialektos (cf. Act_2:8), from which we get the English term "dialect." Luke uses this term often in Acts (cf. Act_1:19; Act_2:6; Act_2:8; Act_21:40; Act_22:2; Act_26:14). It is used in the sense of "language." However, in this context, dialect may be the intended meaning. These Jews heard about Jesus in their mother dialect. This was meant to be a confirming sign to them of the truthfulness of the new message about God and its universal inclusion!
Act_2:7; Act_2:12 Notice all the different terms expressing high emotions in this context.
1. sunechô, "bewildered" (Act_2:6)
2. existçmi, "amazed" (Act_2:7)
3. thaumazô, "astonished" (Act_2:7)
4. diaporeô, "perplexed" (Act_2:12)
▣ "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans" This rhetorical question (expecting a "yes" answer) was asked because of their northern accent (i.e., dialect, cf. Mat_26:73). The word "why" reflects the Greek term idou (behold), used twenty three times in Acts and Luke.
Act_2:9 "Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia" All of these groups were from the Fertile Crescent (Mesopotamia), where Abraham was called from (Ur of the Chaldees, cf. Gen_11:28) and from where Israel and Judah had been exiled (Assyrian, Babylonian).
▣ "Judea" Why is Judea listed between two other unrelated countries? Why is it listed without the article, which would be grammatically correct? Why would it surprise people of Judea that Galileans spoke Aramaic? Because of these questions many have that supposed an early scribal error has occurred and this term refers to another nation.
1. Tertullian, Augustine – Armenia
2. Jerome – Syria
3. Chrysostom, Erasmus – India
4. for several modern suggestions see Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, p. 293.
Act_2:9-10 "Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia" These were groups from modern Turkey.
Act_2:10 "Egypt and the district of Libya around Cyrene" These were groups from North Africa.
▣ "from Rome" Jewish pilgrims who were converted on this occasion may have been the origin of the church in Rome.
▣ "proselytes" This refers to Gentile converts to Judaism who were required
1. to keep the Mosaic law
2. that males be circumcised
3. to baptize themselves before witnesses
4. when possible to offer a sacrifice in the Temple
They were present in Jerusalem because all Jewish males were required to attend the three major feast days annually (cf. Exodus 23 and Leviticus 23).
Act_2:11 "Cretans" This was a large island in the Mediterranean close to Turkey. It may have stood as a collective term for all the islands of the Aegean.
▣ "Arabs" This would refer to the descendants of Esau. There were numerous Arab tribes spread out across the southern Near East. This list represented to Jewish people of the first century the entire known world. It may be a metaphor similar to the seventy languages of the world as a Jewish symbol of all humanity (cf. Luke 10). This same idea is expressed in Deu_32:8 in the LXX.
Act_2:12 These pilgrims recognized this special event as a sign of significance. Peter seizes the moment to answer their questions.
Act_2:13 "They are full" This is a Periphrastic perfect passive indicative, which asserts that these disciples had drunk themselves into a state of drunkenness and they remained intoxicated.
▣ "sweet wine" One explanation of the situation was that these followers of Jesus were drunk (cf. Eph_5:18 a). How did drunkenness explain the linguistic abilities? I am sure there was also an atmosphere of excitement and joy.
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