Acts 2 · Verse 12

Acts 2:12

And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Acts 2:12, King James Version

Acts 2:12 in other translations

BSBAstounded and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
WEBThey were all amazed and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
ASVAnd they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
YLTAnd they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one unto another, ‘What would this wish to be?'
DARBYAnd they were all amazed and in perplexity, saying one to another, What would this mean?
BBEAnd they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this?
WebsterAnd they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

What does Acts 2:12 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. Were in doubt. This expression--διηπορουν-- denotes a state of hesitancy or anxiety about an event. It is applied to those who are travelling, and are ignorant of the way, or who hesitate about the road. They were all astonished at this; they did not know how to understand it or explain it, until some of them supposed it was merely the effect of new wine.

(b) "What meaneth this" Acts 17:20

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 2:5-13

The difference in languages which arose at Babel, has much hindered the spread of knowledge and religion. The instruments whom the Lord first employed in spreading the Christian religion, could have made no progress without this gift, which proved that their authority was from God.

Read the full comment on Acts 2:5-13 →

Acts 2:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐξίσταντοexistantoWere amazedG1839
δὲdethenG1161
πάντεςpantesallG3956
καὶkaiandG2532
διηπόρουνdiēporounthey were perplexedG1280
ἄλλοςallosotherG243
πρὸςprostoG4314
ἄλλονallonotherG243
λέγοντες·legontessaying;G3004
τίtiWhatG5101
θέλειtheleiintendsG2309
τοῦτοtoutothisG3778
εἶναι;einaito be?G1511

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 2:12

  • Acts 17:20

    For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

  • Luke 18:36

    And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.

  • Luke 15:26

    And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

  • Acts 10:17

    Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,

  • Acts 2:7

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

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
What.
10:17; 17:20; Lu 15:26; 18:36

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 2:11

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

  • Acts 2:12

    And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

  • Acts 2:13

    Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

Read all of Acts 2

Acts 2:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y estaban todos atónitos y perplejos, diciendo los unos á los otros: ¿Qué quiere ser esto?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils étaient tous hors d’eux-mêmes et en perplexité, disant l’un à l’autre: Que veut dire ceci?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sie entsetzten sich aber alle und waren in Verlegenheit und sagten einer zum anderen: Was mag dies wohl sein?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Stupebant autem omnes, et mirabantur ad invicem, dicentes: Quidnam vult hoc esse?