Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

Acts 2:3

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

KJV

καὶ ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς διαμεριζόμεναι γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐφ’ ἕνα ἕκαστον αὐτῶν,

Greek NT

Et apparuerunt illis dispertitæ linguæ tamquam ignis, seditque supra singulos eorum :

Vulgate

And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.

ASV

And there appeared to them parted tongues, as it were of fire: and it sat upon every one of them.

Douay-Rheims

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In this verse

Symbols Fire

In the original Greek

11 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
γλῶσσα
glossa
noun · 50×
διαμερίζω
diamerizo
verb · 11×
εἷς
eis
adjective · 336×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
καθίζω
kathizo
verb · 47×
πῦρ
pur
noun · 71×
ἐπί
epi
preposition · 888×
ἕκαστος
ekastos
adjective · 84×
ὁράω
orao
verb · 682×
ὡσεί
osei
adverb · 20×

Textual variants

1 variant unit attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

minor
SBLGNT: καὶ ἐκάθισεν | WH/Treg/NIV: καὶ ἐκάθισεν | RP: ἐκάθισέν τε
  • καὶ ἐκάθισεν — SBLGNT
  • καὶ ἐκάθισεν — Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • ἐκάθισέν τε — Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Themes

Theophany

Miracle

Historic Christian voices

11 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§696Fire. While water signifies birth and the fruitfulness of life given in the Holy Spirit, fire symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions. the prayer of the prophet Elijah, who "arose like fire" and whose "word burned like a torch," brought down fire from heaven on the sacrifice on Mount Carmel.37 This event was a "figure" of the fire of the Holy Spirit, who…
§1287This fullness of the Spirit was not to remain uniquely the Messiah's, but was to be communicated to the whole messianic people.93 On several occasions Christ promised this outpouring of the Spirit,94 a promise which he fulfilled first on Easter Sunday and then more strikingly at Pentecost.95 Filled with the Holy Spirit the apostles began to proclaim "the mighty works of God," a…
Chapter 21.—Utterances of the Prophet Isaiah Regarding the Resurrection of the Dead and the Retributive Judgment. The prophet Isaiah says, “The dead shall rise again, and all who were in the graves shall rise again; and all who are in the earth shall rejoice: for the dew which is from Thee is their health, and the earth of the wicked shall fall.”14131413 Isa. xxvi. 19. All the …
§33The Church which He founded by His Blood, He strengthened on the Day of Pentecost by a special power, given from heaven. For, having solemnly installed in his exalted office him whom He had already nominated as His Vicar, He had ascended into Heaven; and sitting now at the right hand of the Father He wished to make known and proclaim His Spouse through the visible coming of the…
Of the goodness of God explained in the creation of things, and of the Trinity as found in the first words of Genesis. The story concerning the origin of the world (Genesis 1) is allegorically explained, and he applies it to those things which God works for sanctified and blessed man. Finally, he makes an end of this work, having implored eternal rest from God. Chapter 1. He Ca…
What is Baptism? Is it a washing? The institution of this sacrament Is water the proper matter of this sacrament? Is plain water required? Is this a suitable form of this sacrament: "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"? Could one baptize with this form: "I baptize thee in the name of Christ?" Is immersion necessary for Baptism? Is tr…
1. A certain one of those of moderate talent, who had composed a discourse, stepped forward in the presence of many pastors who were assembled as if for a church gathering, and while they attended quietly and decently, he addressed himself as follows to one who was in all things a most excellent bishop and beloved of God, through whose zeal the temple in Tyre, which was the mos…
The Holy Spirit is one and the same Spirit — not many spirits but one divine person, the Sanctifier, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth. He spoke through the prophets, descended at Pentecost, distributes gifts to the Church, and dwells in every baptized believer. Cyril warns against dividing the Spirit or diminishing His divinity: He is to be worshipped and glorified together w…

Cross-references

  • Acts 2:4 — And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
  • Gen 11:6 — And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
  • Isa 6:6 — Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
  • Isa 11:2 — And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
  • Jer 23:29 — Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
  • Jer 23:29 — Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
  • John 1:32 — And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
  • Luke 3:16 — John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost an
  • Luke 24:32 — And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
  • Matt 3:11 — I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: