| Genesis 11 | Acts 2 |
| 1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. | 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. |
| 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” | 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
11 “… we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” |
| 5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. | 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. |
| 6 And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. | 36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” |
| 7 “Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” | 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. |
| 8 So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. | 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 7 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?”
12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” |
| 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth. | 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?”
41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. |
| Genesis 10: Table of Nations (c. 2200 B.C.) | Acts 2:9-11 (c. 30/33 A.D.) |
(maps from ESV Study Bible)
c. 2200 b.c.
Many of the people groups mentioned in Genesis 10 can be identified with relative certainty. In general, the descendants of Ham settled in North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean coast, the descendants of Shem in Mesopotamia and Arabia, and the descendants of Japheth in Europe and the greater area of Asia Minor. (click image to enlarge)
c. a.d. 30/33
Pentecost attracted Jews from all over the world to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual festival. Those who heard the apostles’ message in their native languages at Pentecost came from various regions within the two great competing empires of the day—the Roman Empire and the Parthian Empire—with Jerusalem near the center. (click image to enlarge)