The Meaning of Acts 2:7 Explained

Acts 2:7

KJV: And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

YLT: and they were all amazed, and did wonder, saying one unto another, 'Lo, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

Darby: And all were amazed and wondered, saying, Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galilaeans?

ASV: And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  they were  all  amazed  and  marvelled,  saying  one to another,  Behold,  are  not  all  these  which  speak  Galilaeans? 

What does Acts 2:7 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 2:7

Were amazed [εχισταντο]
Imperfect middle of εχιστημι — existēmi to stand out of themselves, wide-open astonishment. [source]
Marvelled [εταυμαζον]
Imperfect active. The wonder grew and grew. Galileans (Γαλιλαιοι — Galilaioi). There were few followers of Jesus as yet from Jerusalem. The Galileans spoke a rude Aramaic (Mark 14:70) and probably crude Greek vernacular also. They were not strong on language and yet these are the very people who now show such remarkable linguistic powers. These people who have come together are all Jews and therefore know Aramaic and the vernacular Koiné, but there were various local tongues “wherein we were born” (εν ηι εγεννητημεν — en hēi egennēthēmen). An example is the Lycaonian (Acts 14:11). These Galilean Christians are now heard speaking these various local tongues. The lists in Acts 2:9-11 are not linguistic, but geographical and merely illustrate how widespread the Dispersion (Διασπορα — Diaspora) of the Jews was as represented on this occasion. Jews were everywhere, these “Jews among the nations” (Acts 21:21). Page notes four main divisions here: (I) The Eastern or Babylonian, like the Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians. (2) The Syrian like Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia. (3) The Egyptian like Egypt, Libya, Cyrene. (4) The Roman. Jews and proselytes These last from προσερχομαι — proserchomai to come to, to join, Gentile converts to Judaism (circumcision, baptism, sacrifice). This proselyte baptism was immersion as is shown by I. Abrahams (Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels, p. 38). Many remained uncircumcised and were called proselytes of the gate. [source]
Galileans [Γαλιλαιοι]
There were few followers of Jesus as yet from Jerusalem. The Galileans spoke a rude Aramaic (Mark 14:70) and probably crude Greek vernacular also. They were not strong on language and yet these are the very people who now show such remarkable linguistic powers. These people who have come together are all Jews and therefore know Aramaic and the vernacular Koiné, but there were various local tongues “wherein we were born” An example is the Lycaonian (Acts 14:11). These Galilean Christians are now heard speaking these various local tongues. The lists in Acts 2:9-11 are not linguistic, but geographical and merely illustrate how widespread the Dispersion Page notes four main divisions here: (I) The Eastern or Babylonian, like the Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians. (2) The Syrian like Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia. (3) The Egyptian like Egypt, Libya, Cyrene. (4) The Roman. [source]
Jews and proselytes [προσηλυτοι]
These last from προσερχομαι — proserchomai to come to, to join, Gentile converts to Judaism (circumcision, baptism, sacrifice). This proselyte baptism was immersion as is shown by I. Abrahams (Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels, p. 38). Many remained uncircumcised and were called proselytes of the gate. [source]
Amazed and marvelled [ἐξίσταντο καὶ ἐθαύμαζον]
The former word denotes the first overwhelming surprise. The verb is literally to put out of place; hence, out of one's senses. Compare Mark 3:21: “He is beside himself. ” The latter word, marvelled, denotes the continuing wonder; meaning to regard with amazement, and with a suggestion of beginning to speculate on the matter. [source]
Galilaeans []
Not regarded as a sect, for the name was not given to Christians until afterward; but with reference to their nationality. They used a peculiar dialect, which distinguished them from the inhabitants of Judaea. Compare Mark 14:70. They were blamed for neglecting the study of their language, and charged with errors in grammar and ridiculous mispronunciations. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 2:7

Acts 8:9 Bewitched [ἐξιστῶν]
Better as Rev., amazed. See on Acts 2:7. [source]
Acts 10:45 Were amazed []
See on Acts 2:7. [source]
Acts 8:11 Because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries [δια το ικανωι χρονωι ταις μαγιαις εχεστακεναι αυτους]
Causal use of δια — dia with the accusative articular infinitive (perfect active Koiné{[28928]}š form and transitive, εχεστακεναι — exestakenai). Same verb as in Acts 8:9 participle εχιστανων — existanōn and in Acts 8:13 imperfect passive εχιστατο — existato (cf. also Acts 2:7 already). Χρονωι — Chronōi is associative instrumental and μαγιαις — magiais instrumental case. [source]
2 Corinthians 5:13 We are beside ourselves [ἐξέστημεν]
See on Luke 24:22; see on Acts 2:7; and see on the kindred ἔκστασις astonishment Mark 5:42. Some such charge appears to have been made, as at Acts 26:24. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 2:7 mean?

They were amazed then and were marveling saying Not behold all these are who are speaking Galileans
Ἐξίσταντο δὲ καὶ ἐθαύμαζον λέγοντες Οὐχ ἰδοὺ πάντες οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ λαλοῦντες Γαλιλαῖοι

Ἐξίσταντο  They  were  amazed 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐξιστάνω 
Sense: to throw out of position, displace.
ἐθαύμαζον  were  marveling 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐκθαυμάζω 
Sense: to wonder, wonder at, marvel.
λέγοντες  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ἰδοὺ  behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
οὗτοί  these 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
λαλοῦντες  are  speaking 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
Γαλιλαῖοι  Galileans 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: Γαλιλαῖος  
Sense: a native of Galilee.