The Early Christian Community
Acts 2:42-47
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Acts.2.42 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- δε: CONJ
- προσκαρτερουντες: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- διδαχη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αποστολων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- κοινωνια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- κλασει: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αρτου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ταις: ART,dat,pl,f
- προσευχαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
Parallels
- Acts 1:14 (verbal): The disciples are described as continually devoted to prayer (προσευχῇ/προσευχαις), paralleling Acts 2:42’s emphasis on prayer.
- Acts 2:46 (verbal): The community met house to house, broke bread (κλάσει τοῦ ἄρτου) and praised God—echoing Acts 2:42’s ‘breaking of bread’ and communal life.
- Acts 4:32-35 (thematic): Describes the early church’s koinonia (fellowship/unity) and sharing of possessions, developing the same fellowship motif found in Acts 2:42.
- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (thematic): Paul’s account of the Lord’s Supper (the breaking of bread) connects the ritual practice in Acts 2:42 to apostolic instruction about the meal’s meaning.
- Hebrews 10:24-25 (thematic): Exhorts believers not to neglect assembling and to encourage one another—paralleling Acts 2:42’s devotion to teaching, fellowship, and prayer in communal gatherings.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
- They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts.2.43 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- Εγινετο: VERB,impf,mid/pass,ind,3,sg
- δε: CONJ
- παση: ADJ,dat,sg,f
- ψυχη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- φοβος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- πολλα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- τε: CONJ
- τερατα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- σημεια: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- δια: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αποστολων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- εγινετο: VERB,impf,mid/pass,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Acts 5:12 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language—'many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles'—directly parallels Acts 2:43's report of apostolic miracles.
- Acts 2:22 (verbal): Peter's speech describes Jesus as attested by God 'with mighty works and wonders and signs,' linking the theme of divine authentication by wonders found in Acts 2:43.
- Acts 4:30 (verbal): The apostles pray that 'signs and wonders' be done through Jesus' name—connects the source/purpose of the miracles to the same phrase and apostolic activity in Acts 2:43.
- Luke 7:16 (thematic): After Jesus raises the widow's son at Nain 'fear seized them all,' a Lukan parallel showing the common motif of awe/fear in response to powerful miracles.
- Hebrews 2:4 (thematic): Speaks of God bearing witness to salvation 'by signs and wonders and various miracles,' situating the Acts accounts within the wider NT claim that signs validated God's work.
Alternative generated candidates
- And a sense of awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
- Awe seized every heart, and many wonders and signs were wrought by the apostles.
Acts.2.44 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- πιστευοντες: PART,pres,act,nom,pl,m
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- επι: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- αυτο: PRON,acc,sg,neut
- και: CONJ
- ειχον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- απαντα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- κοινα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
Parallels
- Acts 4:32-35 (verbal): Direct repetition and expansion of the same practice: the believers were of one heart and soul, had all things in common, sold property, and distributed to anyone in need.
- Acts 2:42-47 (structural): Immediate literary context: the whole pericope describes the early Christian fellowship—teaching, breaking of bread, prayer, and communal sharing of goods.
- Luke 12:33 (thematic): Jesus' teaching to sell possessions and give to the poor echoes the ethic of voluntary redistribution exhibited by the early community.
- 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (thematic): Paul commends believers' sacrificial sharing and organized collections for others' needs, reflecting the same principle of mutual support and resource pooling.
- Deuteronomy 15:4-11 (thematic): Old Testament social provisions and obligations toward the poor provide a background for Israelite/early Christian expectations of aiding the needy and relieving economic distress.
Alternative generated candidates
- And all who believed were together and held all things in common.
- All who believed were together and had all things in common.
Acts.2.45 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- κτηματα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- υπαρξεις: NOUN,acc,pl,fem
- επιπρασκον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- διεμεριζον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- πασιν: ADJ,dat,pl,m
- καθοτι: CONJ
- αν: PART
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- χρειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ειχεν·: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Acts 4:34-35 (verbal): Closely parallel account in Acts describing believers selling property and distributing proceeds to anyone in need; language and communal practice closely mirror Acts 2:45.
- Acts 2:44 (structural): Immediate context: v.44 states the believers had all things in common, providing the structural setting for the selling and distribution described in v.45.
- Matthew 19:21 (thematic): Jesus tells the rich young man to 'sell what you have and give to the poor,' echoing the motif of selling possessions for the sake of others' needs.
- Luke 12:33 (thematic): Jesus' instruction to 'sell your possessions and give to the poor' thematically parallels the early Christian practice of selling goods and caring for the needy.
- 1 John 3:17 (thematic): Appeal to tangible solidarity: if one has resources and sees a brother in need, one should share—the ethical principle underlying the Acts practice of redistribution.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they sold their possessions and goods and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had need.
- They sold their property and possessions and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Acts.2.46 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- καθ᾽ημεραν: ADV
- τε: CONJ
- προσκαρτερουντες: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- ομοθυμαδον: ADV
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ιερω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- κλωντες: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- τε: CONJ
- κατ᾽οικον: ADV
- αρτον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- μετελαμβανον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- τροφης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- αγαλλιασει: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- αφελοτητι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- καρδιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Acts 2:42 (verbal): Closely related context: the early believers are described as devoted to 'the breaking of bread' and fellowship, echoing the communal meals and devotion mentioned in 2:46.
- Acts 4:32-35 (thematic): Depicts the same communal life—unity of heart, sharing possessions, and distribution of food—reinforcing the theme of fellowship and mutual care.
- Luke 24:30-31 (allusion): Jesus 'took bread, blessed and broke it' with the Emmaus disciples; Acts' phrase 'breaking bread' alludes to this meal/Eucharistic tradition connecting Christian worship and fellowship.
- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (quotation): Paul's account of the Lord's Supper (taking, blessing, breaking bread) provides a liturgical framework behind Acts' 'breaking bread,' linking communal meals to remembrance of Christ.
- Romans 12:13 (thematic): Urges sharing with the saints and hospitality, paralleling Acts' depiction of house-to-house meals and glad, single-hearted provision for one another.
Alternative generated candidates
- And day by day, with one accord, they continued in the temple; and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and sincerity of heart,
- Day by day, with one accord they continued in the temple; breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and sincerity of heart.
Acts.2.47 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- αινουντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- θεον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εχοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- χαριν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- προς: PREP
- ολον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- λαον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- κυριος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- προσετιθει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- σωζομενους: VERB,pres,mid/pass,part,acc,pl,m
- καθ᾽ημεραν: ADV
- επι: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- αυτο: PRON,acc,sg,neut
Parallels
- Luke 2:52 (verbal): Uses very similar language about Jesus 'increasing in favor with God and man' (χάρις/χάριν and favor toward people), paralleling 'having favor with all the people.'
- Luke 2:40 (verbal): Says 'the grace of God was upon him' (ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ ἦν ἐπʼ αὐτό), echoing the theme of divine favor present in Acts 2:47's 'having favor with all the people.'
- Acts 5:14 (structural): Describes numerical growth of believers and the Lord's adding to them—parallels Acts 2:47's statement that 'the Lord added to the saved day by day.'
- Acts 6:7 (thematic): Reports that 'the word of God increased, and the number of disciples multiplied,' a thematic parallel emphasizing ongoing expansion of the church like Acts 2:47's daily additions.
- Acts 4:4 (thematic): Notes that many who heard the message believed (large numbers were added), thematically related to Acts 2:47's depiction of widespread favor and continual conversions.
Alternative generated candidates
- praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
- Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people, the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Awe came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common.
They sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, according to each one's need.
Day by day, with one accord they continued in the temple; and from house to house they broke bread, sharing their food with gladness and sincere hearts.
They praised God and enjoyed the favor of all the people; and the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.