Acts 10:46
New International Version
For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said,

New Living Translation
For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked,

English Standard Version
For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared,

Berean Standard Bible
For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said,

Berean Literal Bible
For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

King James Bible
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

New King James Version
For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,

New American Standard Bible
For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter responded,

NASB 1995
For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,

NASB 1977
For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,

Legacy Standard Bible
For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

Amplified Bible
For they heard them talking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and exalting and magnifying and praising God. Then Peter said,

Christian Standard Bible
For they heard them speaking in tongues and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter responded,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For they heard them speaking in other languages and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter responded, “

American Standard Version
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Contemporary English Version
Now they were hearing Gentiles speaking unknown languages and praising God. Peter said,

English Revised Version
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They heard these non-Jewish people speaking in other languages and praising God. Then Peter said,

Good News Translation
For they heard them speaking in strange tongues and praising God's greatness. Peter spoke up:

International Standard Version
because they heard them speaking in foreign languages and praising God. Then Peter said,

Majority Standard Bible
For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said,

NET Bible
for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said,

New Heart English Bible
For they heard them speaking in other tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

Webster's Bible Translation
For they heard them speak in languages and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Weymouth New Testament
For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the majesty of God. Then Peter said,

World English Bible
For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God.

Berean Literal Bible
For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

Young's Literal Translation
for they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God.

Smith's Literal Translation
For they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God. Then answered Peter,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For they heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God.

New American Bible
for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded,

New Revised Standard Version
for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For they heard them speak with divers tongues, and magnify God.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For they heard them speaking in various languages and magnifying God, and Shimeon was saying:
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
for they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God. Then Peter answered:

Godbey New Testament
for they were hearing them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God.

Haweis New Testament
For they heard them speaking in different languages, and magnifying God. Then Peter addressed them,

Mace New Testament
for they heard them express their praises to God in divers languages.

Weymouth New Testament
For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the majesty of God. Then Peter said,

Worrell New Testament
for they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

Worsley New Testament
for they heard them speaking in divers languages, and glorifying God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit
45All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone withhold the water to baptize these people? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have!”…

Cross References
Acts 2:4
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

1 Corinthians 14:2
For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

Acts 19:6
And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

1 Corinthians 12:10
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:5
I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.

Mark 16:17
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

1 Corinthians 14:39
So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

Acts 11:15-17
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning. / Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ / So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”

1 Corinthians 13:1
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.

Acts 2:11
both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

1 Corinthians 14:18
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Isaiah 28:11
Indeed, with mocking lips and foreign tongues, He will speak to this people

Joel 2:28-29
And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. / Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Numbers 11:25-29
Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed that Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but they never did so again. / Two men, however, had remained in the camp—one named Eldad and the other Medad—and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those listed, but they had not gone out to the tent, and they prophesied in the camp. / A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” ...

1 Samuel 10:10
When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied along with them.


Treasury of Scripture

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

speak.

Acts 2:4,11
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance…

Acts 19:6
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

1 Corinthians 14:20-25
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men…

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Declared Exalting Extolling Glory Heard Hearing Languages Magnify Magnifying Majesty Peter Praising Speak Speaking Talking Tongues
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Acts 10
1. Cornelius, a devout man, being commanded by an angel, sends for Peter,
11. who by a vision is taught not to despise the Gentiles;
17. and is commanded by the Spirit to go with the messenger to Caesarea.
25. Cornelius shows the occasion of his sending for him.
34. As he preaches Christ to Cornelius and his company,
44. the Holy Spirit falls on them, and they are baptized.














For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God
For they heard them
This phrase indicates the witnesses' direct experience of the event. The Greek word for "heard" is "ἤκουσαν" (ēkousan), which implies not just hearing but understanding and perceiving. This suggests that the witnesses were not just passive observers but were actively engaged in recognizing the significance of what was happening. Historically, this moment is pivotal as it marks the inclusion of Gentiles into the early Christian community, showing that the Holy Spirit's gifts were not limited to Jewish believers.

speaking in tongues
The phrase "speaking in tongues" comes from the Greek "λαλοῦντας γλώσσαις" (lalountas glōssais). This phenomenon, also known as glossolalia, is a supernatural ability to speak in languages unknown to the speaker. In the context of Acts, it serves as a sign of the Holy Spirit's presence and power. Theologically, this event echoes the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), reinforcing the idea that the Holy Spirit is available to all believers, regardless of ethnic or cultural background. This underscores the universality of the Christian message and the breaking down of barriers between Jews and Gentiles.

and exalting God
The Greek word for "exalting" is "μεγαλύνω" (megalynō), which means to magnify or glorify. This indicates that the speaking in tongues was not just an ecstatic experience but was directed towards worship and praise of God. The act of exalting God in this context shows the proper response to the work of the Holy Spirit—worship and adoration. Historically, this aligns with the Jewish tradition of praising God for His mighty works, now extended to Gentile believers. This moment signifies a new era in salvation history where God's glory is recognized and proclaimed by all nations, fulfilling the promise that through Abraham's seed, all nations would be blessed (Genesis 22:18).

Verse 46. - For they heard them, etc. This was the incontrovertible evidence of their reception of the Holy Ghost (see Acts 11:15-18, and Acts 2:4 and 11, and note on ver. 4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

they heard
ἤκουον (ēkouon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

them
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

speaking
λαλούντων (lalountōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.

in tongues
γλώσσαις (glōssais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1100: The tongue; by implication, a language.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

exalting
μεγαλυνόντων (megalynontōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3170: (a) I enlarge, lengthen, (b) I increase, magnify, extol. From megas; to make great, i.e. Increase or extol.

God.
Θεόν (Theon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

Then
Τότε (Tote)
Adverb
Strong's 5119: Then, at that time. From ho and hote; the when, i.e. At the time that.

Peter
Πέτρος (Petros)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4074: Peter, a Greek name meaning rock. Apparently a primary word; a rock; as a name, Petrus, an apostle.

said,
ἀπεκρίθη (apekrithē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 611: From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. to respond; by Hebraism to begin to speak.


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NT Apostles: Acts 10:46 For they heard them speaking in other (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
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