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When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
Acts 2:6 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.
  • KJV Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
  • BSB And when this sound rang out, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking his own language.
  • NKJV And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
  • NASB And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together and they were bewildered, because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Hearing the sound, the crowd gathers and is bewildered to hear the believers speaking their own languages. It shows the miraculous nature of the gift.

Overview

The crowd's bewilderment arises because each hears the gospel in his native tongue. This authenticates the outpouring as a work of God, not human ability. It signals that the message of Christ is for people of every language and nation.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 5

  • 1 Cor 16:9for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
  • Acts 3:11As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.
  • Acts 2:2Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
  • 2 Cor 2:12Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,
  • Matt 2:3When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 2:6YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 2:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.