2:7a

Astounded and amazed: The Greek is literally “they were amazed and marveling.” The two verbs emphasize that the Jews were very surprised. The tense of these two verbs indicates that they continued to be amazed and to marvel. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Utterly amazed (New International Version)
-or-
In amazement and wonder (Good News Translation)

they asked: The Greek is literally “saying.” The context implies that they said this to each other rather than to the believers. In some languages it is more natural to say who they spoke to. For example:

they were asking ⌊each other⌋

The tense of the verb indicates that they continued to ask and ponder the questions of 2:7b and 2:8.

2:7b

In the Greek, the spoken words begin with the word “Look.” It emphasizes the words that follow. It is not a command to look at something. Here are some ways to translate this word:

Look! (New Century Version)
-or-
Listen, (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?: This is a rhetorical question. The Jews used this question to express surprise and to emphasize that Jesus’ followers were Galileans.

Here are some ways to translate this emphasis:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Aren’t all these people that we hear speaking from Galilee? (New Century Version)

• As a statement. For example:

These people who are talking like this are Galileans! (Good News Translation)

Translate this surprise and emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

The rhetorical question implies that Galileans could not know all those different languages, because they grew up in Galilee. This implied information is made clear in 2:8.

these men: The Greek word is just “these.” Your translation should allow for both men and women. For example:

These people (Good News Translation)

Galileans: This word indicates that the Jews thought the believers were from the region of Galilee. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

people of Galilee
-or-
from Galilee (New Century Version)

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