2:4a
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit: This clause refers to the filling that all believers receive. It indicates that the Holy Spirit will guide the believers and give them the power to do all that God wanted them to do. 2:4b then tells the readers what the Holy Spirit did in the believers at this time. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
the Holy Spirit guided/empowered all of them
-or-
All of them were full of the Holy Spirit
This clause is passive. The examples above do not use a passive clause. Translate the clause in a natural way in your language.
they…all: This phrase refers to all of the believers in that place. For example:
everyone present (New Living Translation (2004))
Holy Spirit: See how you translated this phrase in 1:2b.
2:4b
began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them: This clause indicates that the Holy Spirit gave them the power to speak languages that the believers had not learned, and they began speaking in those languages. In some languages it is necessary or more natural to indicate what the Holy Spirit did first. For example:
the Spirit enabled them to speak in other tongues and they began to do so
other tongues: This phrase refers to languages that were spoken in other places.
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