Acts 2:5–13

Not all could understand those speaking in tongues. God knew who would accept this gift.

Acts 1:11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

May we, sharing in the faith of Abraham, daily choose to trust in the One who has saved us. Our faith and obedience may be imperfect, but our perfect and faithful God is not limited by our imperfection. God accomplishes His greatest works even by our smallest steps of faith. First5 

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you" (Isaiah 46:4, NIV). 

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:8-9).

Acts 2:5–13

5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” 13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” The New King James Version

The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost marks the official inauguration of the new covenant and serves as a witness to the nation of Israel. The Church’s reception of the Holy Spirit, preaching, and sudden growth testify to the reality of Christ’s resurrection and His ongoing reign.

The wording used here, together with the reference to tongues or languages and to the many nations recalls the old time account of the Tower of Babel. There, Yahweh came down to thwart ill-founded human ambition and pride by confusing their languages. In Acts, the Spirit of the Lord comes down to proclaim salvation in Christ by making the gospel intelligible in all languages.

It seems that Galileans were generally considered by cosmopolitan Jews in Jerusalem, and Jews in wider Judaea, to be uneducated and culturally backward. The cosmopolitan Jews in Jerusalem were astounded that such men could speak other languages so fluently. This list of regions moves generally from east to west and north to south. Luke (the narrator) demonstrates that the kingdom of God is destined to reach the entire world. Faithlife Study Bible

People from all over the known world were in Jerusalem. Most of them probably knew Greek, but they also spoke the various languages of the Mediterranean world. The visitors to Jerusalem probably expected the apostles to use Aramaic or Greek, but instead they heard their own dialect. The visitors were astonished because they knew this was most unlikely unless the speakers had come from their land. This was a sign from heaven, a supernatural event. the wonderful works of God: It appears that the “speaking in tongues” did not consist of proclaiming the gospel. Rather, the apostles were praising God’s mighty works. The NKJV Study Bible

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. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary