Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 2:6

"And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language." — Acts 2:6 (ASV)

Certain “God-fearing Jews” who were residing in Jerusalem from many parts of the Diaspora, together with a number of Jews and proselytes who had returned to Jerusalem as pilgrims for the Pentecost festival, were “in bewilderment,” “utterly amazed,” and “perplexed” by the miraculous coming of the Spirit (vv.6–7, 12). Others, however, mocked (v.13). What drew the crowd and caused its bewilderment? Commentators differ as to whether it was the sound of the wind or the disciples’ speaking in various languages. But if we break the sentence with some kind of punctuation after “crowd” rather than (as is usually done) after “bewilderment,” we have two coordinate sentences with two separate yet complementary ideas: “When they heard this sound, a crowd came together. And they were bewildered because each one heard them speaking in his own language.” On this reading, “this sound” refers back to the “sound” of v.2 and conjures up a picture of people rushing to the source of the noise to see what is going on. When they get there, they become bewildered on hearing Galileans speaking in their own native languages.