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Acts 2:43

in Acts 2

A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

KJV

And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

This verse in Acts 2

Commentary

9 notes on this verse
And fear came - That is, there was great reverence or awe. The multitude had just before derided them Act 2:13; but so striking and manifest was the power of God on this occasion, that it silenced all clamors, and produced a general veneration and awe. The effect of a great work of God’s grace is commonly to produce an unusual seriousness and solemnity in a community, even among those who are not converted. It restrains, subdues, and silences opposition.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 7 · Written before 407.

proposed

"And fear came upon every soul": of those that believed. For they did not despise the Apostles, like common men, nor did they fix their regard on that which was visible merely. Verily, their thoughts were kindled into a glow. And as Peter had before spoken much, and declared the promises, and the things to come, well might they be beside themselves with fear. The wonders also bore witness to the words: "Many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles." As was the case with Christ; first there were signs, then teaching, then wonders; so was it now.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 7 · Written before 407.

proposed

"And fear came upon every soul": clearly, of those, as well, who did not believe; namely, upon seeing so great a change all at once effected, and besides in consequence of the miracles.

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

For they did not despise those who happened to be there, but because Peter was a great figure, flowing from above, and showing the things to come by his promises, they were rightly afraid. For the works bore witness to the word. Just as before …

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

"There was... fear on every soul," because they did not disregard what was happening as something accidental. Since Peter was filled with abundant grace and was revealing the promises and the future, it was very natural that they were seized with fear, especially since he …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

But it was at Jerusalem, because this had been the place which God chose, to put his name there, and the prophecy was that thence the word of the Lord should go forth to all nations, Isa. ii. It was now the place of the general rendezvous of all devout people: here God had promised to meet them and bless them; here therefore he meets them with this blessing of blessings.
3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Upon every inhabitant of Jerusalem, at least upon a great many of them; and upon all, or the greater part of them that saw, and heard these things; that heard the apostles speak with divers tongues, and Peter preach in the awful manner he did, and saw so many thousands at once embrace the Gospel of Christ, and profess his name, when it now, by reason of his crucifixion but a few weeks ago, lay under the greatest reproach and scandal; and such a number baptized in water; and also because of the miracles done by the apostles, after mentioned.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

they that gladly received his word were baptized--"It is difficult to say how three thousand could be baptized in one day, according to the old practice of a complete submersion; and the more as in Jerusalem there was no water at hand except Kidron and a few pools.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+odd-straight-quotes

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

And fear came upon every soul - Different MSS. and versions read this clause thus, And Great fear and Trembling came upon every soul in Jerusalem. For several weeks past they had a series of the most astonishing miracles wrought before their eyes; they were puzzled and confounded at the manner in which the apostles preached, who charged them home with the deliberate murder of Jesus Christ, and who attested, in the most positive manner, that he was risen from the dead, and that God had sent down that mighty effusion of the Spirit which they now witnessed as a proof of his resurrection and ascension, and that this very person whom they had crucified was appointed by God to be the Judge of quick and dead. They were in consequences stung with remorse, and were apprehensive of the judgments of God; and the wonders and signs continually wrought by the apostles were at once proofs of the celestial origin of their doctrine and mission, and of their own baseness, perfidy, and wickedness.

The words behind it

14 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    John 14:12

    Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 21:21

      “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain,…

    • Mark 16:17

      And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

    • Luke 10:17–19

      The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.”

    • Acts 16:18

      She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And…

  • Through

    Mark 16:17

    And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

    it leads to

    • Acts 5:16

      Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

    • 1 Corinthians 12:28

      And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.

    • Acts 8:7

      With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed.

    • Luke 10:17

      The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.”

Where this verse is studied

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About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 7; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.