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Acts 2:5

in Acts 2

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

KJV

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

This verse in Acts 2

Commentary

10 notes on this verse
There were dwelling at Jerusalem - The word rendered “dwelling” - κατοικοῦντες katoikountes - properly means to have a fixed and permanent habitation, in distinction from another word - παροικοῦντες paroikeountes - which means to have a temporary and transient residence in a place. But it is not always confined to this signification; and it is not improbable that many wealthy foreign Jews had a permanent residence in Jerusalem for the convenience of being near the temple. This was the more probable, as about that time the Messiah was expected to appear, Matt.

This site's exposition

from every nation under heaven

on Acts 2:5-8

The speakers are known Galileans, yet each one heard them speaking his own language. The scene answers Babel in Genesis 11: there one language was scattered, and here the nations are gathered to hear.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 4 · Written before 407.

proposed

"And," it says, "there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men." The fact of their dwelling there was a sign of piety: that being of so many nations they should have left country, and home, and relations, and be abiding there.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 4 · Written before 407.

proposed

Now it was in order that they might have it in their power, in compliance with the Law, to appear thrice in the year in the Temple, that they dwelt there, these "devout men from all nations." Observe here, the writer has no intention of flattering them. For he does not say that they pronounced any opinion: but what? "Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded." And well they might be; for they supposed the matter was now coming to an issue against them, on account of the outrage committed against Christ. Conscience also agitated their souls, the very blood being yet upon their hands, and every thing alarmed them.

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

That devout ones show that, having left their homelands and forsaken possessions and houses, they chose to dwell in Jerusalem, so that according to the ancestral law they might offer to God three times in the year.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Acts · Written before 735.

proposed

Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven. I think it fitting to inquire who these were, and from what captivity the Jews. Since indeed the one that was in Egypt or Babylon had already been completed. But the …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

"Devout men." The very fact that, having left their homelands, they dwelt in Jerusalem was a sign of their devoutness. Especially since people who had set out from various countries to take up residence in Jerusalem had left behind homes and relatives. The expression "out …
3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

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

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Devout men, out of every nation - Either by these we are simply to understand Jews who were born in different countries, and had now come up to Jerusalem to be present at the passover, and for purposes of traffic, or proselytes to Judaism, who had come up for the same purpose: for I cannot suppose that the term ανδρες ευλαβεις, devout men, can be applied to any other. At this time there was scarcely a commercial nation under heaven where the Jews had not been scattered for the purpose of trade, merchandize, etc., and from all these nations, it is said, there were persons now present at Jerusalem.

How the passage was read

On Acts 2:1-13

On 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

15 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

    Matthew 24:14

    And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 14:6

      Then I saw another angel flying overhead, with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.

    • Romans 10:18

      But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

    • Romans 16:25–26

      Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past

    • Mark 16:15–16

      And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

    • Luke 24:47

      and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.

  • Through

    Colossians 1:23

    if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul,…

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 3:14

      We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.

    • Hebrews 3:6

      But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.

    • Matthew 24:13–14

      But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies54

About Acts

This page draws on 9 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); Bede, Commentary on Acts; J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 4; 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.