Disciples Speaking in Tongues at PentecostBible World
2:10Acts 2:10
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Acts 2:10 names part of the devout men out of every nation under heaven who were dwelling at Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. Their coming from Egypt, Libya about Cyrene, Rome and other distant regions shows how widely the Jews were scattered and gathered at that center of influence. After united prayer the disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance, so every man heard in his own birth tongue the wonderful works of God. That hearing in their own language was to carry conviction that would go broadcast everywhere as they returned home. Those who heard carried repentance, forgiveness of sins, and the testimony of Christ's death and resurrection back to their homes, spreading the truth among many nations and classes of people.
Nations Present at Pentecost
The list names Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, among the devout men out of every nation under heaven dwelling at Jerusalem for the great religious festival of Pentecost. They were part of the multitude that heard Galileans speak the wonderful works of God, every man in his own birth tongue wherein he was born, so that the multitude was confounded, amazed and marvelled, asking what it means. This came after days together confessing sins and praying for the Holy Spirit, with united prayer and supplication with one accord in the upper room, when they were filled with the Holy Ghost with a sound as of a rushing mighty wind and cloven tongues like as of fire sitting on each of them, and spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance in languages unknown to themselves but understood by the hearers. God used the disciples on this occasion to give these assembled multitudes the message of the risen Saviour, proclaiming the risen Christ to this diverse gathering, in fulfillment of Christ's command to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and receive power to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth, after forty days of infallible proofs and teaching about the kingdom of God. Afterward many received the message, were baptized, and joined the believers.
Their presence from Egypt, the region of Libya around Cyrene, Rome, and other distant regions showed how widely the Jews were scattered and that the audience for the apostles' witness included people from many distant places and many nations. The miraculous ability to speak many languages enabled the apostles to proclaim the gospel across those language differences to people from many nations. Their gathering with the other named peoples shows Jerusalem in the days of the apostles was a great center of influence and a center from which the gospel message would shine widely, illustrating the worldwide reach of the Jewish gathering for a feast.
Jews came to Jerusalem to worship at the time of the annual festivals, and there light from heaven was to shine in its most powerful rays upon the Lord's witnesses as they began to bear the gospel message. In the busy years of ministry that followed the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter joined others in putting forth untiring efforts to reach these visiting Jews.
The gathering belonged to the opening of the Christian age, when the early church was harmoniously united, all with one accord in one place, and the Spirit of God worked and wrought mightily among them. Then the Holy Spirit was poured out and spiritual gifts were manifested.
Spirit Enabled Multilingual Witness
After days spent together confessing sins and praying with one accord in the upper room for the Holy Spirit, the disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost amid a sound as of a rushing mighty wind with cloven tongues like as of fire sitting upon each of them, and they spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. Every man then heard in his own birth tongue wherein he was born the wonderful works of God, including the Phrygians and Pamphylians, the Egyptians and those of the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and the strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, with the other devout men out of every nation under heaven dwelling at Jerusalem for the feast. The multitude was thus confounded and amazed and marvelled, asking what it meant. This was done in fulfillment of Christ's command after forty days of infallible proofs and teaching about the kingdom of God to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and to receive power to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.
The Holy Spirit thereby enabled Galilean disciples to communicate the gospel of the risen Saviour accurately across language differences to people from many nations. They spoke languages unknown to themselves but understood by the hearers, so the apostles were heard in the hearers' own languages. In this way the primitive church's missionaries were miraculously given the languages they needed to proclaim Christ to people from other nations, including Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene and visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism. The diverse crowd of Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya near Cyrene, and Rome was thus part of the multilingual audience reached when the gospel was proclaimed across language barriers.
Hearing in their own tongue was to carry conviction to those of the different nationalities gathered at Pentecost, and that conviction would go broadcast everywhere as they carried it. The same kind of representation with many nationalities hearing will come again when God's people follow on to know the Lord. The event marked the beginning of the promised outpouring of the Spirit and fulfilled the part of Joel's prophecy about that outpouring. Its public manifestation points to the prophesied period in which heaven gives God's people revelations through warnings, reproofs, and explanations of Scripture so that all may understand the time they have reached and remain watchful.
The disciples preached Christ with new power, and signs and wonders confirmed their words. When the Holy Spirit came upon them of one accord and one mind very soon after Christ's ascension, every man heard the Word spoken in his own language as the people took hold of the Word that had been declared during Christ's ministry. Many received the message, thousands were converted in a day and openly accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah, and those baptized joined the believers. This history of the early church at Pentecost is to instruct God's people in later times. The same blessings the early disciples received can be received now by consecration to God, working in harmony with His Word, exalting the Word and honoring its precepts by a consistent course of action, claimed on compliance with the conditions, for sinners are to be converted and believers have something to do in it through the self-denying life of Christ, taking the Bible from house to house, waking from stupor and indifference in this judgment hour, and not stopping short of full duty and of covenant with God by sacrifice.
Message Carried to World
Those who came to the feast heard the disciples speaking in languages they understood and testifying about Christ, his death and resurrection, repentance and forgiveness of sins, and the events of Pentecost itself. Those hearers included people identified with Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the region of Libya about Cyrene, and Rome, both Jews and proselytes gathered in Jerusalem for the festivals. The apostles preached Christ there, and those who were converted carried the truths they received back to their homes and shared them among their own people. In this way the truth was spread among many nations and classes of people and of society through those returning visitors carrying the news of the gospel to those places.
The gathering of so many countries and languages shows that God's work reaches people of every country and speech. In the last days there is a large work to be done among people of all languages, so every soul who believes the truth for this time, whatever his country or speech, should gain an intelligent knowledge of the truths of the third angel's message in order to do intelligent work for God. All who come into right relation to God, search the Scriptures, and walk humbly will have understanding opened and will receive power to work for God, because a mighty power is at work in the world and heaven will cooperate with those who do the Lord's work.
The multinational gathering stood very soon after Christ's ascension, when the disciples' prayers ascended to God and they were of one accord and one mind, the Holy Spirit came upon them, every man heard the Word in his own language, the disciples went out and preached the Word everywhere, the people took hold of the Word declared during Christ's ministry, and thousands were converted in a day. The same blessings the early disciples received can be received now by consecration to God, working in harmony with His Word, exalting the Word and honoring its precepts by a consistent course of action, claimed on compliance with the conditions. The same Spirit is needed now, which means living the self-denying life of Christ, taking the Bible from house to house and reading to people to bring many souls to knowledge of the truth, waking from stupor and indifference and not sleeping in this judgment hour, and fearing to stop short of full duty and of covenant with God by sacrifice, since sinners are to be converted and believers have something to do in it.
Where such a center of influence gathered the nations, as Jerusalem did at Pentecost with Jews and proselytes from Phrygia and Pamphylia, from Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, light from heaven was to shine in its most powerful rays upon the Lord's witnesses, as the whole second chapter of Acts shows. One of the first duties in proclaiming the gospel is therefore to make at the nation's capital a special representation of the truth for this time. Applied to the present, this requires establishing one signal memorial in Washington and no longer passing by and neglecting that city, since such neglect is unfaithful stewardship of that part of the Lord's vineyard.
Acts 2:10 names part of the devout men out of every nation under heaven who were dwelling at Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. Their coming from Egypt, Libya about Cyrene, Rome and other distant regions shows how widely the Jews were scattered and gathered at that center of influence. After united prayer the disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance, so every man heard in his own birth tongue the wonderful works of God. That hearing in their own language was to carry conviction that would go broadcast everywhere as they returned home. Those who heard carried repentance, forgiveness of sins, and the testimony of Christ's death and resurrection back to their homes, spreading the truth among many nations and classes of people.
Nations Present at Pentecost
The list names Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, among the devout men out of every nation under heaven dwelling at Jerusalem for the great religious festival of Pentecost. They were part of the multitude that heard Galileans speak the wonderful works of God, every man in his own birth tongue wherein he was born, so that the multitude was confounded, amazed and marvelled, asking what it means. This came after days together confessing sins and praying for the Holy Spirit, with united prayer and supplication with one accord in the upper room, when they were filled with the Holy Ghost with a sound as of a rushing mighty wind and cloven tongues like as of fire sitting on each of them, and spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance in languages unknown to themselves but understood by the hearers. God used the disciples on this occasion to give these assembled multitudes the message of the risen Saviour, proclaiming the risen Christ to this diverse gathering, in fulfillment of Christ's command to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and receive power to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth, after forty days of infallible proofs and teaching about the kingdom of God. Afterward many received the message, were baptized, and joined the believers.
Their presence from Egypt, the region of Libya around Cyrene, Rome, and other distant regions showed how widely the Jews were scattered and that the audience for the apostles' witness included people from many distant places and many nations. The miraculous ability to speak many languages enabled the apostles to proclaim the gospel across those language differences to people from many nations. Their gathering with the other named peoples shows Jerusalem in the days of the apostles was a great center of influence and a center from which the gospel message would shine widely, illustrating the worldwide reach of the Jewish gathering for a feast.
Jews came to Jerusalem to worship at the time of the annual festivals, and there light from heaven was to shine in its most powerful rays upon the Lord's witnesses as they began to bear the gospel message. In the busy years of ministry that followed the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter joined others in putting forth untiring efforts to reach these visiting Jews.
The gathering belonged to the opening of the Christian age, when the early church was harmoniously united, all with one accord in one place, and the Spirit of God worked and wrought mightily among them. Then the Holy Spirit was poured out and spiritual gifts were manifested.
Spirit Enabled Multilingual Witness
After days spent together confessing sins and praying with one accord in the upper room for the Holy Spirit, the disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost amid a sound as of a rushing mighty wind with cloven tongues like as of fire sitting upon each of them, and they spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. Every man then heard in his own birth tongue wherein he was born the wonderful works of God, including the Phrygians and Pamphylians, the Egyptians and those of the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and the strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, with the other devout men out of every nation under heaven dwelling at Jerusalem for the feast. The multitude was thus confounded and amazed and marvelled, asking what it meant. This was done in fulfillment of Christ's command after forty days of infallible proofs and teaching about the kingdom of God to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and to receive power to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.
The Holy Spirit thereby enabled Galilean disciples to communicate the gospel of the risen Saviour accurately across language differences to people from many nations. They spoke languages unknown to themselves but understood by the hearers, so the apostles were heard in the hearers' own languages. In this way the primitive church's missionaries were miraculously given the languages they needed to proclaim Christ to people from other nations, including Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene and visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism. The diverse crowd of Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya near Cyrene, and Rome was thus part of the multilingual audience reached when the gospel was proclaimed across language barriers.
Hearing in their own tongue was to carry conviction to those of the different nationalities gathered at Pentecost, and that conviction would go broadcast everywhere as they carried it. The same kind of representation with many nationalities hearing will come again when God's people follow on to know the Lord. The event marked the beginning of the promised outpouring of the Spirit and fulfilled the part of Joel's prophecy about that outpouring. Its public manifestation points to the prophesied period in which heaven gives God's people revelations through warnings, reproofs, and explanations of Scripture so that all may understand the time they have reached and remain watchful.
The disciples preached Christ with new power, and signs and wonders confirmed their words. When the Holy Spirit came upon them of one accord and one mind very soon after Christ's ascension, every man heard the Word spoken in his own language as the people took hold of the Word that had been declared during Christ's ministry. Many received the message, thousands were converted in a day and openly accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah, and those baptized joined the believers. This history of the early church at Pentecost is to instruct God's people in later times. The same blessings the early disciples received can be received now by consecration to God, working in harmony with His Word, exalting the Word and honoring its precepts by a consistent course of action, claimed on compliance with the conditions, for sinners are to be converted and believers have something to do in it through the self-denying life of Christ, taking the Bible from house to house, waking from stupor and indifference in this judgment hour, and not stopping short of full duty and of covenant with God by sacrifice.
Message Carried to World
Those who came to the feast heard the disciples speaking in languages they understood and testifying about Christ, his death and resurrection, repentance and forgiveness of sins, and the events of Pentecost itself. Those hearers included people identified with Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the region of Libya about Cyrene, and Rome, both Jews and proselytes gathered in Jerusalem for the festivals. The apostles preached Christ there, and those who were converted carried the truths they received back to their homes and shared them among their own people. In this way the truth was spread among many nations and classes of people and of society through those returning visitors carrying the news of the gospel to those places.
The gathering of so many countries and languages shows that God's work reaches people of every country and speech. In the last days there is a large work to be done among people of all languages, so every soul who believes the truth for this time, whatever his country or speech, should gain an intelligent knowledge of the truths of the third angel's message in order to do intelligent work for God. All who come into right relation to God, search the Scriptures, and walk humbly will have understanding opened and will receive power to work for God, because a mighty power is at work in the world and heaven will cooperate with those who do the Lord's work.
The multinational gathering stood very soon after Christ's ascension, when the disciples' prayers ascended to God and they were of one accord and one mind, the Holy Spirit came upon them, every man heard the Word in his own language, the disciples went out and preached the Word everywhere, the people took hold of the Word declared during Christ's ministry, and thousands were converted in a day. The same blessings the early disciples received can be received now by consecration to God, working in harmony with His Word, exalting the Word and honoring its precepts by a consistent course of action, claimed on compliance with the conditions. The same Spirit is needed now, which means living the self-denying life of Christ, taking the Bible from house to house and reading to people to bring many souls to knowledge of the truth, waking from stupor and indifference and not sleeping in this judgment hour, and fearing to stop short of full duty and of covenant with God by sacrifice, since sinners are to be converted and believers have something to do in it.
Where such a center of influence gathered the nations, as Jerusalem did at Pentecost with Jews and proselytes from Phrygia and Pamphylia, from Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, light from heaven was to shine in its most powerful rays upon the Lord's witnesses, as the whole second chapter of Acts shows. One of the first duties in proclaiming the gospel is therefore to make at the nation's capital a special representation of the truth for this time. Applied to the present, this requires establishing one signal memorial in Washington and no longer passing by and neglecting that city, since such neglect is unfaithful stewardship of that part of the Lord's vineyard.