Acts 2:12 · Bible study
Acts 2:12 Commentary: 'What Does This Mean?', Pentecost Perplexity
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why the crowd at Pentecost was amazed and perplexed, asking 'What does this mean?', a question that sets the stage for Peter's sermon and echoes whenever God works beyond
Research Summary
- Meaning: The crowd is stunned and at a total loss to explain the miracle they have witnessed, their perplexity is the necessary prelude to Peter’s sermon.
- Key words: ἐξίσταντο (amazed, literally thrown out of place) and διηπόρουν (perplexed, like a traveler lost on the road).
- Main debate: Whether the perplexity is primarily anxiety (Barnes) or honest inquiry (Cambridge, Gill). Both agree it is not doubt about the miracle’s reality.
- Theological theme: Human response to divine revelation, in which wonder can lead to faith or harden into mockery.
- Best use: As a sermon or lesson transition between a demonstration of God’s power and the explanation of its meaning in Christ.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Astounded and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
WEB World English Bible 2000
They were all amazed and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
KJV King James Version 1769
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one unto another, `What would this wish to be?'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And they were all amazed and in perplexity, saying one to another, What would this mean?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: What meaneth this?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y estaban todos atónitos y perplejos, diciendo los unos á los otros: ¿ Qué quiere ser esto?
E todos estavam admirados e confusos, dizendo uns aos outros: O que isso quer dizer?
Ils étaient tous dans l’ étonnement, et, ne sachant que penser, ils se disaient les uns aux autres: Que veut dire ceci?
Sie entsetzten sich aber alle und wurden irre und sprachen einer zu dem andern: Was will das werden?
En zij ontzetten zich allen, en werden twijfelmoedig, zeggende, de een tegen den ander: Wat wil toch dit zijn?
E tutti stupivano ed eran perplessi dicendosi l’uno all’altro: Che vuol esser questo?
I zdumiewali się wszyscy, i dziwowali się, mówiąc jeden do drugiego: Cóż to wżdy ma być?
И изумлялись все и, недоумевая, говорили друг другу: что это значит?
眾人 就 都驚訝 猜疑，彼此 說：「這 是 甚麼 意思呢？」
And they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 2:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the crowd’s response in Acts 2:12 is not doubt about what they saw and heard but honest bewilderment over its meaning. Barnes explains that the Greek verb diēporoun describes someone traveling who is unsure of the path, hesitant, anxious about what comes next. The Cambridge Bible adds that the crowd had no doubt about the facts, only about how to grasp them. Gill notes they understood the apostles were declaring “the wonderful works of God” in their own languages; their perplexity centered on the cause and purpose of such a sign. Vincent confirms that the Revised Version’s “perplexed” captures the sense better than “in doubt.” The crowd is not rejecting what God is doing. They are leaning in, waiting for an explanation. This question, “What does this mean?” becomes the hinge between the miracle and Peter’s sermon, the moment where wonder can turn into faith or, for some, into mockery.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The crowd recognized an unmistakable supernatural event and struggled to understand its meaning, setting up Peter’s explanatory sermon.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the crowd’s perplexity | The crowd was not doubting the reality of the miracle; they clearly heard the apostles speak in their own languages (v. 11). | Barnes stresses the element of anxiety (‘doubt’ in a fearful sense), while Cambridge and Gill emphasize intellectual confusion, the crowd simply couldn’t interpret what they saw. |
| Who asked the question | The question comes from ‘all’ (v. 12) who were amazed and perplexed, distinguishing them from the mockers in v. 13. | Some later readers wonder whether the questioners included proselytes more open to the Spirit’s work, while others see the crowd as a mixed group receiving a uniform initial impression. |
| The question’s role in the narrative | The crowd’s question sets the stage for Peter’s sermon, which quotes Joel and expounds the resurrection. | Charismatic traditions often use this verse to argue that tongues are a sign for unbelievers (1 Cor 14:22). Non-charismatic traditions emphasize Peter’s immediate turn to Scripture for the answer, not the experience itself. |
| The meaning of ‘what does this mean?’ in Greek | The Greek τί ἄν θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι; literally asks ‘what does this intend to be?’, a question about purpose, not just origin. | Some see a hint of eschatological urgency (this is the beginning of the last days), while others read it as a more general request for explanation. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Acts 2 places this scene on the Feast of Pentecost, one of the three great pilgrimage festivals when Jewish men were required to appear before God in Jerusalem. The city swelled with devout Jews from every nation under heaven, Parthia, Media, Egypt, Rome, and beyond. Many were proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism), drawn by the hope of the Messiah and the temple worship. In this crowded, expectant atmosphere, the sound of a violent wind filled the house where the apostles were gathered, and divided tongues of fire rested on each of them (vv. 2, 3). They began speaking in languages they had never learned, declaring the wonders of God.
The “devout men” who gathered (v. 5) were not skeptics. They had come to Jerusalem precisely because they took the worship of God seriously. When they heard the apostles speaking in their own native dialects, they recognized the miracle immediately (v. 8, 11). But recognition does not equal understanding. They knew what was happening, but not why or what it meant for them. The crowd’s question, “What does this mean?”, was the natural cry of people who had just been confronted with something beyond their category system.
The historical context also includes a darker undertone. As Matthew Henry notes, some in the crowd later mocked, “They are filled with new wine” (v. 13). The festival provided sweet new wine, and the mocker’s accusation shows that even glaring miracles can be dismissed by those not ready to listen. Calvin saw this as evidence of human rebellion: when God works plainly, those who harden themselves turn the power into a jest. The Pentacost crowd thus models two responses: the perplexed seeker and the hardened scoffer.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Acts 2:12. The verse is stable across the major Greek manuscripts and early translations, presenting no decisions that affect interpretation.
Reception History
Early church writers such as John Chrysostom saw the crowd’s perplexity as a fitting response to the Holy Spirit’s first outpouring, wonder that prepares the heart for teaching. In the Reformation, Calvin and the Geneva Bible contrasted the questioners with the mockers, using the verse to warn against hardening the heart even when God’s work is plain. Matthew Henry, in the 18th century, drew attention to the devout character of the crowd, showing that even sincere worshippers can be thrown off balance by a fresh act of God. Modern Pentecostal and charismatic movements have often cited this verse to validate the gift of tongues as an initial sign to unbelievers. Across all eras, the verse endures as a picture of the moment when human explanation fails and only God’s word, now spoken through Peter, can supply the meaning.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s work creates honest perplexity. The Spirit’s outpouring was not a tidy, predictable event. It broke into the ordinary feast with violence and fire, leaving even pious worshipers at a loss. Perplexity is not the opposite of faith; it can be the first step toward it.
- Perplexity demands a choice: seek explanation or dismiss with mockery. The same event split the crowd. Some asked, “What does this mean?” (v. 12). Others said, “They are full of sweet wine” (v. 13). The question is open-ended; mockery is closed. Our response to God’s surprising work reveals our posture of heart.
- God answers the seeking heart with Scripture and proclamation. Peter’s sermon (vv. 14, 36) immediately follows the crowd’s question. He quotes Joel, cites Psalms, and explains the resurrection. The meaning the crowd needed was not a feeling or a speculation, it was anchored in God’s already‑spoken word.
Five-point outline
- The setting: a festival of expectation (Pentecost, gathered nations).
- The miracle: supernatural speech in many languages.
- The first response: amazement + perplexity (the question).
- The second response: mockery (the refusal).
- The resolution: Peter’s sermon begins the answer.
Illustration hooks
- A child seeing fireworks for the first time: the child knows something beautiful is happening but doesn’t know why, the same blend of awe and confusion the crowd felt.
- A visitor to a church service where worship is more expressive than they’re used to: they may be moved or confused, “What does this mean?”, until someone explains the worship is response to God’s work.
- Reading a vital news headline in a foreign language: you can see the urgency but you miss the meaning until someone translates. The crowd had the miracle but needed the interpretation.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God sometimes do things that confuse us instead of giving us clear understanding right away?
- How do I know whether my perplexity is honest seeking or a sign that I’m resisting what God is doing?
- What do I do when I’m spiritually “stuck” between amazement and doubt?
Leading a Discussion
Acts 2:12 captures a moment of honest confusion in the face of a spectacular work of God. The crowd has witnessed a miracle, the apostles speaking in languages they never learned, but they cannot yet interpret it. Their question, “What does this mean?” is the same question every person asks when God’s actions outrun their expectations. Use this discussion to explore how we handle spiritual perplexity.
Discussion questions
- Observation: The verse says “they were all amazed and were perplexed.” What do those two words add to the picture of the crowd’s reaction?
- Observation: Compare verse 12 with verse 13. What different responses does the same event produce? What does that tell you about human nature?
- Interpretation: Barnes notes that diēporoun describes someone traveling who doesn’t know the way. How does that image help you understand the crowd’s state of mind?
- Interpretation: The crowd asks “What does this mean?”, not “Is this real?” or “Why are they drunk?”. Why is the question itself significant for what follows in Acts 2:14, 36?
- Application: Think of a time when you felt both amazed and perplexed by something God was doing in your life or church. How did you respond, did you ask, dismiss, or something else?
- Application: How can your small group become a safe place for perplexity, like the honest crowd, rather than a place of quick dismissal?
- Prayer together: Take turns finishing this sentence: “Lord, one thing I don’t understand about You right now is…”
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Luke 15:26 | He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on. |
| Luke 18:36 | Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant. |
| Acts 2:7 | They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? |
| Acts 10:17 | Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate, |
| Acts 17:20 | For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the Greek word for "were in doubt," which pictures travelers who have lost their way and hesitate, uncertain which path to take. The crowd's confusion was not mild puzzlement but deep anxiety. They had no idea how to explain what they were seeing until some resorted to the theory of drunkenness.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights the monstrous human sluggishness and ungodliness that takes over when Satan seizes the mind. He says people can see a miracle as plain as this one yet still mock it, because they deliberately harden themselves against God. Luke is not declaring them hopeless, Calvin adds, but showing how few people truly respond to God’s works.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator clarifies that the original Greek suggests the crowd was perplexed, not doubting the facts. They fully accepted that God's great works were being proclaimed in their own languages, yet they could not understand how this was happening.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the people's mixture of awe and hesitation when faced with the manna. They were not simply curious but genuinely amazed and doubting, asking each other what this strange provision could be, revealing their uncertainty even in the presence of a clear miracle.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the crowd was not confused about what the apostles said; they clearly heard and understood them declaring the wonderful things of God. Their amazement and doubt instead concerned the cause and purpose of this event, leaving them asking what it meant and what would come of it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the makeup of the Pentecost crowd: devout Jews and proselytes from every nation, divided into two classes — those fully admitted to the Jewish church and those who only worshipped the true God without the ceremonial law. Their devotion and diversity prepared them to hear the apostles speaking in their own languages.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent observes that the Greek word used here appears only in Luke's writings and is better rendered "perplexed," as the Revised Version translates it. He draws attention to this distinctive term, noting that it captures a deeper sense of confusion than the common rendering "in doubt."
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
They were all amazed - All the devout men.