Were in doubt - This expression, διηπόρουν diēporoun, denotes "a state of hesitancy or anxiety about an event." It is applied to those who are traveling, and are ignorant of the way, or who hesitate about the road. They were all astonished at this; they did not know how to understand it or explain it, until some of them supposed that it was merely the effect of new wine.

And they were all amazed,.... That is, all these devout men, Jews and proselytes, which came from other nations before mentioned:

and were in doubt; not whether the apostles spoke in various languages, nor about the sense of their words; for they not only heard them with their ears, and were assured of the facts, but they seem also to understand what was said, since they call the things delivered, the great or wonderful things of God; but they were at a loss in their minds what should be the cause of this, or the reason of such a dispensation,

saying, one to another, what meaneth this? from whence is it? what is the design of it? or what the end to be answered by it? or what will follow upon it? surely something considerable.

Were in doubt (διηπόρουν)

Used by Luke only. See on Luke 9:7. Better, as Rev., perplexed.

{2} And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

(2) God's word pierces some in such a way that it drives them to seek out the truth, and it so chokes others that it forces them to be witnesses of their own impudency.

2:12 They were all amazed - All the devout men.

2:5-13 The difference in languages which arose at Babel, has much hindered the spread of knowledge and religion. The instruments whom the Lord first employed in spreading the Christian religion, could have made no progress without this gift, which proved that their authority was from God.