Acts 2:44
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
Original Language Analysis
οἱ
G3588
οἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
3 of 12
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
πιστεύοντες
that believed
G4100
πιστεύοντες
that believed
Strong's:
G4100
Word #:
4 of 12
to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e., credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to ch
ἐπὶ
together
G1909
ἐπὶ
together
Strong's:
G1909
Word #:
6 of 12
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
τὸ
G3588
τὸ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 12
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
αὐτὸ
G846
αὐτὸ
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
8 of 12
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
9 of 12
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
εἶχον
had
G2192
εἶχον
had
Strong's:
G2192
Word #:
10 of 12
to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or conditio
Historical Context
Jerusalem's Christian community faced unique pressures: diaspora converts remaining in the city required support, and Jewish persecution often cost believers their livelihoods. This voluntary sharing addressed immediate crisis while modeling kingdom economics that subvert worldly selfishness.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Spirit-produced generosity differ from politically mandated redistribution?
- What does the early church's voluntary sharing teach about authentic Christian community?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The phrase 'all that believed were together, and had all things common' describes voluntary community sharing motivated by Spirit-produced love, not mandated communism. The Greek 'eichon hapanta koina' (had all things common) indicates willing redistribution meeting needs. This fulfilled Jesus' prayer for unity (John 17:21) and provided tangible witness to supernatural transformation - greed replaced by generosity.