Acts 2 47

Acts 2:47 kjv

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Acts 2:47 nkjv

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:47 niv

praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:47 esv

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Acts 2:47 nlt

all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Acts 2 verses

Acts 2 47 Meaning

Acts 2:47 portrays the flourishing early Christian community in Jerusalem, characterized by a spirit of worship and receiving positive regard from the surrounding populace. This outward display of authentic faith and loving fellowship resulted in the Lord Himself continuously adding new individuals, those being saved, to their increasing number each day. The verse underscores divine agency in church growth, rooted in the genuine devotion and relational harmony of believers.

Acts 2 47 Context

Acts chapter 2 describes the transformative day of Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit powerfully descends upon the disciples, enabling them to speak in other tongues. This supernatural event attracts a large crowd, leading Peter to preach the first recorded gospel sermon, convicting thousands of their sin and pointing them to Jesus as Lord and Christ. As a result, approximately three thousand people were added to their number that day (Acts 2:41). Following this pivotal event, verses 42-46 vividly portray the communal life of these new believers: they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. They shared their possessions, cared for one another's needs, and met regularly in the temple courts and in homes, engaging in joyful and sincere worship. Acts 2:47 concludes this depiction, summarizing the early church's attractive witness and God's sovereign act of daily adding to their ranks. This vibrant community, characterized by devotion, unity, generosity, and praise, created an environment ripe for spiritual growth and outreach, drawing both the favor of the people and the saving power of God.

Acts 2 47 Word analysis

• praising (Greek: αἰνοῦντες - ainountes): A present active participle from ainéō, meaning "to praise, to extol, to laud." This signifies an ongoing, continuous act of worship and glorification of God. It's a proactive, outward expression of their reverence and adoration. Their praise was not sporadic but a characteristic part of their daily life together, showcasing their joy and gratitude for God's saving work.
• God (Greek: τὸν θεὸν - ton theon): Referring to the one true God, specifically the Father, but in the context of the Holy Spirit's recent outpouring and Jesus's resurrection and ascension, this encompasses the Trinitarian understanding that was unfolding among the believers. Their praise was directed vertically, towards their ultimate Source of life and salvation.
• having (Greek: ἔχοντες - echontes): Present active participle from echō, "to have, hold, possess." Indicates a continuous state or possession. It means they continually possessed or maintained this favor.
• favor (Greek: χάριν - charin): Accusative singular of charis, which commonly means "grace" but can also mean "favor," "goodwill," or "charm." In this context, it speaks to the good disposition or positive regard they garnered from the surrounding non-believing population. This favor was likely a result of their selfless community life, peace, and perhaps even miraculous signs (mentioned in Acts 2:43). It indicates that their lifestyle was attractive and winsome, reducing hostility and fostering receptivity, at least initially.
• with all the people (Greek: ὅλον τὸν λαόν - holon ton laon): This highlights the widespread nature of their favor. It wasn't just among certain groups but broadly extended across the populace of Jerusalem. This suggests their integrated and impactful presence within the community.
• And the Lord (Greek: ὁ δὲ κύριος - ho de Kurios): "The Lord" in Acts often refers to Jesus Christ, the risen and ascended Lord. This emphatically states that the church's growth was not due to human strategy, eloquence, or programs, but was a direct, divine act. It stresses the sovereignty of Christ over the expansion of His church.
• added (Greek: προσετίθει - prosetithei): Imperfect active indicative from prostithēmi, meaning "to add to, to increase, to join to." The imperfect tense here is crucial, indicating a continuous or repeated action in the past— "He was adding" or "He kept on adding." This highlights the steady, daily, organic, and ongoing growth of the early church by divine design, not just sporadic outbursts.
• to their number daily (Greek: τῷ ἀριθμῷ καθ’ ἡμέραν - tō arithmō kath' hēmeran): "To their number" specifies that individuals were joining the existing body of believers. "Daily" emphasizes the consistent, regular, and continuous nature of the growth. It speaks to a steady, miraculous increase powered by God's ongoing work, contrasting with perhaps cyclical or sporadic revivals.
• those who were being saved (Greek: τοὺς σῳζομένους - tous sōzomenous): A present passive participle from sōzō, meaning "to save, deliver, preserve." The present tense ("being saved") implies an ongoing process from the perspective of the one experiencing salvation—a life continually being delivered, set apart, and brought into spiritual wholeness, although the initial act of salvation is definitive. The passive voice indicates that salvation is something done to them, a work of God upon them, not a self-initiated act. This group comprised people newly converted and also those being progressively brought to full salvation within the community.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• Praising God and having favor with all the people: This phrase reveals a key dynamic. The internal devotion and spiritual vibrancy ("praising God") led to an external attractiveness and good reputation ("having favor"). The vertical relationship with God fostered healthy horizontal relationships with others. It suggests that a Christ-honoring lifestyle and authentic community become a compelling witness.
• And the Lord added...: This emphasizes the divine initiative and sovereignty in church growth. Human activities (praise, fellowship, witness) set the conditions, but God is the one who ultimately builds His church. Growth is not primarily a result of human strategy but of divine action in response to faithful living.
• to their number daily those who were being saved: This highlights both the tangible increase (number) and the qualitative nature of those being added (saved). The growth was not just numerical but salvific—people were truly coming to Christ. "Daily" shows consistent, continuous expansion, indicating an organic movement of the Holy Spirit. It describes an ongoing divine rescue mission unfolding within and through the growing community.

Acts 2 47 Bonus section

• The phrase "those who were being saved" carries a deep theological nuance. While conversion is a definitive event, the Christian life is also one of ongoing salvation – a journey of sanctification where one is continually delivered from the power of sin, refined by God's Spirit, and preserved until ultimate salvation.
• This verse encapsulates the "attractional" model of evangelism characteristic of the early church: a Spirit-filled, unified, and loving community, living out the Gospel, became an irresistible witness that drew outsiders to inquire and experience salvation.
• The growth described here is organic, initiated and sustained by God Himself, contrasting with purely programmatic or marketing-driven approaches to church expansion. It suggests that healthy church life, marked by true worship and mutual love, naturally precedes and facilitates divine growth.

Acts 2 47 Commentary

Acts 2:47 provides a concise summary of the early church's attractive power, demonstrating how an internally devout and externally winsome community serves as fertile ground for God's saving work. Their authentic praise to God reflected their deep devotion and joy, creating an environment that attracted positive public regard, or "favor." This positive societal perception was not accidental but a byproduct of their transformative, loving, and self-sacrificing communal life, as described in the preceding verses. Crucially, the verse stresses divine sovereignty: it was "the Lord" who consistently and continuously (daily) expanded their ranks. The growth of the church, therefore, is portrayed as God's ongoing activity, bringing into His fellowship "those who were being saved" – individuals experiencing the progressive and complete deliverance found only in Christ. This verse beautifully links genuine spiritual vitality, compelling communal witness, and the sovereign power of God as the synergistic drivers of gospel advance.