Yes, the crowd reacted with astonishment, confusion, and even mockery, as some accused the disciples of being drunk.
The multitude was confounded and amazed because every man heard the Galilean disciples speaking in his own distinct dialect. While many marveled and wondered what it meant, others dismissed the miracle, saying the men were full of new wine. This reaction prompted Peter to stand with the eleven and defend the disciples.
Acts 2:6-7 — This passage directly describes the crowd's reaction of being confounded and amazed when they heard the disciples speaking in their own languages.
According to Acts 2:6, when the sound of the disciples speaking in tongues was noised abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded, 'because that every man heard them speak in his own language.' The next verse records that they were 'all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?' The crowd recognized these speakers as uneducated Galileans, which heightened their wonder. Later, in Acts 2:13, the reaction turns skeptical: 'Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.' Thus, the crowd's reaction was a mix of amazement, confusion, and derision, as they struggled to explain the supernatural phenomenon.
Les emphasizes that the crowd was confounded and amazed because each person heard the disciples speaking in his own specific dialect, not just a regional language. He highlights that the disciples were from Galilee—ordinary fishermen—so their sudden linguistic ability was startling. Les also points out that some in the crowd accused the disciples of being drunk, but Peter refuted this by noting it was only 9 a.m. (Acts 2:15). Les uses this to show that God's supernatural work was undeniable and that even the mockery was part of the scene.
Les teaches that the Greek word for tongues is 'dialectos,' meaning dialect. Thus, the disciples were speaking not just broad languages but the specific dialects of the nations represented in the crowd. This precision caused the multitude to be confounded because they heard 'every man' his own language or dialect, as stated in Acts 2:6. The Jews had come from places like India, Syria, Greece, Italy, and Egypt, and each heard his own native tongue.
Les explains that the twelve disciples were from Galilee, a rural, less educated region compared to Jerusalem. The crowd marveled, saying, 'Are not all these which speak Galilaeans?' (Acts 2:7). They were surprised because these uneducated fishermen were speaking languages they had never learned, which underscored the supernatural nature of the event.
Les notes that despite the amazement, some in the crowd mocked the disciples, saying they were full of new wine (Acts 2:13). This accusation was unreasonable because alcohol cannot make a person more intelligent or able to speak multiple languages. Peter later refuted it by noting the early hour. Les points out that this mocking was part of the crowd's reaction to something beyond their natural understanding.
Dialects and the Greek Word 'Dialectos'
Les explains that the disciples spoke not just regional languages but specific dialects, which made the crowd's confusion more profound.
The Multitude Confounded
Les shows that every man in the crowd heard the disciples in his own language, causing them to be confounded and amazed.
What the Bible Really Says About Speaking in Tongues
Now the miracle of Pentecost was that God gave these apostles for sure this gift to speak all the languages of the people that were out there in that massive crowd in front of them. And then you come down to verse 6, "...they were confounded, because every man heard them speak not in an unknown guttural noise, but in a language that they could understand.
What the Bible Really Says About Speaking in Tongues
They were like Peter, they had recognized that Jesus was the Christ. So these believing Jews were astonished. Now we pointed this all out when we taught the book of Acts, that these Jews, the six men who came with Peter for a total of seven, were just utterly astonished that these Gentiles were hearing a salvation message and believing it.
What the Bible Really Says About Speaking in Tongues
Not just the Latin in which they were grown and probably practiced, maybe not even just Greek that they probably used in their military conversations, but now as many as came with Peter, these six Jews, saw that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Why Did the Holy Spirit Fall BEFORE Baptism? Acts 10
Well, if this was a common occurrence, what's there to be surprised about? But this was something that's never happened before. Gentiles? See? Now, I even have my own idea about proselytes, but I'm not going to get into any arguments, so I'm not going to say it. But anyway, these Gentiles were so shocking to these believing Jews that they'd never seen anything like this before.
Accusation of New Wine and Peter's Reply
Les recounts how some in the crowd accused the disciples of being drunk, and Peter refuted it by noting it was only 9 a.m.
The Galilean Identity
Les explains that the crowd marveled because the speakers were uneducated Galileans, which made the linguistic miracle even more astonishing.
Acts 2:6: Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
This verse directly describes the crowd's initial reaction of confusion and astonishment upon hearing the disciples speak in languages.
Acts 2:7: And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
This verse shows the crowd's amazement specifically because the speakers were Galileans, whom they considered uneducated.
Acts 2:13: Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
This verse records the mocking reaction of some in the crowd, attributing the miracle to drunkenness.
No, while many were amazed and confounded, some mocked and said the disciples were full of new wine. The Bible records both reactions.
Because the supernatural display of speaking in many languages was so incredible that some sought a natural explanation, attributing it to intoxication. Peter refuted this by pointing out it was only 9 a.m.
Watch the Teaching: What Peter Really Said at Pentecost — Acts 2 Explained