Acts 2:7
in Acts 2Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilæans?
KJV
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?
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This verse in Acts 2
Commentary
11 notes on this verseEverywhere alongside virtue there is vice. Some marveled, others reviled. The former were truly devout; they lived in Jerusalem precisely because the law permitted them to appear three times a year at the temple in Jerusalem.
This site's exposition
from every nation under heaven
on Acts 2:5-8
The crowd is Jews of the dispersion, God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven, gathered in Jerusalem for the feast. The wonder lies in the speaking: the speakers are known Galileans, yet each one heard them speaking his own language, and verses 9 to 11 name the languages. The scene answers Babel in Genesis 11: there one language was scattered, and here the nations are gathered to hear.
This site's exposition
who are speaking Galileans
Albert Barnes explains that Galileans were scorned as unlearned, with a dialect known for being rough, so their speech in foreign languages made the miracle more striking. Matthew Henry sees God choosing the weak things of the world to confound the wise. Theophylact notes that some marveled while others reviled.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
The multitude was perplexed or disturbed, for reasonably they supposed that wondrous things were being shown to them, on account of the bold deeds done concerning Christ, and conscience troubled their souls. And some were murderous in this way; but the devout ones were amazed, …
Since the event had taken place in a house, of course they came together from without. The multitude was confounded: was all in commotion. They marvelled; "Because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were amazed," it says, "and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?" They immediately turned their eyes towards the Apostles.
"Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?" For indeed this was confessed. "And how hear we" so much did the sound alarm them. "Every man in our own tongue," etc. for it found the greater part of the world assembled there.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
); they are despicable men, from whom nothing learned nor polite is to be expected. God chose the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the wise and mighty. Christ was thought to be a Galilean, and his disciples really were so, unlearned and ignorant men.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
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
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they were all amazed, and marvelled,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Galileans - Inhabitants of Galilee. It was remarkable that they should speak in this manner, because: (1) They were ignorant, rude, and uncivilized, Joh 1:46. Hence, the term Galilean was used as an expression of the deepest reproach and contempt, Mar 14:70; Joh 7:52. (2) Their dialect was proverbially barbarous and corrupt, Mar 14:70; Mat 26:73. They were regarded as an outlandish people, unacquainted with other nations and languages, and hence, the amazement that they could address them in the refined language of other people. Their native ignorance was the occasion of making the miracle more striking.
Are not all these - Galileans? - Persons who know no other dialect, save that of their own country. Persons wholly uneducated, and, consequently, naturally ignorant of those languages which they now speak so fluently.
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
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐξίσταντο | existanto | They were amazed | G1839 → | 17 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐθαύμαζον | ethaumazon | were marveling | G2296 → | 43 times |
| λέγοντες | legontes | saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| οὐχ | ouch | Surely | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἰδοὺ | idou | behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| ἅπαντες | hapantes | all | G537 → | 33 times |
| οὗτοί | houtoi | these | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| εἰσιν | eisin | are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| οἱ | hoi | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαλοῦντες | lalountes | are speaking | G2980 → | 294 times |
| Γαλιλαῖοι; | galilaioi | Galileans? | G1057 → | 11 times |
ἐξίσταντοThey were amazed
existantoG1839 →17 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐθαύμαζονwere marveling
ethaumazonG2296 →43 times
λέγοντεςsaying
legontesG3004 →1325 times
οὐχSurely
ouchG3756 →1664 times
ἰδοὺbehold
idouG2400 →200 times
ἅπαντεςall
hapantesG537 →33 times
οὗτοίthese
houtoiG3778 →1381 times
εἰσινare
eisinG1510 →2333 times
οἱwho
hoiG3588 →19766 times
λαλοῦντεςare speaking
lalountesG2980 →294 times
Γαλιλαῖοι;Galileans?
galilaioiG1057 →11 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
Acts 1:11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have…
it leads to
- Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to…
- Mark 13:26
At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
- John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
- Matthew 24:30
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds…
- Revelation 1:7
Through
John 7:52“Aren’t you also from Galilee?” they replied. “Look into it, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.”
it leads to
- John 7:41
Others declared, “This is the Christ.” But still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee?
- John 1:46
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.
- Isaiah 9:1–2
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way…
- John 7:41
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies25
On this chapter
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.