Acts 2:17
What does Acts 2:17 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 2:17 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 2:17 means
Peter quotes Joel, emphasizing that the outpouring of the Spirit is a hallmark of the 'last days,' the period inaugurated by Christ's first coming. God's promise to 'pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh' indicates a universal accessibility to the Spirit, not limited by ethnicity, gender, age, or social status. The prophecy of sons, daughters, young men, and old men prophesying, seeing visions, and dreaming dreams highlights the widespread and diverse manifestations of the Spirit's activity among all believers.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams:
KJV
King James Version · 1611And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And it will come about, in the last days, says God, that I will send out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams:
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And it shall come to pass, in the last days, (saith the Lord), I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy: and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And it shall be in the last days, saithGod, [that] I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream with dreams;
Context
This verse is the beginning of Peter's extensive quotation from the prophet Joel, serving as the scriptural foundation for his explanation of the events of Pentecost. Here, he immediately establishes that the outpouring of the Spirit is a sign of the 'last days' and highlights the universal availability of this spiritual empowerment, leading into further details of prophecy.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
- Psalms 72:6
He will come down like rain upon the mown grass, As showers that water the earth.
- 2 Peter 3:3
knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts,
- 1 Corinthians 12:10
and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:
- Micah 4:1
But in the latter days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it.
- Luke 3:6
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
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