Acts 2 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The outpouring — wind, fire, and the tongues of the nations 2:1–13

vv. 1–4 — the wind, the fire, the filling

And when the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled,phrase modifier — ἐν τῷ + infinitive — Lukan temporal idiom; leans on ἦσαν; συμπληροῦσθαι, the day filling up to its appointed brim

they were all together in the same place.independent — ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό — the gathered-community formula (1:15; vv. 44, 47): the chapter's inclusio opens

And suddenly there came from heaven a soundindependent — ἄφνω — the theophany begins as sound, ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

as of a rushing violent wind,comparative — ὥσπερ — like, not identical; πνοή puns on πνεῦμα: Sinai-theophany register

and it filled the whole houseindependent — ἐπλήρωσεν — the house filled before the people are (v. 4)

where they were sitting;relative — locative οὗ — periphrastic imperfect; still the upper-room posture of 1:13

and there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributing themselves,independent — ὤφθησαν — the verb of theophanic appearing; γλῶσσαι, the word about to mean languages

and one rested on each of them,independent — singular ἐκάθισεν — the divided fire settles one by one: the Spirit individualized

and they were all filled with the Holy Spiritindependent — the promise of 1:5, 8 fulfilled — πάντες, not the Twelve only

and began to speak in other tongues,independent — ἑτέραις γλώσσαις — other languages, as vv. 6–11 will prove; Babel begun in reverse

as the Spirit was giving them to speak forth.comparative — iterative ἐδίδου — ἀποφθέγγεσθαι, oracular utterance: Peter's own verb at v. 14

vv. 5–8 — the crowd: each hears his own tongue

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.independent — periphrastic ἦσαν κατοικοῦντες — devout Diaspora Jews; ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔθνους anticipates the roster of vv. 9–11

And when this sound occurred,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on συνῆλθεν; ἡ φωνὴ αὕτη: the ἦχος of v. 2 or the speaking of v. 4, left open

the multitude came togetherindependent — the city converges on the sound

and was bewildered,independent — συγχέω — Babel's own verb (Gen 11:7, 9 LXX): the confusion of tongues replayed in order to be undone

because each one was hearing them speaking in his own language.cause — distributive εἷς ἕκαστος with singular ἤκουεν — διάλεκτος: the miracle specified as real languages

And they were amazed and marveled,independent — double imperfect — sustained astonishment

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame for the crowd's three questions (vv. 7b–12)

'Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?content — οὐχ expecting yes — the Galilean sneer: provincials without polyglot credentials

And how do we each hear in our own languagecontent — the hearers' πῶς — hearing, not speaking, is where they place the wonder

in which we were born?relative — the relative pinning the miracle to birth-languages, not learned speech

vv. 9–11 — the roll of the nations

Parthians and Medes and Elamitesphrase modifier — the roster opens in the far east — the whole list leans forward on ἀκούομεν (v. 11)

and those who dwell in Mesopotamia,participial — substantival participle — its accusative territories file beneath it; leans on ἀκούομεν

Judea and Cappadocia,phrase modifier — Ἰουδαίαν the roster's odd man in — natives listed among the nations; a noted puzzle

Pontus and Asia,phrase modifier — north through Anatolia — the sweep bends west

Phrygia and Pamphylia,phrase modifier — inner and southern Asia Minor — regions Paul will walk

Egypt and the parts of Libya toward Cyrene,phrase modifier — the African Diaspora — Alexandria and Cyrene, the great Jewish colonies

and the visiting Romans,phrase modifier — the list's western climax — ἐπιδημοῦντες, sojourners from the capital; Acts ends where the roster does

both Jews and proselytes,phrase modifier — apposition to the Romans — birth and conversion both represented

Cretans and Arabs —phrase modifier — the afterthought pair, island and desert — every compass point now filed

we hear them speaking in our own tongues the mighty works of God.independent — the one finite verb the whole roster waited for — τὰ μεγαλεῖα τοῦ θεοῦ, doxology as content

vv. 12–13 — amazement and the new-wine sneer

And all were amazed and perplexed,independent — διαπορέω — Luke's aporia verb: the sign demands an interpreter

saying one to another:participial — distributive idiom — the buzz of the crowd

'What does this mean?'content — literally 'what does this will to be?' — the question the sermon exists to answer

But others, mocking, kept saying:independent — διαχλευάζω — open jeering; recitative ὅτι kept with the frame

'They are filled full of sweet wine.'content — γλεῦκος — new sweet wine; μεμεστωμένοι answers ἐπλήσθησαν (v. 4): rival explanations of one filling

Peter's Pentecost sermon — Joel, David, and the Lord at the right hand 2:14–36

vv. 14–15 — the frame and the rebuttal: not drunk, it is the third hour

But Peter, standing with the eleven,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἐπῆρεν; the restored Twelve stand behind the spokesman

raised his voiceindependent — the orator's gesture — Luke's formal speech-opening

and declared to them:independent — ἀποφθέγγεσθαι again (v. 4) — Spirit-given utterance; the whole sermon (vv. 14b–36) hangs on this verb

'Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,content — vocative address — the first of three escalating addresses (vv. 14, 22, 29)

let this be known to you,content — third-person imperative — the herald's formula (cf. 4:10; 13:38)

and give ear to my words.content — ἐνωτίσασθε — Septuagintal 'give ear' (Joel 1:2 LXX): the sermon opens in Scripture's own idiom

For these men are not drunk, as you suppose,content — the sneer of v. 13 answered first — the internal ὡς-clause kept in line

for it is the third hour of the day;cause — 9 a.m. — too early for the wine: dry wit as argument

vv. 16–21 — this is that: the Joel citation (Joel 3:1–5 LXX)

but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:content — the this-is-that formula — pesher-style identification; the citation (vv. 17–21) hangs on τὸ εἰρημένον

'And it shall be in the last days, God says,content — Joel 3:1 LXX — μετὰ ταῦτα rewritten ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις: Pentecost placed inside the last days

I will pour out from my Spirit upon all flesh,content — the keyword ἐκχεῶ — reclaimed at v. 33: what God says here, Jesus does there; partitive ἀπό

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,content — all flesh unpacked — sons and daughters alike

and your young men shall see visions,content — cognate ὁράσεις ὄψονται — the young given sight

and your old men shall dream dreams;content — the second cognate pair — age and youth both enlisted

even upon my male servants and upon my female servants in those days I will pour out from my Spirit,content — καί γε — even the slaves; the μου (God's own servants) sharpens Joel

and they shall prophesy.content — an addition to Joel's text — prophecy repeated as the gift's very definition

And I will give wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below —content — ἄνω/κάτω added to Joel — the τέρατα καὶ σημεῖα pair that Jesus (v. 22) and the apostles (v. 43) will carry

blood and fire and vapor of smoke;phrase modifier — the triad in apposition — theophanic storm imagery

the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood,content — one clause with ellipsis — the darkened sun and blood moon of the Day

before the day of the Lord comes, the great and manifest day.conditional — πρίν + infinitive (typed cnd; no temporal key) — ἐπιφανῆ, the LXX's 'manifest' for MT 'dreadful'

And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'content — Joel 3:5 — the citation's hinge: κύριος will be identified as Jesus at v. 36; σωθήσεται returns at vv. 40, 47

vv. 22–24 — the kerygma: attested, delivered up, crucified, raised

Men of Israel, hear these words:content — the second address — from apology to kerygma; Ἰσραηλῖται, the covenant name

Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs,content — suspended accusative — the object waits through v. 22 to be seized by τοῦτον (v. 23); ἀποδεδειγμένον, publicly accredited

which God did through him in your midst,relative — attracted relative (οἷς for ἅ) — God the actor, Jesus the instrument

as you yourselves know —comparative — appeal to the hearers' own knowledge — the works were public

this man, delivered up by the fixed plan and foreknowledge of God,phrase modifier — the fronted object resumes the suspension — ἔκδοτον, NT hapax; the divine-plan datives before the human verb; leans on ἀνείλατε

nailing him up by the hand of lawless men,participial — προσπήξαντες — 'fixed fast' to the cross, Luke's rare word; ἄνομοι, the Romans as men-without-Torah; leans on ἀνείλατε

you killed him,content — the accusation lands in one bare word — plan and guilt in a single sentence

whom God raised up,relative — the great reversal — your verb answered by God's; ὅν on the object just slain

loosing the pangs of death,participial — ὠδῖνες θανάτου — Ps 17:5 LXX: death in labor, unable to keep its child

because it was not possible for him to be held by it.cause — οὐκ ἦν δυνατόν — the impossibility about to be grounded in Scripture (vv. 25–28)

vv. 25–28 — David's psalm: the Holy One not abandoned (Ps 16:8–11 LXX)

For David says of him:cause — citation formula — Ps 16:8–11 LXX hangs on λέγει; εἰς αὐτόν, 'with reference to him'

'I saw the Lord always before me,content — Ps 15:8 LXX — προορᾶν, keeping the Lord ever in view

for he is at my right handcause — ἐκ δεξιῶν — the phrase that will pivot to Ps 110:1 at v. 34

that I may not be shaken.purpose — the purpose of the right-hand presence — the psalmist's stability

Therefore my heart was gladcontent — the gladness drawn from the presence

and my tongue rejoiced;content — LXX γλῶσσα where the Hebrew has 'glory' — the tongue, apt at Pentecost

moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;content — κατασκηνώσει — the flesh 'tents' in hope: the argument's fulcrum turns bodily

for you will not abandon my soul to Hades,cause — the hope grounded — οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις, echoed of Christ at v. 31

nor will you give your Holy One to see corruption.cause — διαφθορά — the LXX's 'corruption' (MT 'pit'): the word the whole argument rides on (vv. 29–31)

You made known to me the ways of life;content — ὁδοὶ ζωῆς — resurrection as the road shown

you will fill me with gladness with your presence.'content — the citation closes in joy — μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου, before the face

vv. 29–31 — the tomb argument: the patriarch died, the prophet foresaw

Brothers, one may say with confidence to you about the patriarch Davidcontent — third address, now ἀδελφοί — ἐξόν (sc. ἐστιν), verbless; παρρησία, the keyword of apostolic speech

that he both diedcontent — the syllogism's first premise

and was buried,content — burial certifies death

and his tomb is among us to this day;content — the standing tomb — David saw corruption; the psalm awaits another

Being therefore a prophet,participial — leans on ἐλάλησεν (v. 31) — David reclassified: not psalmist only but prophet

and knowingparticipial — the second preposed participle — knowledge of the oath; leans on ἐλάλησεν

that God had sworn to him with an oathcontent — Ps 132:11 — the Davidic oath; cognate ὅρκῳ ὤμοσεν

to seat one from the fruit of his loins upon his throne,content — complement infinitive — the enthronement content of the oath

foreseeing it,participial — the prophet's προ- — leans on ἐλάλησεν

he spoke about the resurrection of the Christ:content — the hermeneutical verdict — Ps 16 read as spoken of the Messiah, not of David himself

that he was neither abandoned to Hadescontent — the psalm's future turned aorist — fulfilled, not merely hoped

nor did his flesh see corruption.content — διαφθορά again — the empty tomb argued from the psalm's own grammar

vv. 32–33 — raised, exalted, pouring out what you see and hear

This Jesus God raised up,content — τοῦτον fronted — the demonstrative kerygma; God the subject throughout

of which we all are witnesses.relative — οὗ — 'of which' (the resurrection) or 'of whom'; the witness theme of 1:8, 22

Therefore, exalted to the right hand of God,participial — leans on ἐξέχεεν — τῇ δεξιᾷ locative ('to') or instrumental ('by'), left open; the psalms' right hand recurs

and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,participial — the promise of 1:4 — received in order to be given; leans on ἐξέχεεν

he has poured out thiscontent — ἐξέχεεν — Joel's ἐκχεῶ (v. 17) now Jesus' own act: the exalted one does what God said he would

which you both see and hear.relative — the phenomena of vv. 2–4 as public evidence — [καὶ] bracketed as disputed

vv. 34–35 — not David but David's Lord (Ps 110:1)

For David did not ascend into the heavens,cause — the exaltation argued as the resurrection was — David again the foil

but he himself says:content — the δέ-pivot, coordinate with the γάρ-clause on ἐξέχεεν — the citation formula for Ps 110:1

'The Lord said to my Lord:content — Ps 110:1 — two lords: YHWH and David's own κύριος; [ὁ] bracketed

Sit at my right hand,content — the session command — ἐκ δεξιῶν, the phrase of v. 25 become enthronement

until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'conditional — ἕως ἄν + subjunctive (typed cnd; no temporal key) — the session's term: the subjugation still under way

v. 36 — the verdict: Lord and Christ

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredlycontent — ἀσφαλῶς οὖν — the sermon's QED; πᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραήλ, the whole nation summoned to the conclusion

that God has made him both Lord and Christ —content — κύριος from Joel's citation (v. 21) and χριστός from David's — ἐποίησεν as exaltation language, the crux noted

this Jesusphrase modifier — the demonstrative one last time — apposition to αὐτόν

whom you crucified.'relative — the sermon's last word — emphatic ὑμεῖς: the sting that pierces (v. 37)

The response — pierced hearts and three thousand souls 2:37–41

vv. 37–39 — the pierced heart and the promise

Now hearing this,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on κατενύγησαν

they were pierced to the heart,independent — κατανύσσομαι — only here in the NT (cf. Ps 108:16 LXX): the word wounds before it heals

and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles:independent — τε-linked — the response immediate; the Eleven of v. 14 still standing

'What shall we do, brothers?'content — deliberative subjunctive — the crowd returns Peter's ἀδελφοί (v. 29); cf. Luke 3:10

And Peter to them:independent — verbless speech-frame — the parenthetic [φησίν] follows inside the quotation

'Repent,' he says,content — the answer's first imperative — [φησίν] bracketed as textually uncertain

'and let each of you be baptized upon the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,content — the chapter's crux — εἰς ἄφεσιν: goal, ground, or reference, its force left open; ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι, on the authority of the name

and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.content — future indicative after the imperatives — the Spirit himself the δωρεά

For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off,cause — the widening circle — you, your children, the far-off (Isa 57:19): the Gentiles in embryo

as many as the Lord our God calls to himself.'relative — Joel 3:5b — the citation's unquoted ending surfaces: the called answer the callers-upon (v. 21)

vv. 40–41 — the exhortation and the three thousand

And with many other words he solemnly testified,independent — the sermon marked as larger than its transcript

and kept urging them,independent — iterative imperfect after the aorist — the pleading continues

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle

'Be saved from this crooked generation.'content — passive imperative — let yourselves be saved; γενεὰ σκολιά, Deut 32:5; σῴζω closes the Joel arc (v. 21)

So those who received his word were baptized,independent — μὲν οὖν — Luke's resumptive; ἀποδεξάμενοι, glad welcome of the word

and there were added that day about three thousand souls.independent — divine passive προσετέθησαν — God does the adding (v. 47); three thousand where Sinai's day cost three thousand (Exod 32:28)

The community of goods and the daily increase 2:42–47

vv. 42–43 — the four devotions and the awe

And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the fellowship,independent — periphrastic — προσκαρτερεῖν, persistent adherence; the first pair of the four devotions

to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.phrase modifier — the second dative pair — asyndeton splits the four in two; κλάσις τοῦ ἄρτου, Luke's table phrase (Luke 24:35)

And fear kept coming upon every soul,independent — imperfect ἐγίνετο — continuing awe; ψυχή echoing the three thousand ψυχαί

and many wonders and signs were happening through the apostles.independent — Joel's τέρατα καὶ σημεῖα (v. 19) and Jesus' own (v. 22) now run through the apostles

vv. 44–47 — all things common, daily growth

And all who believed were togetherindependent — ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό again (vv. 1, 47) — the shorter text read, without the later expansions

and had all things in common,independent — ἅπαντα κοινά — the Greek friendship ideal (κοινὰ τὰ φίλων) made Pentecostal fact

and they kept selling their possessions and goodsindependent — iterative imperfect — sales as needs arose, not a single divestment

and kept distributing them to all,independent — διεμέριζον — the fire's verb (διαμεριζόμεναι, v. 3) become the economy's

as anyone had need;comparative — καθότι ἄν + imperfect — iterative-distributive: need, not status, the measure

And day by day, persisting with one accord in the temple,participial — leans on μετελάμβανον — the devotion of v. 42 kept daily; ὁμοθυμαδόν, Luke's unanimity word

and breaking bread from house to house,participial — distributive κατ' οἶκον — temple and household, the community's two rooms; leans on μετελάμβανον

they were receiving their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,independent — ἀγαλλίασις — the psalm's joy (v. 26) at table; ἀφελότης, unstudied simplicity, found only here

praising Godparticipial — the meals doxological — αἰνεῖν, Luke's praise verb

and having favor with all the people.participial — χάρις πρὸς ὅλον τὸν λαόν — goodwill before the whole λαός, soon to divide

And the Lord kept adding day by day to their company those who were being saved.independent — iterative imperfect — ὁ κύριος (v. 36) does the adding; οἱ σῳζόμενοι, Joel's promise (v. 21) in motion; ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό read with this clause, closing the inclusio of v. 1

Analysis. Acts 2 sets Luke's two registers side by side. The narrative (vv. 1–13, 37–47) runs Markan-flat: coordinate main clauses down the left margin — the sound came, it filled the house, tongues appeared and sat, all were filled and began to speak — with Luke's preposed frames (the ἐν τῷ + infinitive of v. 1, the genitive absolute of v. 6, the participle-trains of vv. 37 and 46) leaning forward, anchor-less, on the verbs below them, and the roll of the nations (vv. 9–11) standing as a verbless mod roster — three verses of piled subject, east to west from Parthia to Rome, suspended before its one governing verb, ἀκούομεν. Against that column Peter's sermon (vv. 14–36) is one unbroken speech: every speech-level clause hangs blue (cnt) at constant depth from the single frame verb ἀπεφθέγξατο (v. 14 — the same Spirit-given utterance-verb as v. 4), and the three Old Testament citations each drop one step deeper beneath their citation formulas: Joel 3:1–5 LXX under τὸ εἰρημένον (vv. 17–21, where Luke's ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις for Joel's μετὰ ταῦτα is kept as the sermon's eschatological key), Ps 16:8–11 LXX under Δαυὶδ λέγει (vv. 25–28, the argument riding on the LXX's διαφθορά, 'corruption'), and Ps 110:1 under λέγει δὲ αὐτός (vv. 34–35). Cruxes are taken openly: v. 23 keeps the fronted τοῦτον … ἔκδοτον (NT hapax) and the nailing-participle as suspended forward-leaning lines so that the bare ἀνείλατε lands alone — divine plan and human guilt in one sentence; οὗ in v. 32 is glossed 'of which' (the resurrection) with 'of whom' noted; in v. 38 εἰς ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν stays on the baptism line with its disputed force named, not resolved; and ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, the chapter's inclusio (vv. 1, 44, 47), is read at v. 47 with the preceding clause, following the chapter data's text note.