Grammar Analysis: Acts 2:13-18¶
Text¶
Greek (v. 13): ἕτεροι δὲ διαχλευάζοντες ἔλεγον ὅτι Γλεύκους μεμεστωμένοι εἰσίν. KJV (v. 13): Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
Greek (v. 14): Σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ Πέτρος σὺν τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐπῆρεν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπεφθέγξατο αὐτοῖς Ἄνδρες Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες Ἱερουσαλὴμ πάντες, τοῦτο ὑμῖν γνωστὸν ἔστω, καὶ ἐνωτίσασθε τὰ ῥήματά μου. KJV (v. 14): But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all [ye] that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Greek (v. 15): οὐ γὰρ ὡς ὑμεῖς ὑπολαμβάνετε οὗτοι μεθύουσιν, ἔστιν γὰρ ὥρα τρίτη τῆς ἡμέρας, KJV (v. 15): For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day.
Greek (v. 16): ἀλλὰ τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ εἰρημένον διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Ἰωήλ KJV (v. 16): But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Greek (v. 17): Καὶ ἔσται ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις, λέγει ὁ Θεός, ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται, καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνυπνίοις ἐνυπνιασθήσονται· KJV (v. 17): And 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:
Greek (v. 18): καίγε ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν. KJV (v. 18): And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
Word-by-Word Parsing¶
Verse 13 — The mocking accusation¶
| # | Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ἕτεροι | ἕτερος | G2087 | A-NPM | others |
| 2 | δὲ | δέ | G1161 | CONJ | but |
| 3 | διαχλευάζοντες | διαχλευάζω | G5512 | V-PAP-NPM | mocking (pres act ptcp) |
| 4 | ἔλεγον | λέγω | G3004 | V-IAI-3P | were saying (impf act) |
| 5 | ὅτι | ὅτι | G3754 | CONJ | that |
| 6 | Γλεύκους | γλεῦκος | G1098 | N-GSN | of new wine (gen) |
| 7 | μεμεστωμένοι | μεστόω | G3325 | V-RPP-NPM | having been filled |
| 8 | εἰσίν | εἰμί | G1510 | V-PAI-3P | they are |
Verse 14 — Peter stands and speaks¶
| # | Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Σταθεὶς | ἵστημι | G2476 | V-APP-NSM | having stood (aor pass ptcp) |
| 2 | δὲ | δέ | G1161 | CONJ | but |
| 3 | ὁ Πέτρος | Πέτρος | G4074 | N-NSM | Peter |
| 4 | σὺν | σύν | G4862 | PREP | with |
| 5 | τοῖς ἕνδεκα | ἕνδεκα | G1733 | A-NUI | the eleven |
| 6 | ἐπῆρεν | ἐπαίρω | G1869 | V-AAI-3S | lifted up (aor act) |
| 7 | τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ | φωνή | G5456 | N-ASF | his voice |
| 8 | ἀπεφθέγξατο | ἀποφθέγγομαι | G669 | V-ADI-3S | spoke out (aor mid) |
| 9 | Ἄνδρες Ἰουδαῖοι | ἀνήρ / Ἰουδαῖος | G435 / G2453 | N-VPM / A-VPM | Men of Judea (voc) |
| 10 | γνωστὸν ἔστω | γνωστός / εἰμί | G1110 / G1510 | A-NSN / V-PAM-3S | let it be known (impv) |
| 11 | ἐνωτίσασθε | ἐνωτίζομαι | G1801 | V-ADM-2P | give ear (aor mid impv) |
| 12 | τὰ ῥήματά μου | ῥῆμα | G4487 | N-APN | my words |
Verse 15 — "Not drunk"¶
| # | Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | οὐ | οὐ | G3756 | PRT-N | not |
| 2 | γὰρ | γάρ | G1063 | CONJ | for |
| 3 | ὡς | ὡς | G5613 | ADV | as |
| 4 | ὑμεῖς ὑπολαμβάνετε | ὑπολαμβάνω | G5274 | V-PAI-2P | you suppose |
| 5 | οὗτοι | οὗτος | G3778 | D-NPM | these |
| 6 | μεθύουσιν | μεθύω | G3184 | V-PAI-3P | are drunk |
| 7 | ὥρα τρίτη τῆς ἡμέρας | ὥρα / ἡμέρα | G5610 / G2250 | N-NSF / N-GSF | third hour of the day |
Verse 16 — Peter's citation formula¶
| # | Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ἀλλὰ | ἀλλά | G235 | CONJ | but |
| 2 | τοῦτό | οὗτος | G3778 | D-NSN | this |
| 3 | ἐστιν | εἰμί | G1510 | V-PAI-3S | is |
| 4 | τὸ εἰρημένον | εἶπον | G2046 | V-RPP-NSN-ATT | the thing having been spoken (perf pass ptcp, Attic) |
| 5 | διὰ | διά | G1223 | PREP | through |
| 6 | τοῦ προφήτου Ἰωήλ | προφήτης / Ἰωήλ | G4396 / G2493 | N-GSM | the prophet Joel |
Verse 17 — Joel citation: outpouring & prophesying¶
| # | Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ἔσται | εἰμί | G1510 | V-FDI-3S | it shall be (fut) |
| 2 | ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις | ἔσχατος / ἡμέρα | G2078 / G2250 | A-DPF-S / N-DPF | in the last days |
| 3 | λέγει ὁ Θεός | λέγω / θεός | G3004 / G2316 | V-PAI-3S / N-NSM | says God |
| 4 | ἐκχεῶ | ἐκχέω | G1632 | V-FAI-1S | I will pour out |
| 5 | ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου | ἀπό / πνεῦμα | G575 / G4151 | PREP + N-GSN | from my Spirit |
| 6 | ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα | ἐπί / πᾶς / σάρξ | G1909/G3956/G4561 | PREP + A-ASF + N-ASF | upon all flesh |
| 7 | προφητεύσουσιν | προφητεύω | G4395 | V-FAI-3P | they will prophesy |
| 8 | οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν | υἱός | G5207 | N-NPM | your sons |
| 9 | αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν | θυγάτηρ | G2364 | N-NPF | your daughters |
| 10 | οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν | νεανίσκος | G3495 | N-NPM | your young men |
| 11 | ὁράσεις ὄψονται | ὅρασις / ὁράω | G3706 / G3708 | N-APF / V-FDI-3P | will see visions |
| 12 | οἱ πρεσβύτεροι | πρεσβύτερος | G4245 | A-NPM-C | elder men |
| 13 | ἐνυπνίοις ἐνυπνιασθήσονται | ἐνύπνιον / ἐνυπνιάζομαι | G1798 / G1797 | N-DPN / V-FPI-3P | shall dream dreams (cognate) |
Verse 18 — Extension to servants¶
| # | Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | καίγε | καίγε | G2534 | CONJ-P | even indeed |
| 2 | ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου | δοῦλος | G1401 | N-APM | upon my menservants |
| 3 | ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου | δούλη | G1399 | N-APF | upon my maidservants |
| 4 | ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις | ἡμέρα / ἐκεῖνος | G2250 / G1565 | N-DPF / D-DPF | in those days |
| 5 | ἐκχεῶ | ἐκχέω | G1632 | V-FAI-1S | I will pour out |
| 6 | ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου | πνεῦμα | G4151 | N-GSN | from my Spirit |
| 7 | προφητεύσουσιν | προφητεύω | G4395 | V-FAI-3P | they shall prophesy |
Key Grammatical Features¶
1. μεμεστωμένοι εἰσίν (v. 13) — Periphrastic Perfect Passive¶
- Form: Perfect passive participle (μεστόω, G3325, "to fill") nominative plural masculine + present indicative of εἰμί. Together = periphrastic perfect passive, 3rd plural.
- Significance: The construction expresses a completed state with ongoing results — "they stand in a filled condition." The mockers are charging that the disciples have already become thoroughly saturated with γλεῦκος (new/sweet wine) and remain so. The perfect stem (reduplication με-) emphasizes the present visible state as the consequence of prior drinking. Passive voice removes agency from the disciples — they have been "filled up" from outside.
- Grammar reference: participle-perfect-passive-state
- Word study: G1098-gleukos (unfermented or minimally fermented sweet wine; this specific term, not the generic οἶνος)
2. διαχλευάζοντες ἔλεγον (v. 13) — Attendant-Circumstance Participle with Imperfect¶
- Form: Present active participle of διαχλευάζω (G5512, "mock, jeer openly"; intensive διά-prefix on χλευάζω) + imperfect active indicative of λέγω (3rd plural). The NPM participle agrees with the implicit subject of ἔλεγον.
- Significance: The present participle encodes the manner/attendant circumstance of the main verb — "while mocking, they kept saying." The imperfect ἔλεγον (over the normal aorist εἶπον) signals a repeated or continuing action: the mocking accusation was not a one-time quip but a running jeer through the crowd. The διά- compound is strong: open ridicule, not muttered skepticism.
- Grammar reference: participle-legon-discourse (the λέγω-participle + finite verb pattern for introducing speech)
3. Σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ Πέτρος (v. 14) — Aorist Passive Participle of Posture¶
- Form: Aorist passive participle of ἵστημι (G2476), nominative singular masculine ("having been stood" / "having taken his stand"). Circumstantial participle preceding the main verb ἐπῆρεν (aor act).
- Significance: With ἵστημι the passive forms carry intransitive sense — "having stood up," "having taken a stand." The temporal-circumstantial participle sets the scene: Peter's public posture precedes his speech. The aorist encodes the act as a single completed event; contrast with the durative imperfect ἔλεγον of the mockers. The rhetorical effect is deliberate: mockers chatter (imperfect), Peter takes his stand (aorist) and speaks out (ἀπεφθέγξατο, aor mid).
- Grammar reference: aorist-passive-indicative (background on aor pass morphology and semantics)
4. ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου (vv. 17, 18) — Future Active + Partitive ἀπό¶
- Form: ἐκχεῶ = future active indicative 1st singular of ἐκχέω (G1632, "pour out"). ἀπό + genitive of πνεῦμα, often called a "partitive" or "source" ἀπό.
- Significance: Two observations work together:
- Future active, divine first-person. God himself is the agent ("I will pour out"); the future ἐκχεῶ is prophetic, locating the outpouring in the ἔσχαται ἡμέραι. The verb ἐκχέω is the standard LXX/NT rendering of Hebrew שָׁפַךְ (see TR-shaphak-ekcheo) and is used of blood, wrath, and Spirit — "pour out" as a total, unstanched flow.
- ἀπό + genitive vs. accusative. The MT of Joel 3:1 (ET 2:28) has אֶשְׁפּוֹךְ אֶת־רוּחִי ("I will pour out my Spirit," direct object). The LXX and Peter render with ἀπὸ + genitive, producing a partitive nuance — "I will pour out from/of my Spirit." Some grammarians read this as Septuagintal idiom (ἀπό mirrors Hebrew מִן without narrowing sense), others as a genuine partitive ("some portion of my Spirit"). Either way, the case shift distinguishes this citation from a straight accusative object.
- Word studies: G1632-ekcheo, G4151-pneuma, TR-shaphak-ekcheo, TR-ruach-pneuma
5. ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις (v. 17) — Dative of Time with Superlative¶
- Form: Preposition ἐν + dative plural feminine article + superlative adjective ἔσχατος (G2078, "last, final") + dative plural of ἡμέρα.
- Significance: Peter's quotation diverges from the LXX of Joel 3:1 (LXX: καὶ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα, "and it shall be after these things") and substitutes ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις ("in the last days"). The shift is exegetical: Peter interprets Joel's "afterward" as eschatological. ἔσχαταις is the superlative ("last" in absolute sense, not "later"), and the articular dative locative marks the eschatological era as the temporal frame of the outpouring. Verse 18 restates with synonymous ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ("in those days").
- Word study: G2078-eschatos, TR-acharown-eschatos
6. τὸ εἰρημένον διὰ τοῦ προφήτου (v. 16) — Articular Perfect Passive Participle as Citation Formula¶
- Form: τὸ (neuter article) + εἰρημένον (perfect passive participle of εἶπον/λέγω, nom sg neut, Attic reduplication). The article substantivizes the participle: "the [thing] having been spoken."
- Significance: A standard NT citation formula for introducing prophetic Scripture (cf. Matt 1:22; 2:15; 22:31). The perfect tense expresses an abiding state — the prophetic word stands spoken and still carries force into Peter's present moment. The passive plus διά + genitive agent (διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Ἰωήλ) marks Joel as the instrument, not the ultimate speaker; God is the implied source (reinforced by λέγει ὁ Θεός in v. 17).
- Grammar reference: participle-perfect-passive-state, divine-passive (God as implied agent)
7. ἐνυπνίοις ἐνυπνιασθήσονται (v. 17) — Cognate Dative with Future Passive¶
- Form: Dative plural of ἐνύπνιον (G1798, "dream") + future passive indicative 3rd plural of ἐνυπνιάζομαι (G1797, "to dream"). The noun and verb share the same root — a cognate (or "inner-object") dative construction.
- Significance: This is a Semitic figura etymologica carried over from the Hebrew of Joel (וַחֲלֹמוֹת יַחֲלֹמוּן, "they shall dream dreams"). The LXX reproduces it with the dative-verb pairing. The construction intensifies: not merely "they will dream" but "they will dream dreams" — emphasizing the reality and fullness of the prophetic experience. The future passive form of a deponent-shaped verb expresses a middle/reflexive sense of experiencing dreams.
8. γνωστὸν ἔστω / ἐνωτίσασθε (v. 14) — Present and Aorist Imperatives Paired¶
- Form: ἔστω = present active imperative 3rd singular of εἰμί + predicate adjective γνωστόν ("known"). ἐνωτίσασθε = aorist middle imperative 2nd plural of ἐνωτίζομαι ("give ear").
- Significance: Peter opens his speech with two imperatives of different aspect. ἔστω is present — "let this be (and remain) known," a standing condition he is establishing. ἐνωτίσασθε is aorist — a single, crisp command to listen now (ingressive/constative). The aspectual contrast moves the crowd from durative attentiveness to a focused hearing of the imminent words.
- Grammar reference: mood-aorist-imperative
Clause Structure¶
v. 13 rhetorical thrust: subject (ἕτεροι) + attendant participle (διαχλευάζοντες) + imperfect verb of speech (ἔλεγον) + ὅτι-clause introducing indirect discourse. Inside the ὅτι-clause the predicate fronts (Γλεύκους μεμεστωμένοι) with copula εἰσίν in final position — the marked word order foregrounds the mock-accusation itself.
vv. 14–15 Peter's rebuttal architecture: circumstantial ptcp (Σταθείς) → main verbs (ἐπῆρεν, ἀπεφθέγξατο) → vocative address → twin imperatives → γάρ-clauses giving the rational ground ("not drunk, for it is the third hour").
v. 16 pivot: ἀλλά (strong adversative) + τοῦτό ἐστιν + substantivized perfect participle = "but this is the thing spoken." The demonstrative τοῦτο explicitly links the Pentecost event to Joel.
vv. 17–18 quotation structure: - Frame: ἔσται ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις, λέγει ὁ Θεός (formulaic eschatological opener) - Core verb: ἐκχεῶ (future, 1st sg, divine voice) — repeated twice (v. 17, v. 18) bookending the citation - Recipients expand in three waves: 1. πᾶσαν σάρκα (v. 17a, universal) 2. sons/daughters/young/old (v. 17b, intergenerational) 3. δούλους/δούλας (v. 18, social-class-reversal with καίγε intensifier) - Result verb: προφητεύσουσιν — also repeated (v. 17, v. 18), framing the outpouring's purpose as prophetic speech
The repetition is not redundancy. Verse 18's καίγε ("even indeed") marks escalation: the Spirit falls not merely on expected categories but even on slaves, where v. 17 placed no social qualifier.
Cross-References¶
Grammar library: - participle-perfect-passive-state — for μεμεστωμένοι and εἰρημένον - participle-legon-discourse — for διαχλευάζοντες ἔλεγον - aorist-passive-indicative — for Σταθείς (aor pass ptcp morphology) - mood-aorist-imperative — for ἐνωτίσασθε - divine-passive — relevant to τὸ εἰρημένον (God as implied agent through the prophet)
Word studies: - G1098-gleukos — the specific term "new/sweet wine" in the accusation - G3184-methyo — "to be drunk" (Peter's direct denial in v. 15) - G1632-ekcheo — "pour out" of the Spirit - G4151-pneuma — Spirit - G2078-eschatos — "last" (days) - G4394-propheteia — prophecy (cognate of προφητεύσουσιν) - TR-shaphak-ekcheo — Hebrew שָׁפַךְ ↔ Greek ἐκχέω translation bridge - TR-ruach-pneuma — Hebrew רוּחַ ↔ Greek πνεῦμα bridge - TR-acharown-eschatos — Hebrew "latter/last" ↔ Greek ἔσχατος