Acts 2:5

Amplified Bible

Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
There were some godly Jews in Jerusalem at this time. They were from every country in the world.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And ther were dwellinge at Ierusalem Iewes devoute men which were of all nacions vnder heaven.

Hebrew Names Version
Now there were dwelling at Yerushalayim Yehudim, devout men, from every nation under the sky.

International Standard Version
Now devout Jews from every nation under heaven were living in Jerusalem.

New American Standard Bible
Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

New Century Version
There were some religious Jews staying in Jerusalem who were from every country in the world.

Update Bible Version
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

Webster's Bible Translation
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

English Standard Version
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

World English Bible
Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Weymouth's New Testament
Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every part of the world.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And ther weren in Jerusalem dwellinge Jewis, religiouse men, of ech nacioun that is vndur heuene.

English Revised Version
Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

Berean Standard Bible
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

Contemporary English Version
Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem.

American Standard Version
Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

Bible in Basic English
Now there were living at Jerusalem, Jews, God-fearing men, from every nation under heaven.

Complete Jewish Bible
Now there were staying in Yerushalayim religious Jews from every nation under heaven.

Darby Translation
Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, pious men, from every nation of those under heaven.

Etheridge Translation
But there were men dwelling in Urishlem who feared Aloha; Jihudoyee, from all the peoples who are under heaven.

Murdock Translation
Now there were resident at Jerusalem persons who feared God, Jews from all the nations under heaven.

King James Version (1611)
And there were dwelling at Hierusalem Iewes, deuout men, out of euery nation vnder heauen.

New Living Translation
At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem.

New Life Bible
There were many religious Jews staying in Jerusalem. They were from every country of the world.

New Revised Standard
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And there were dwelling at Hierusalem Iewes, men that feared God, of euery nation vnder heauen.

George Lamsa Translation
Now there were resident at Jerusalem, devout men and Jews from every nation under heaven.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now there were in Jerusalem sojourning Jews, reverent men from every nation who were under heaven;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Revised Standard Version
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
There were dwellyng at Hierusalem, Iewes, deuout men, out of euery nation [of them] that are vnder heauen.

Good News Translation
There were Jews living in Jerusalem, religious people who had come from every country in the world.

Christian Standard Bible®
Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation under heaven.

King James Version
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Lexham English Bible
Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Literal Translation
And Jews were living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation of those under the heaven.

Young's Literal Translation
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation of those under the heaven,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
There were dwellinge at Ierusalem Iewes, men that feared God, out of euery nacion that is vnder heauen.

Mace New Testament (1729)
now many devout Jews were residing at Jerusalem, who came from all quarters of the world.

THE MESSAGE
There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, "Aren't these all Galileans? How come we're hearing them talk in our various mother tongues? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene; Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; Even Cretans and Arabs! "They're speaking our languages, describing God's mighty works!"

New English Translation
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem.

New King James Version
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

Simplified Cowboy Version
People from all over the world were in Jerusalem and

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Contextual Overview

⁵Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven.⁶And when this sound was heard, a crowd gathered, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing those in the upper room speaking in his own language or dialect. ⁷They were completely astonished, saying, "Look! Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸"Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect? ⁹"[Among us there are] Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and people of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia [Minor], ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism), ¹¹Cretans and Arabs—we all hear them speaking in our [native] tongues about the mighty works of God!" ¹²And they were beside themselves with amazement and were greatly perplexed, saying one to another, "What could this mean?" ¹³But others were laughing and joking and ridiculing them, saying, "They are full of sweet wine and are drunk!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

were: Acts 2:1, Acts 8:27, Exodus 23:16, Isaiah 66:18, Zechariah 8:18, Luke 24:18, John 12:20

devout: Acts 8:2, Acts 10:2, Acts 10:7, Acts 13:50, Acts 22:12, Luke 2:25

under: Deuteronomy 2:25, Matthew 24:14, Luke 17:24, Colossians 1:23

Reciprocal: Esther 1:22 - according Isaiah 33:13 - Hear Isaiah 52:10 - made Ezekiel 26:2 - the gates Ezekiel 36:38 - as the flock Ezekiel 47:22 - and to the strangers Daniel 9:7 - near Acts 4:12 - under Romans 10:18 - Have they James 1:1 - scattered 1 Peter 1:1 - the

Cross-References

Genesis 2:9
And [in that garden] the LORD God caused to grow from the ground every tree that is desirable and pleasing to the sight and good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the [experiential] knowledge (recognition) of [the difference between] good and evil.

Genesis 2:11
The first [river] is named Pishon; it flows around the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.

Genesis 2:12
The gold of that land is good; bdellium (a fragrant, valuable resin) and the onyx stone are found there.

Genesis 3:23
therefore the LORD God sent Adam away from the Garden of Eden, to till and cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Genesis 4:2
And [later] she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept the flocks [of sheep and goats], but Cain cultivated the ground.

Genesis 4:12
"When you cultivate the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength [it will resist producing good crops] for you; you shall be a fugitive and a vagabond [roaming aimlessly] on the earth [in perpetual exile without a home, a degraded outcast]."

Job 5:10
"He gives rain upon the earth And sends waters upon the fields,

Psalms 104:14
He causes grass to grow for the cattle, And all that the earth produces for cultivation by man, So that he may bring food from the earth—

Psalms 135:7
Who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightning for the rain, Who brings the wind from His storehouses;

Jeremiah 14:22
Are there any among the idols of the nations who can send rain? Or can the heavens [of their own will] give showers? Is it not You, O LORD our God? Therefore we will wait and hope [confidently] in You, For You are the one who has made all these things [the heavens and the rain].

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "proselytes"; but they were not all such, as appears from the following account of them; many, and it seems the most of them were of Jewish extract and descent, and others were proselytes to the Jewish religion: these were not natives of Jerusalem, but such as were born in other countries, Acts 2:8 but were come to Jerusalem, either to learn the Hebrew language, which was necessary to their reading and understanding the books of Moses, and the prophets written in it; or for an increase of spiritual knowledge and piety; or, as is generally thought, to keep the feast of Pentecost; or rather, as Dr. Lightfoot thinks, they were come hither in great numbers from all parts, in expectation of the Messiah and his kingdom; the time being up, according to Daniel's weeks, and other prophecies, that he should appear: and these were

devout men; men of religion and piety, of faith and holiness; and as the Syriac version renders it, "who feared God"; for in these worst of times, among this wicked generation of men, there were some who had the fear of God before their eyes, and on their hearts; and these were collected from different quarters, to be witnesses of this amazing dispensation: for they came

out of every nation under heaven; that is, wherever the Jews were dispersed; being the descendants of those that were carried captive at different times, and into different places; as by Salmanezer, Nebuchadnezzar, Ptolomy Lagus, Antiochus, and in other lesser dispersions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There were dwelling at Jerusalem - The word rendered “dwelling” - κατοικοῦντες katoikountes - properly means to have a fixed and permanent habitation, in distinction from another word - παροικοῦντες paroikeountes - which means to have a temporary and transient residence in a place. But it is not always confined to this signification; and it is not improbable that many wealthy foreign Jews had a permanent residence in Jerusalem for the convenience of being near the temple. This was the more probable, as about that time the Messiah was expected to appear, Matthew 2:0.

Jews - Jews by birth; of Jewish descent and religion.

Devout men - ἀνδρες ἐυλαβεῖς andres eulabēis. Literally, men of cautious and circumspect lives, or who lived in a prudent manner. The term is then applied to men who were cautious about offending God; who were careful to observe his commandments. It is hence a general expression to denote pious or religious men, Acts 8:2, “And devout men carried Stephen to his burial”; Luke 2:25,” And the same man (Simeon) was just, and devout.” The word “devout” means “yielding a solemn and reverential attention to God in religious exercises, particularly in prayer, pious, sincere, solemn” (Webster), and very well expresses the force of the original.

Out of every nation under heaven - A general expression meaning from all parts of the earth. The countries from which they came are more particularly specified in Acts 2:9-11. The Jews at that time were scattered into almost all nations, and in all places had synagogues. See the John 7:35 note; James 1:1 note; 1 Peter 1:1 note. Still they would naturally desire to be present as often as possible at the great feasts of the nation in Jerusalem. Many would seek a residence there for the convenience of being present at the religious solemnities. Many who came up to the Feast of the Passover would remain to the Feast of the Pentecost. The consequence of this would be, that on such occasions the city would be full of strangers. We are told that when Titus besieged Jerusalem, an event which occurred at about the time of the Feast of the Passover, there were no less than three million people in the city.

Josephus also mentions an instance in which great multitudes of Jews from other nations were present at the feast of Pentecost (Jewish Wars, book 2, chapter 3, section 1). What is here stated as occurring at that time is true of the inhabitants of Jerusalem - four or five thousand in number who reside there now. A large portion of them are from abroad. Prof. Hackett (Illustrations of Scripture, p. 228, 229) says of them, “Few of them, comparatively, are natives of the country. The majority of them are aged persons, who repair to the holy city to spend the remainder of their days and secure the privilege of being buried in the Valley of the Kedron, which, as their traditions assert, is to be the scene of the last judgment. At the Jews’ Wailing Place one day I met a venerable man, bowed with age, apparently beyond 80, who told me that, in obedience to his sense of duty, he had forsaken his children and home in England, and had come, unattended by any friend, to die and make his grave at Jerusalem. Others of them are those who come here to fulfill a vow, or acquire the merit of a pilgrimage, and then return to the countries where they reside. Among them may be found representatives from almost every land, though the Spanish, Polish, and German Jews compose the greater number.

Like their brethren in other parts of Palestine, except a few in some commercial places, they are wretchedly poor, and live chiefly on alms contributed by their countrymen in Europe and America. They devote most of their time to holy employments, as they are called; they frequent the synagogues, roam over the country to visit places memorable in their ancient history, and read assiduously the Old Testament and the writings of their rabbis. Those of them who make any pretensions to learning understand the Hebrew and rabbinic, and speak as their vernacular tongue the language of the country where they formerly lived, or whence their fathers emigrated.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 2:5. Devout men, out of every nation — Either by these we are simply to understand Jews who were born in different countries, and had now come up to Jerusalem to be present at the passover, and for purposes of traffic, or proselytes to Judaism, who had come up for the same purpose: for I cannot suppose that the term ανδρες ευλαβεις, devout men, can be applied to any other. At this time there was scarcely a commercial nation under heaven where the Jews had not been scattered for the purpose of trade, merchandize, &c., and from all these nations, it is said, there were persons now present at Jerusalem.