Acts 2:3

Acts 2:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
• New International Version (NIV)They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.

Context of Acts 2:3

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

Acts 2:3 word by word

καὶ ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς διαμεριζόμεναι γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρὸς ἐφ᾽ ἕνα ἕκαστον αὐτῶνRead the interlinear

• ·καίkai · andG2532
• Theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• tonguesγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
• likeὡσείhōsei · like/as/aboutG5616
• flames of fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
• that separatedδιαμερίζωdiamerizō · to divideG1266
• came to restκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• eachἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
• eachεἷςheis · oneG1520

Cross-references for Acts 2:3

• Acts 2:4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
• Genesis 11:6And the LORD said, “If they have begun to do this as one people speaking the same language, then nothing they devise will be beyond them.
• Psalms 55:9O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
• 1 Corinthians 12:10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
• Revelation 14:6Then 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.
• Isaiah 6:5Then I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”
• Jeremiah 23:29“Is not My word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that smashes a rock?”
• Malachi 3:2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.
• Matthew 3:11I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
• Luke 24:32They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
• James 3:6The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
• Revelation 11:3And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
• Acts 1:15In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,
• Isaiah 11:2The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
• Matthew 3:15“Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.
• John 1:32Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him.

Commentaries on Acts 2:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Cloven tongues like as of fire - The tongues were the emblem of the languages they were to speak. The cloven tongues pointed out the diversity of those languages; and the fire seemed to intimate that the whole would be a spiritual gift, and be the means of bringing light and life to the souls who should hear them preach the everlasting Gospel in those languages. Sat upon each of them - Scintillations, coruscations, or flashes of fire, were probably at…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And there appeared unto them - There were seen by them, or they saw. The fire was first seen by them in the room before it rested in the form of tongues on the heads of the disciples. Perhaps the fire appeared at first as scintillations or coruscations, until it became fixed on their heads. Tongues - ͂ glōssaiThe word “tongue” occurs often in the Scriptures to denote the member which is the instrument of taste and speech, and also to denote “language” or…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4Jews observed three traditional annual festivals. Many people traveled to the temple in Jerusalem for these feasts (see Leviticus 23:1–44): The Feast of Unleavened Bread (which includes Passover) The Feast of Weeks (also called Pentecost or the Feast of Harvest) The Feast of Tabernacles On Pentecost, Jewish people gathered in Jerusalem to thank God for the harvest and his blessings. At the same time, the disciples of Jesus gathered together in prayer with…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-131-4. when the day of Pentecost was fully come--The fiftieth from the morrow after the first Passover sabbath (Le 23:15, 16). with one accord--the solemnity of the day, perhaps, unconsciously raising their expectations.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 2:3

• Baptism
• Feasts
• Fire
• Holy Spirit
• Minister, Christian
• Miracles
• Orator
• Power
• Prophets
• Readings, Select
• Revivals
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Tongue
• Vision
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Approve
• Confound
• Determinate
• Exhort
• Fire
• Gladness
• Messiah
• Miracle
• Notable
• Pentecost

Commentaries on Acts 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings