The Meaning of Acts 2:12 Explained

Acts 2:12

KJV: And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

YLT: And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one unto another, 'What would this wish to be?'

Darby: And they were all amazed and in perplexity, saying one to another, What would this mean?

ASV: And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

Discover Acts 2:12

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Acts 2:12?

MEANING: What does Acts 2:12 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Acts 2:12 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Acts 2:12?

What is the context of Acts 2:12?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

What does Acts 2:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 2:1-13 - Speaking In Strange Tongues

The priests in the Temple were offering the first loaves of the new harvest, in celebration of the feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came as the first fruits of our inheritance. Suddenly there was a sound that was heard throughout the city. There was no wind, but the sound of a rushing, mighty wind. Suddenly, as each looked on the rest, he saw their heads crowned with tongues of flame. Each, too, became suddenly aware of a drawing toward the Lord, of a longing to see Him glorified, and of a vast enlargement and enhancement of spiritual joy and power.

When presently the vast crowd collected to know the meaning of the sound, each inspired soul gathered a little knot of hearers, to whom he discoursed of Jesus and the Resurrection; and the hearers heard in their own tongue, the wonderful works of God. The Holy Spirit used the telepathy of mind and heart, so that involuntarily the speaker clothed his thoughts in language borrowed from his hearer's vocabulary. This was the sign of Babel's undoing. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 2

¹ The apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, and speaking various languages,
¹² are admired by some, and derided by others;
¹⁴ whom Peter disproves;
³⁷ he baptizes a great number who were converted;
⁴¹ who afterwards devoutly and charitably converse together;
⁴³ the apostles working many miracles,
⁴⁶ and God daily increasing his church

Greek Commentary for Acts 2:12

Were perplexed [διηπορουντο]
Imperfect middle of διαπορεω diaporeō (δια dia α a privative, πορος poros) to be wholly at a loss. Old verb, but in N.T. only in Luke and Acts. They continued amazed (εχισταντο existanto) and puzzled. [source]

What meaneth this? [Τι τελει τουτο ειναι]
Literally, what does this wish to be? [source]

Were in doubt [διηπόρουν]
Used by Luke only. See on Luke 9:7. Better, as Rev., perplexed. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 2:12

Acts 10:17 Was much perplexed in himself [en heautōi diēporei)]
Imperfect active of diaporeō intensive compound (dia thoroughly, and a privative and poros way), to be completely at a loss to know what road to take. Old verb, but in N.T. only in Luke and Acts. Page notes that Luke is singularly fond of verbs compounded with dia See note on Luke 9:7 and note on Acts 2:12. When out of the ecstasy he was more puzzled than ever. [source]

Acts 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing and some another [αλλοι μεν ουν αλλο τι εκραζον]
This classical use of αλλος αλλο allos allo (Robertson, Grammar, p. 747) appears also in Acts 2:12; Acts 21:34. Literally, “others cried another thing.” The imperfect shows the repetition (kept on crying) and confusion which is also distinctly stated. [source]

Acts 5:24 They were much perplexed [διηπορουν]
Imperfect active of διαπορεω diaporeō old verb by Luke only in the N.T. See note on Acts 2:12. They continued puzzled. [source]

2 John 1:9 Of Christ []
Not the teaching concerning Christ, but the teaching of Christ Himself and of His apostles. See Hebrews 2:3. So according to New Testament usage. See John 18:19; Acts 2:12; Revelation 2:14, Revelation 2:15. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 2:12 mean?

Were amazed then all and were perplexed other to other saying What wishes this to be

Ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηπόρουν ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες Τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι

Ἐξίσταντο	Were amazed
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural Root: ἐξιστάνω Sense: to throw out of position, displace.
διηπόρουν	were perplexed
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: διαπορέω Sense: to be entirely at loss, to be in perplexity.
ἄλλος	other
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ἄλλος Sense: another, other.
ἄλλον	other
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: ἄλλος Sense: another, other.
λέγοντες	saying
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: λέγω Sense: to say, to speak.
θέλει	wishes
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: θέλω Sense: to will, have in mind, intend.
τοῦτο	this
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Singular Root: οὗτος Sense: this.
εἶναι	to be
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.

What are the major concepts related to Acts 2:12?

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Similar Scriptures for Acts 2:12

		Acts 10:17 [2]
		Acts 17:20 [2]
		Luke 15:26 [2]
		Acts 2:7 [2]
		Luke 18:36 [2]