Acts 2:6

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An Exegetical Study of Acts 2:6

This exegetical study of Acts 2:6 is based on a b-greek discussion from May 6, 1999. The initial inquiry sought clarification on the divergent renderings of Acts 2:6 in English translations, particularly concerning the phrase “when this was noised abroad” (KJV, Darby, Young’s) versus “when they heard this sound” or “when this sound occurred” (NIV, NASB). This discrepancy highlights a fundamental interpretive challenge regarding the nature of the event being described in the immediate aftermath of the Pentecost experience, specifically how the crowd was drawn to witness it.

The main exegetical issue centers on the precise meaning and referent of the Greek phrase Γενομένης δὲ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης (Genomēnēs de tēs phōnēs tautēs) in Acts 2:6. Specifically, the semantic range of the noun φωνή (phōnē) is debated: does it denote an audible “sound” or “noise,” or can it extend to mean “rumor” or “report”? Furthermore, the grammatical construction of ἤκουον εἷς ἕκαστος (ēkouon heis hekastos), featuring a plural verb with a singular collective subject, also presents a point of grammatical analysis crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the passage.

Γενομένης δὲ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης συνῆλθεν τὸ πλῆθος καὶ συνεχύθη, ὅτι ἤκουον εἷς ἕκαστος τῇ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ λαλούντων αὐτῶν.
(Nestle 1904)

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• For Acts 2:6, the Greek text of Nestle 1904 is identical to the SBLGNT (2010). No significant textual variants are noted in standard critical editions for this verse.

Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes (BDAG, KITTEL)

The Greek text of Acts 2:6 is remarkably stable across major critical editions, including the NA28, which largely agrees with the Nestle 1904 text presented. No significant textual variants that would alter the meaning of the verse are attested.

Lexical analysis, however, reveals the core of the interpretive challenge:

• φωνή (phōnē): This noun is central to the debate. BDAG (3rd ed.) primarily defines φωνή as “a sound, noise” (e.g., Acts 2:2, “a sound from heaven”) or “voice, utterance.” While BDAG acknowledges its use in the Septuagint (LXX) to translate the Hebrew קוֹל (qôl), which can denote “report” or “news” (e.g., Gen 45:16), it does not list “rumor” or “report” as a primary meaning for φωνή in the New Testament. This distinction is crucial, as the semantic domain of a loan translation in the LXX does not automatically extend to all NT uses of the Greek term. KITTEL (TDNT) similarly emphasizes its primary meaning as “sound” or “voice,” noting its broad application from inanimate sounds to human speech. The immediate context in Acts 2:2, where a “sound” (ἦχος, ēchos) from heaven occurs, strongly suggests an audible phenomenon, making “sound” a more natural fit for φωνή in verse 6.
• συνεχύθη (synechythē): From συγχέω (syncheō), meaning “to throw into confusion, bewilder, confound, disturb” (BDAG). This verb accurately describes the state of the multitude upon hearing the miraculous speaking in tongues.
• διάλεκτος (dialektos): Meaning “language, speech, idiom” (BDAG). This term confirms that the miracle was one of intelligible speech in various native languages, not ecstatic, unintelligible utterance.
• ἤκουον εἷς ἕκαστος (ēkouon heis hekastos): This construction presents a plural verb (ἤκουον, “they were hearing”) with a singular subject (εἷς ἕκαστος, “each one”). This is a common grammatical phenomenon in Koine Greek, known as a collective singular or constructio ad sensum. Grammars such as F. Blass, A. Debrunner, and R.W. Funk, *A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature*, §134, explain that a singular noun denoting a group can take a plural verb to emphasize the individual members within the collective. This stylistic choice underscores that the hearing was a personal experience for every single individual in the crowd.

Translation Variants with Grammatical & Rhetorical Analysis

The core interpretive divergence among English translations of Acts 2:6 hinges on the rendering of Γενομένης δὲ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης:

• KJV: “Now when this was noised abroad…”
  Darby: “But the rumour of this having spread…”
  Young’s Literal Translation: “…and the rumour of this having come…”
  These translations interpret φωνή as “rumor” or “report.” This understanding implies that news of the event, rather than a direct auditory experience, drew the crowd. Grammatically, this reading posits that the genitive absolute phrase refers to the spreading of a verbal report. Rhetorically, it emphasizes the consequence of the event (its reportage) rather than the sensation of the event itself. However, as noted in lexical studies, the primary semantic range of φωνή in the New Testament generally precludes “rumor” without strong contextual cues, which are absent here. The argument for this interpretation often relies on specific LXX usages (e.g., Gen 45:16), but as scholarly consensus suggests, these are cases where Greek φωνή translates Hebrew qôl, which can mean “report,” but does not universally extend this meaning to φωνή in the NT.
• NIV: “When they heard this sound…”
  NASB: “And when this sound occurred…”
  These translations render φωνή as “sound” or “noise.” This interpretation aligns with the immediate context of Acts 2:2, where a “sound” (ἦχος, ēchos) from heaven is explicitly mentioned, suggesting a continuity of audible phenomena. Grammatically, the genitive absolute then refers to the occurrence of this perceptible sound. Rhetorically, it establishes a direct, experiential link between the Pentecost event and the gathering of the crowd, emphasizing the miraculous auditory experience as the catalyst. This reading is strongly supported by the lexical data and the flow of the narrative, implying that the crowd was drawn by the actual sound of the Spirit’s manifestation, including the disciples speaking in tongues, not merely by secondhand information.

Regarding ἤκουον εἷς ἕκαστος τῇ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ λαλούντων αὐτῶν, the grammatical analysis supports the interpretation that despite the singular subject “each one,” the plural verb “they were hearing” emphasizes the individual experience within the collective. This construction effectively conveys that the miracle was not a generalized phenomenon but specifically directed and perceived by every single person present in their native language.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

Based on the lexical evidence, grammatical analysis, and immediate narrative context, the interpretation of φωνή as an audible “sound” or “noise” is significantly more robust than “rumor” or “report.” The earlier mention of a “sound from heaven” in Acts 2:2 provides a strong contextual anchor for this understanding. Furthermore, the grammatical construction of the plural verb with the singular collective subject is a common stylistic feature emphasizing individual experience within a group.

Translation Suggestions for Acts 2:6:

1. “But when this sound occurred, the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one of them was hearing them speaking in his own native language.”
   This translation prioritizes the direct auditory experience as the catalyst for the crowd’s assembly and bewilderment.
2. “Now when this mighty sound was heard, the multitude came together and was utterly confused, for each person was hearing them speak in his very own dialect.”
   This option emphasizes the ‘mighty’ nature of the sound (linking to Acts 2:2) and highlights the individual and bewildering nature of the experience.
3. “And as this noise arose, the multitude convened and was perplexed, because each one perceived them speaking in their own distinct tongue.”
   This version uses slightly different vocabulary to convey the auditory nature of the event and the individualized, perplexing nature of the miracle.

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