Acts 2:4

Acts 2:4

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

a. ASV: And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

b. YLT: And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, according as the Spirit was giving them to declare.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues), as the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expression [in each tongue in appropriate words].

1. “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost…”

a. And [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2532 in the following manner: and (8,173x), also (514x), even (108x), both (43x), then (20x), so (18x), likewise (13x), not tr. (350x), miscellaneous (31x), vr and (1x).]

b. [they were] all [Strong: 537 hápas, hap'-as; from G1 (as a particle of union) and G3956; absolutely all or (singular) every one:—all (things), every (one), whole.] [The KJV translates Strong's G537 in the following manner: all (34x), all things (5x), whole (3x), every one (1x), every (1x).]

c. filled [Strong: 4130 plḗthō, play'-tho; a prolonged form of a primary πλέω pléō pleh'-o (which appears only as an alternate in certain tenses and in the reduplicated form pimplemi); to "fill" (literally or figuratively (imbue, influence, supply)); specially, to fulfil (time):—accomplish, full (…come), furnish.] [The KJV translates Strong's G4130 in the following manner: fill (18x), accomplish (4x), furnish (1x), full ... come (1x).]

d. [with the] Holy [Strong: 40 hágios, hag'-ee-os; from ἅγος hágos (an awful thing) (compare G53, G2282); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):—(most) holy (one, thing), saint.] [The KJV translates Strong's G40 in the following manner: holy (161x), saints (61x), Holy One (4x), miscellaneous (3x).]

e. Ghost [Strong: 4151 pneûma, pnyoo'-mah; from G4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:—ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.] [The KJV translates Strong's G4151 in the following manner: Spirit (111x), Holy Ghost (89x), Spirit (of God) (13x), Spirit (of the Lord) (5x), (My) Spirit (3x), Spirit (of truth) (3x), Spirit (of Christ) (2x), human (spirit) (49x), (evil) spirit (47x), spirit (general) (26x), spirit (8x), (Jesus' own) spirit (6x), (Jesus' own) ghost (2x), miscellaneous (21x).]

1). They were all filled, all 120.

a). Acts 1:12-15 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

1:13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

2. “…and began to speak with other tongues…”

a. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2532 in the following manner: and (8,173x), also (514x), even (108x), both (43x), then (20x), so (18x), likewise (13x), not tr. (350x), miscellaneous (31x), vr and (1x).

b. began [Strong: 756 árchomai, ar'-khom-ahee; middle voice of G757 (through the implication, of precedence); to commence (in order of time):—(rehearse from the) begin(-ning).] [The KJV translates Strong's G756 in the following manner: begin (83x), rehearse from the beginning (1x).]

c. [to] speak [Strong: 2980 laléō, lal-eh'-o; a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. utter words:—preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter. Compare G3004.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2980 in the following manner: speak (244x), say (15x), tell (12x), talk (11x), preach (6x), utter (4x), miscellaneous (3x), vr speak (1x).]

d. [with] other [Strong: 2087 héteros, het'-er-os; of uncertain affinity; (an-, the) other or different:—altered, else, next (day), one, (an-)other, some, strange.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2087 in the following manner: another (43x), other (42x), other thing (3x), some (2x), next day (2x), miscellaneous (7x).]

e. tongues [Strong: 1100 glōssa, gloce-sah'; of uncertain affinity; the tongue; by implication, a language (specially, one naturally unacquired):—tongue.] [The KJV translates Strong's G1100 in the following manner: tongue (50x).]

1). This is the second reference to speaking in tongues in the New Testament. The first of course is what Jesus was referring to immediately before He ascended into heaven.

a). Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

2). It was the Spirit giving the utterance. In his sermon Peter declared this was a fulfillment of a prophecy in Joel.

a). Acts 2:14-21 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

2:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

3). The actual prophecy is in Joel.

a). Joel 2:28-32 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

2:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

2:30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

4). Sometimes the utterance is a known language as in Acts 2:6-11 where the disciples preached the wonderful works of God in foreign languages of all those who were present without the disciples learning the languages.

a). Acts 2:6-11 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

5). Sometimes it is an unknown language, perhaps a language of angels.

a). 1 Corinthians 14:2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

b). 1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

3. “…as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

a. as [Strong: 2531 kathṓs, kath-oce'; from G2596 and G5613; just (or inasmuch) as, that:—according to, (according, even) as, how, when.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2531 in the following manner: as (138x), even as (36x), according as (4x), when (1x), according to (1x), how (1x), as well as (with G2532) (1x).]

b. [as the] Spirit [Strong: 4151 pneûma, pnyoo'-mah; from G4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:—ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.] [The KJV translates Strong's G4151 in the following manner: Spirit (111x), Holy Ghost (89x), Spirit (of God) (13x), Spirit (of the Lord) (5x), (My) Spirit (3x), Spirit (of truth) (3x), Spirit (of Christ) (2x), human (spirit) (49x), (evil) spirit (47x), spirit (general) (26x), spirit (8x), (Jesus' own) spirit (6x), (Jesus' own) ghost (2x), miscellaneous (21x).]

c. gave [Strong: 1325 dídōmi, did'-o-mee; a prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternative in most of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection):—adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield.] [The KJV translates Strong's G1325 in the following manner: give (365x), grant (10x), put (5x), show (4x), deliver (2x), make (2x), miscellaneous (25x).]

d. them [Strong: 846 autós, ow-tos'; from the particle αὖ aû (perhaps akin to the base of G109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:—her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.] [The KJV translates Strong's G846 in the following manner: him (1,952x), his (1,084x), their (318x), he (252x), her (242x), they (121x), same (80x), himself (58x), miscellaneous (1,678x).]

e. utterance [Strong: 669 apophthéngomai, ap-of-theng'-om-ahee; from G575 and G5350; to enunciate plainly, i.e. declare:—say, speak forth, utterance.] [The KJV translates Strong's G669 in the following manner: utterance (1x), speak forth (1x), say (1x).]

1). It is the Holy Ghost that gives the utterance.

a). Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

b). In the above verse, our weakness is that we do not know what we should pray for, we cannot utter what we should pray for because it is our weakness. The Holy Ghost makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. He gave the utterance in Acts 2:4 and He gives the utterance in Romans 8:26.

2). 1 Corinthians 14:2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

a). In this verse, the man praying in tongues is not speaking to men; he is speaking to God. No man understands him because he is speaking mysteries in the spirit. The person he is speaking to, God and He does understand what he is saying, because Romans 8:27 declares,  “he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”