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Selected Verse: Acts 2:20 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ac 2:20	Strong Concordance	The sun [2246] shall be turned [3344] into [1519] darkness [4655], and [2532] the moon [4582] into [1519] blood [129], before [2228] [4250] that great [3173] and [2532] notable [2016] day [2250] of the Lord [2962] come [2064]:
	King James	The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
The sun shall be turned into darkness - See the notes on Mat 24:29. The same images used here with reference to the sun and moon are used also there: They occur not infrequently, Mar 13:24; Pe2 3:7-10. The shining of the sun is an emblem of prosperity; the withdrawing, the eclipse, or the setting of the sun is an emblem of calamity, and is often thus need in the Scriptures, Isa 60:20; Jer 15:9; Eze 32:7; Amo 8:9; Rev 6:12; Rev 8:12; Rev 9:2; Rev 16:8. To say that the sun is darkened, or turned into darkness, is an image of calamity, and especially of the calamities of war, when the smoke of burning cities rises to heaven and obscures his light. This is not, therefore, to be taken literally, nor does it afford any indication of what will be at the end of the world in regard to the sun. The moon into blood - The word "blood" here means that obscure, sanguinary color which the moon has when the atmosphere is filled with smoke and vapor, and especially the lurid and alarming appearance which it assumes when smoke and flames are thrown up by earthquakes and fiery eruptions, Rev 6:12, "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood," Rev 8:8. In this place it denotes great calamities. The figures used are indicative of wars, and conflagrations, and earthquakes. As these things are Matt. 24 applied to the destruction of Jerusalem; as they actually occurred previous to that event (see the notes on Matt. 24), it may be supposed that the prophecy in Joel had an immediate reference to that. The meaning of the quotation by Peter in this place therefore is, that what occurred on the day of Pentecost was the beginning of the serges of wonders that was to take place during the times of the Messiah. It is not intimated that those scenes were to close or to be exhausted in that age. They may precede that great day of the Lord which is yet to come in view of the whole earth. That great and notable day of the Lord - This is called the great day of the Lord, because on that day he will be signally manifested, more impressively and strikingly than on other times. The word "notable," ἐπιφανῆ epiphanē, means "signal, illustrious, distinguished." In Joel the word is "terrible or fearful"; a word applicable to days of calamity, and trial, and judgment. The Greek word here rendered notable is also in the Septuagint frequently used to denote "calamity" or "times of judgment," Deu 10:21; Sa2 7:23. This will apply to any day in which God signally manifests himself, but particularly to a day when he shall come forth to punish people, as at the destruction of Jerusalem, or at the day of judgment. The meaning is, that those wonders would take place before that distinguished day should arrive when God would come forth in judgment.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

The sun shall be turned into darkness - See the notes on Mat 24:29. The same images used here with reference to the sun and moon are used also there: They occur not infrequently, Mar 13:24; Pe2 3:7-10. The shining of the sun is an emblem of prosperity; the withdrawing, the eclipse, or the setting of the sun is an emblem of calamity, and is often thus need in the Scriptures, Isa 60:20; Jer 15:9; Eze 32:7; Amo 8:9; Rev 6:12; Rev 8:12; Rev 9:2; Rev 16:8. To say that the sun is darkened, or turned into darkness, is an image of calamity, and especially of the calamities of war, when the smoke of burning cities rises to heaven and obscures his light. This is not, therefore, to be taken literally, nor does it afford any indication of what will be at the end of the world in regard to the sun.

The moon into blood - The word "blood" here means that obscure, sanguinary color which the moon has when the atmosphere is filled with smoke and vapor, and especially the lurid and alarming appearance which it assumes when smoke and flames are thrown up by earthquakes and fiery eruptions, Rev 6:12, "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood," Rev 8:8. In this place it denotes great calamities. The figures used are indicative of wars, and conflagrations, and earthquakes. As these things are Matt. 24 applied to the destruction of Jerusalem; as they actually occurred previous to that event (see the notes on Matt. 24), it may be supposed that the prophecy in Joel had an immediate reference to that. The meaning of the quotation by Peter in this place therefore is, that what occurred on the day of Pentecost was the beginning of the serges of wonders that was to take place during the times of the Messiah. It is not intimated that those scenes were to close or to be exhausted in that age. They may precede that great day of the Lord which is yet to come in view of the whole earth.

That great and notable day of the Lord - This is called the great day of the Lord, because on that day he will be signally manifested, more impressively and strikingly than on other times. The word "notable," ἐπιφανῆ epiphanē, means "signal, illustrious, distinguished." In Joel the word is "terrible or fearful"; a word applicable to days of calamity, and trial, and judgment. The Greek word here rendered notable is also in the Septuagint frequently used to denote "calamity" or "times of judgment," Deu 10:21; Sa2 7:23. This will apply to any day in which God signally manifests himself, but particularly to a day when he shall come forth to punish people, as at the destruction of Jerusalem, or at the day of judgment. The meaning is, that those wonders would take place before that distinguished day should arrive when God would come forth in judgment.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
That great and notable day of the Lord come The Rev. heightens the emphasis by following the Greek order, the day of the Lord, that great and notable day. Notable (ἐπιφανῆ) only here in New Testament. The kindred noun ἐπιφάνεια, appearing (compare our word Epiphany), is often used of the second coming of the Lord. See Ti1 6:14; Ti2 4:1; Tit 2:13.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
The moon shall be turned into blood - A bloody colour: before the day of the Lord - Eminently the last day; though not excluding any other day or season, wherein the Lord shall manifest his glory, in taking vengeance of his adversaries.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood - These are figurative representations of eclipses, intended most probably to point out the fall of the civil and ecclesiastical state in Judea: see the notes on Mat 24:29. That the Sun is darkened when a total eclipse takes place, and that the Moon appears of a bloody hue in such circumstances, every person knows.

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²³ And what one [0259] nation [01471] in the earth [0776] is like thy people [05971], even like Israel [03478], whom God [0430] went [01980] to redeem [06299] for a people [05971] to himself, and to make [07760] him a name [08034], and to do [06213] for you great things [01420] and terrible [03372], for thy land [0776], before [06440] thy people [05971], which thou redeemedst [06299] to thee from Egypt [04714], from the nations [01471] and their gods [0430]?

²¹ He is thy praise [08416], and he is thy God [0430], that hath done [06213] for thee these great [01419] and terrible things [03372], which thine eyes [05869] have seen [07200].

⁸ And [2532] the second [1208] angel [32] sounded [4537], and [2532] as it were [5613] a great [3173] mountain [3735] burning [2545] with fire [4442] was cast [906] into [1519] the sea [2281]: and [2532] the third part [5154] of the sea [2281] became [1096] blood [129];

¹² And [2532] I beheld [1492] when [3753] he had opened [455] the sixth [1623] seal [4973], and [2532], lo [2400], there was [1096] a great [3173] earthquake [4578]; and [2532] the sun [2246] became [1096] black [3189] as [5613] sackcloth [4526] of hair [5155], and [2532] the moon [4582] became [1096] as [5613] blood [129];

⁸ And [2532] the fourth [5067] angel [32] poured out [1632] his [846] vial [5357] upon [1909] the sun [2246]; and [2532] power was given [1325] unto him [846] to scorch [2739] men [444] with [1722] fire [4442].

² And [2532] he opened [455] the bottomless [12] pit [5421]; and [2532] there arose [305] a smoke [2586] out of [1537] the pit [5421], as [5613] the smoke [2586] of a great [3173] furnace [2575]; and [2532] the sun [2246] and [2532] the air [109] were darkened [4654] by reason of [1537] the smoke [2586] of the pit [5421].

¹² And [2532] the fourth [5067] angel [32] sounded [4537], and [2532] the third part [5154] of the sun [2246] was smitten [4141], and [2532] the third part [5154] of the moon [4582], and [2532] the third part [5154] of the stars [792]; so as [2443] the third part [5154] of them [846] was darkened [4654], and [2532] the day [2250] shone [5316] not [3361] for a third part [5154] of it [846], and [2532] the night [3571] likewise [3668].

⁹ And it shall come to pass in that day [03117], saith [05002] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069], that I will cause the sun [08121] to go down [0935] at noon [06672], and I will darken [02821] the earth [0776] in the clear [0216] day [03117]:

⁷ And when I shall put thee out [03518], I will cover [03680] the heaven [08064], and make [06937] the stars [03556] thereof dark [06937]; I will cover [03680] the sun [08121] with a cloud [06051], and the moon [03394] shall not give [0215] her light [0216].

⁹ She that hath borne [03205] seven [07651] languisheth [0535]: she hath given up [05301] the ghost [05315]; her sun [08121] is gone [0935] down while it was yet day [03119] [03117]: she hath been ashamed [0954] and confounded [02659]: and the residue [07611] of them will I deliver [05414] to the sword [02719] before [06440] their enemies [0341], saith [05002] the LORD [03068].

²⁰ Thy sun [08121] shall no more go down [0935]; neither shall thy moon [03391] withdraw [0622] itself: for the LORD [03068] shall be thine everlasting [05769] light [0216], and the days [03117] of thy mourning [060] shall be ended [07999].

⁷ But [1161] the heavens [3772] and [2532] the earth [1093], which are now [3568], by the same [846] word [3056] are [1526] kept in store [2343], reserved [5083] unto fire [4442] against [1519] the day [2250] of judgment [2920] and [2532] perdition [684] of ungodly [765] men [444].
⁸ But [1161], beloved [27], be [2990] not [3361] [5209] ignorant [2990] of this one [1520] thing [5124], that [3754] one [3391] day [2250] is with [3844] the Lord [2962] as [5613] a thousand [5507] years [2094], and [2532] a thousand [5507] years [2094] as [5613] one [3391] day [2250].
⁹ The Lord [2962] is [1019] not [3756] slack [1019] concerning his promise [1860], as [5613] some men [5100] count [2233] slackness [1022]; but [235] is longsuffering [3114] to [1519] us-ward [2248], not [3361] willing [1014] that any [5100] should perish [622], but [235] that all [3956] should come [5562] to [1519] repentance [3341].
¹⁰ But [1161] the day [2250] of the Lord [2962] will come [2240] as [5613] a thief [2812] in [1722] the night [3571]; in [1722] the which [3739] the heavens [3772] shall pass away [3928] with a great noise [4500], and [1161] the elements [4747] shall melt [3089] with fervent heat [2741], the earth [1093] also [2532] and [2532] the works [2041] that are therein [1722] [846] shall be burned up [2618].

²⁴ But [235] in [1722] those [1565] days [2250], after [3326] that [1565] tribulation [2347], the sun [2246] shall be darkened [4654], and [2532] the moon [4582] shall [1325] not [3756] give [1325] her [846] light [5338],

²⁹ Immediately [1161] [2112] after [3326] the tribulation [2347] of those [1565] days [2250] shall the sun [2246] be darkened [4654], and [2532] the moon [4582] shall [1325] not [3756] give [1325] her [846] light [5338], and [2532] the stars [792] shall fall [4098] from [575] heaven [3772], and [2532] the powers [1411] of the heavens [3772] shall be shaken [4531]:

¹³ Looking for [4327] that blessed [3107] hope [1680], and [2532] the glorious [1391] appearing [2015] of the great [3173] God [2316] and [2532] our [2257] Saviour [4990] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547];

¹ I [1473] charge [1263] thee therefore [3767] before [1799] God [2316], and [2532] the Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], who [3588] shall [3195] judge [2919] the quick [2198] and [2532] the dead [3498] at [2596] his [846] appearing [2015] and [2532] his [846] kingdom [932];

¹⁴ That thou [4571] keep [5083] this commandment [1785] without spot [784], unrebukeable [423], until [3360] the appearing [2015] of our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547]: