ACT 2:14-36

Peter Addresses the Crowd

14But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and declared authoritatively to them: 'Men, Jews, and all those dwelling in Jerusalem — let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. [2:15] For these men are not drunk as you suppose — for it is the third hour of the day. [2:16] But this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: [2:17] And it will be in the last days, God says, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh — and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. [2:18] And even upon my male slaves and upon my female slaves — in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy. [2:19] And I will give wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below — blood and fire and vapor of smoke. [2:20] The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. [2:21] And it will be — everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. [2:22] Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth — a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know — [2:23] this man, delivered up by the determined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross through the hands of lawless men and put him to death. [2:24] Whom God raised, having loosed the birth-pangs of death — because it was not possible for him to be held by it. [2:25] For David says concerning him: I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. [2:26] Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted — moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope. [2:27] For you will not abandon my soul to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. [2:28] You made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. [2:29] Men, brothers — I may speak freely to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is among us to this day. [2:30] Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him to seat one from the fruit of his loins on his throne, [2:31] he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ — that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his flesh see decay. [2:32] This Jesus God raised, of which we are all witnesses. [2:33] Having been exalted, therefore, to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you both see and hear. [2:34] For David did not ascend into the heavens — but he himself says: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand [2:35] until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. [2:36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.'

In the world it was spoken into

In Acts 2:14-36, Peter addresses a crowd in Jerusalem during Pentecost, a Jewish pilgrimage festival. The audience, composed of devout Jews and proselytes from the Diaspora, would have understood Peter’s appeal to Scripture and prophecy as deeply rooted in Second-Temple Jewish expectations. Peter’s use of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28-32) would resonate with their eschatological hopes for God’s intervention and the outpouring of the Spirit. The term (apophthengomai) underscores Peter’s authoritative proclamation, aligning him with prophetic tradition. His reference to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection would challenge the crowd’s assumptions about the Messiah, as they expected a triumphant, political deliverer, not a suffering servant. Peter’s emphasis on Jesus’ exaltation as Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36) would confront Roman imperial claims, where Caesar was hailed as lord and savior. The crowd, steeped in Jewish purity codes and Roman imperial ideology, would have found Peter’s message both provocative and transformative, redefining their understanding of God’s kingdom and Messiah.

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How other translations render this

ACT 2:14

KJV: But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
BSB: Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words.
Koinōnos: But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and declared authoritatively to them: 'Men, Jews, and all those dwelling in Jerusalem — let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

ACT 2:15

KJV: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
BSB: These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!
Koinōnos: For these men are not drunk as you suppose — for it is the third hour of the day.

ACT 2:16

KJV: But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
BSB: No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
Koinōnos: But this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

ACT 2:17

KJV: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
BSB: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Koinōnos: And it will be in the last days, God says, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh — and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.

ACT 2:18

KJV: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
BSB: Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Koinōnos: And even upon my male slaves and upon my female slaves — in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.

ACT 2:19

KJV: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
BSB: I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
Koinōnos: And I will give wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below — blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

ACT 2:20

KJV: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
BSB: The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.
Koinōnos: The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

ACT 2:21

KJV: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
BSB: And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Koinōnos: And it will be — everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

ACT 2:22

KJV: Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
BSB: Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
Koinōnos: Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth — a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know —

ACT 2:23

KJV: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
BSB: He was delivered up by Godʼs set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
Koinōnos: this man, delivered up by the determined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross through the hands of lawless men and put him to death.

ACT 2:24

KJV: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
BSB: But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.
Koinōnos: Whom God raised, having loosed the birth-pangs of death — because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

ACT 2:25

KJV: For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
BSB: David says about Him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Koinōnos: For David says concerning him: I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.

ACT 2:26

KJV: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
BSB: Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell in hope,
Koinōnos: Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted — moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope.

ACT 2:27

KJV: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
BSB: because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
Koinōnos: For you will not abandon my soul to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

ACT 2:28

KJV: Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
BSB: You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’
Koinōnos: You made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.

ACT 2:29

KJV: Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
BSB: Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
Koinōnos: Men, brothers — I may speak freely to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is among us to this day.

ACT 2:30

KJV: Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
BSB: But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.
Koinōnos: Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him to seat one from the fruit of his loins on his throne,

ACT 2:31

KJV: He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
BSB: Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay.
Koinōnos: he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ — that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his flesh see decay.

ACT 2:32

KJV: This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
BSB: God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
Koinōnos: This Jesus God raised, of which we are all witnesses.

ACT 2:33

KJV: Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
BSB: Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
Koinōnos: Having been exalted, therefore, to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you both see and hear.

ACT 2:34

KJV: For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
BSB: For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand
Koinōnos: For David did not ascend into the heavens — but he himself says: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand

ACT 2:35

KJV: Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
BSB: until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’
Koinōnos: until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.

ACT 2:36

KJV: Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
BSB: Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”
Koinōnos: Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Where the historical framing draws from

Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.3.3

›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.3.3

“He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross”

Cited to ground: Peter’s emphasis on Jesus’ exaltation as Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36) would confront Roman imperial claims, where Caesar was hailed as lord and savior.

Translator's notes

ACT 2:14

spoke forth:The word translated 'spoke forth' implies a public, authoritative declaration, often with a sense of inspired or prophetic utterance, rather than just casual speaking.

ACT 2:17

flesh:The term translated 'flesh' here refers to the whole human being, encompassing both body and spirit, emphasizing humanity in its entirety.

ACT 2:18

servants:The word translated 'servants' specifically refers to slaves, indicating a relationship of complete ownership and submission, not merely hired help.

ACT 2:24

agony:The word translated 'agony' literally means the intense pains of childbirth, conveying a sense of inescapable, severe suffering that leads to a new beginning.