Acts 2:10
in Acts 2Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
KJV
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
⋯
This verse in Acts 2
Commentary
13 notes on this verseAnd Roman sojourners. It would be more correctly rendered in Greek as And Roman wanderers, that is, Jews who were living in Rome as foreigners, just as others elsewhere, as mentioned above. For it is shown in the following verse that among those present were …
This site's exposition
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites
on Acts 2:9-11
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites open a fifteen-name catalogue running east to west, Mesopotamia through Asia Minor to Egypt, Cyrene, Rome, Crete and Arabia, the old Assyrian and Babylonian exile lands standing first. The bench reads the list as Luke's map of the harvest to come, the nations of 1:8 already present in their firstfruits, Jews and proselytes together. What they hear is the wonderful works of God, doxology, not yet preaching; the sermon that interprets the sign is Peter's work, and the exposition keeps the order, sign, question, word.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Long after the old ark had overcome the waters of the sea, malicious people wished to extend their tower [of Babel] into heaven. In them, irreligious hearts divided the forms of their speech, and the good will in these arrogant confederates perished with their voice. …
"Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene:" mark how they run from east to west: "and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God."
This nerved the Apostles: for, what it was to speak in the Parthian tongue, they knew not but now learnt from what those said. Here is mention made of nations that were hostile to them, Cretans, Arabians, Egyptians, Persians: and that they would conquer them all was here made manifest. But as to their being in those countries, they were there in captivity, many of them: or else, the doctrines of the Law had become disseminated among the Gentiles in those countries. So then the testimony comes from all quarters: from citizens, from foreigners, from proselytes. "We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." For it was not only that they spoke in their tongues, but the things they spoke were wonderful.
The Medieval Church1 voice
The Jews also and proselytes. Proselytes, that is, they called the newcomers those who, originating from the Gentiles, preferred to choose circumcision and Judaism, as is narrated that Achior did in the book of Judith. Therefore, they say, not only those who were Jews by …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Roman sojourners - Born at Rome, but now living at Jerusalem. These seem to have come to Jerusalem after those who are above mentioned. All of them were partly Jews by birth, and partly proselytes.
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
They took lodgings there, because there was at this time a general expectation of the appearing of the Messiah; for Daniel's weeks had just now expired, the sceptre had departed from Judah, and it was then generally thought that the kingdom of God would immediately appear, Luke xix.
The sermon which Peter preached to them hereupon, wherein he shows that this pouring out of the Spirit was the accomplishment of an Old-Testament promise (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt,.... Phrygia was a country in Asia, and had part of Galatia on the north, Lycaonia, Pisidia, and Mygdonia on the south, and on the east Cappadocia (x); here the Apostle Paul afterwards travelled, and strengthened the Christians; see Act 16:6. Pamphylia, now called Setilia, is another country in Asia, formerly called Mopsopia (y); which had on the west Lycia, and part of Asia, on the north Galatia, on the east Cilicia, and part of Cappadocia, and on the south the sea of Pamphylia (z), of which mention is made in Act 27:
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Phrygia - A country in Asia Minor, southward of Pontus. Pamphylia - The ancient name of the country of Natolia, now called Caramania, between Lycia and Cilicia, near the Mediterranean Sea. Egypt - A very extensive country of African bounded by the Mediterranean on the north; by the Red Sea and the Isthmus of Suez, which divide it from Arabia, on the east; by Abyssinia or Ethiopia on the south; and by the deserts of Barca and Nubia on the west. It was called Mizraim by the ancient Hebrews, and now Mesr by the Arabians.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Parthians, &c.--Beginning with the farthest east, the Parthians, the enumeration proceeds farther and farther westward till it comes to Judea; next come the western countries, from Cappadocia to Pamphylia; then the southern, from Egypt to Cyrene; finally, apart from all geographical consideration, Cretes and Arabians are placed together.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Phrygia, and Pamphylia - These were also two provinces of Asia Minor. Phrygia was surrounded by Galatia, Cappadocia, and Pisidia. Pamphylia was on the Mediterranean, and was bounded north by Pisidia. The language of all these places was doubtless the Greek, more or less pure. In Egypt - This was that extensive country, well known, on the south of the Mediterranean, watered by the Nile. It extends 600 miles from north to south, and from 100 to 120 miles east and west. The language used there was the Coptic tongue. At present the Arabic is spoken. Vast numbers of Jews dwelt in Egypt, and many from that country would be present at the great feasts at Jerusalem. In this country the first translation of the Old Testament was made, which is now called the Septuagint. In the parts of Libya - Libya is a general name for Africa. It properly denoted the region which was near to Egypt; but the Greeks gave the name to all Africa. About Cyrene - This was a region about 500 miles west of Alexandria in Egypt. It was also called Pentapolis, because there were in it five celebrated cities. This country now belongs to Tripoli. Great numbers of Jews resided here. A Jew of this place, Simon by name, was compelled to bear our Saviour’s cross after him to the place of crucifixion, Mat 27:32; Luk 23:26. Some of the Cyrenians are mentioned among the earliest Christians, Act 11:20; Act 13:1. The language which they spoke is not certainly known. Strangers of Rome - This literally means “Romans dwelling or tarrying,” that is, at Jerusalem. It may mean either that they were permanently fixed, or only tarrying at Jerusalem - ὁι ἐπιδημοῦντες Ῥωμαῖοι hoi epidēmōuntes Rōmaioi. They were doubtless Jews who had taken up their residence in Italy, and had come to Jerusalem to attend the great feasts. The language which they spoke was the Latin. […]
How the passage was read
On Acts 2:1-13On Acts 2:1-13
The feast the crowd came for
Pentecost is the Greek name (“fiftieth”) for the feast the Torah calls Weeks, in Hebrew Shavuot: kept fifty days after Passover, when the firstfruits of the wheat harvest were brought to God (Leviticus 23:15–17). That is why devout Jews “from every nation under heaven” fill Jerusalem in this chapter: it was a pilgrimage feast, one of the three yearly appearances.
Jewish tradition also came to keep Shavuot as the anniversary of the giving of the Torah at Sinai; the Talmud states plainly that it is “the day on which the Torah was given” (Pesachim 68b). The synagogue still reads Ruth, the harvest-season story of a Gentile grafted into Israel, at this feast by long custom. On that day, in that city, the Spirit was given and three thousand were gathered in: the resonance is the reader's to weigh.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Leviticus 23:15–17 (the fifty days and the wheat firstfruits) · Pesachim 68b (“the day the Torah was given”) · Rema on Shulchan Arukh OC 490 (Ruth read at Shavuot)
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Φρυγίαν | phrugian | Phrygia | G5435 → | 3 times |
| τε | te | both | G5037 → | 213 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Παμφυλίαν, | pamphulian | Pamphylia, | G3828 → | 5 times |
| Αἴγυπτον | aigupton | Egypt | G125 → | 25 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μέρη | mere | parts | G3313 → | 42 times |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Λιβύης | libues | of Libya | G3033 → | |
| τῆς | tes | that | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κατὰ | kata | [are] around | G2596 → | 468 times |
| Κυρήνην | kurenen | Cyrene | G2957 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπιδημοῦντες | epidemountes | visiting [here] | G1927 → | |
| Ῥωμαῖοι, | rhomaioi | from Rome, | G4514 → | 12 times |
ΦρυγίανPhrygia
phrugianG5435 →3 times
τεboth
teG5037 →213 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
Παμφυλίαν,Pamphylia,
pamphulianG3828 →5 times
ΑἴγυπτονEgypt
aiguptonG125 →25 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
μέρηparts
mereG3313 →42 times
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
Λιβύηςof Libya
libuesG3033 →
τῆςthat
tesG3588 →19766 times
κατὰ[are] around
kataG2596 →468 times
ΚυρήνηνCyrene
kurenenG2957 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἐπιδημοῦντεςvisiting [here]
epidemountesG1927 →
Ῥωμαῖοι,from Rome,
rhomaioiG4514 →12 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 8:23This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will tightly grasp the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for…
it leads to
- Isaiah 55:5
Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory…
- 1 Corinthians 14:25
and the secrets of his heart will be made known. So he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is truly among you!”
- Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge…
- Isaiah 60:3
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
- Acts 13:47–48
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
- Isaiah 55:5
Through
Acts 15:38But Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.
it leads to
- Acts 13:13
After setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions came to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
- Acts 13:13
Through
Acts 13:43After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
it leads to
- Acts 14:22
strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 11:23
When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts.
- Acts 14:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies25
On this chapter
- Afterlife Vocabulary
- Baptism in the Holy Spirit (the Acts Evidence)
- The Twelve
- The Deity of Christ
- The Fall Feasts
- The Hebrew Feasts
- Fire
- Head Coverings
- Jesus on the Holy Spirit
- The Messianic Psalms
- Miracles of Jesus
- The 153 Fish
- Pentecost
- The Suffering Servant
- The Church
- The Day of the LORD: yom YHWH
- The Intertestamental Period
- The Jewish Day and the Watches of the Night
- The Promise of the Father
- The Right Hand
- The Sects of Second Temple Judaism
- Water Baptism
About Acts

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Arator, ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1; Bede, Retractions on Acts; Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 4; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.
