Acts 2:20
New International Version
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

New Living Translation
The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the LORD arrives.

English Standard Version
the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

Berean Standard Bible
The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.

Berean Literal Bible
The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord coming.

King James Bible
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

New King James Version
The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD COMES.

NASB 1995
‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.

NASB 1977
‘THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.

Legacy Standard Bible
THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD COMES.

Amplified Bible
‘THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD COMES.

Christian Standard Bible
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and remarkable Day of the Lord comes.

American Standard Version
The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable day.

Contemporary English Version
The sun will turn dark, and the moon will be as red as blood before the great and wonderful day of the Lord appears.

English Revised Version
The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable day:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The sun will become dark, and the moon will become as red as blood before the terrifying day of the Lord comes.

Good News Translation
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will turn red as blood, before the great and glorious Day of the Lord comes.

International Standard Version
The sun will become dark, and the moon turn to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.

Majority Standard Bible
The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.

NET Bible
The sun will be changed to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

New Heart English Bible
The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

Webster's Bible Translation
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come.

Weymouth New Testament
The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, to usher in the day of the Lord-- that great and illustrious day;

World English Bible
The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The sun will be turned to darkness, "" And the moon to blood, "" Before the coming of the Day of the LORD—the great and conspicuous;

Berean Literal Bible
The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord coming.

Young's Literal Translation
the sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the day of the Lord -- the great and illustrious;

Smith's Literal Translation
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and distinguished day of the Lord come:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord come.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord arrives.

New American Bible
The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and splendid day of the Lord,

New Revised Standard Version
The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The sun shall be changed into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and fearful day of the Lord shall come.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood until the great and awesome day of THE LORD JEHOVAH will come.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and terrible day of the Lord comes.

Godbey New Testament
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great day of the Lord shall come.

Haweis New Testament
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and illustrious day of the Lord come.

Mace New Testament
the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and illustrious day of the Lord shall come.

Weymouth New Testament
The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, to usher in the day of the Lord-- that great and illustrious day;

Worrell New Testament
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come.

Worsley New Testament
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and illustrious day of the Lord come.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Peter Preaches to the Crowd
19I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’…

Cross References
Joel 2:31
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.

Matthew 24:29
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’

Revelation 6:12
And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red,

Isaiah 13:10
For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.

Mark 13:24
But in those days, after that tribulation: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

Luke 21:25
There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.

Revelation 8:12
Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun and moon and stars were struck. A third of the stars were darkened, a third of the day was without light, and a third of the night as well.

Ezekiel 32:7-8
When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. / All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you, and I will bring darkness upon your land,’ declares the Lord GOD.

Isaiah 34:4
All the stars of heaven will be dissolved. The skies will be rolled up like a scroll, and all their stars will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like foliage from the fig tree.

Revelation 9:2
The star opened the pit of the Abyss, and smoke rose out of it like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit.

Amos 8:9
And in that day, declares the Lord GOD, I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the daytime.

Zephaniah 1:15
That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,

Jeremiah 4:23-28
I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light. / I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. / I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled. ...

Revelation 16:10
And the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and men began to gnaw their tongues in anguish

Matthew 24:30
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.


Treasury of Scripture

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

sun.

Isaiah 13:9,15
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it…

Isaiah 24:23
Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

Jeremiah 4:23
I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

great.

Isaiah 2:12-21
For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: …

Isaiah 34:8
For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.

Joel 2:1
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

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Acts 2
1. The apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, and speaking various languages,
12. are admired by some, and derided by others;
14. whom Peter disproves;
37. he baptizes a great number who were converted;
41. who afterwards devoutly and charitably converse together;
43. the apostles working many miracles,
46. and God daily increasing his church.














The sun will be turned to darkness
This phrase is often associated with apocalyptic imagery found throughout the Bible, symbolizing significant divine intervention or judgment. In the Old Testament, similar language is used in prophetic books like Joel 2:31, which Acts 2:20 directly quotes. This imagery is also present in Isaiah 13:10 and Amos 8:9, where cosmic disturbances accompany God's judgment. The darkening of the sun can symbolize the removal of God's favor or the onset of a period of tribulation. In the New Testament, such imagery is echoed in the descriptions of the end times in Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6:12, indicating a time of upheaval and the fulfillment of divine prophecy.

and the moon to blood
The transformation of the moon to blood is another apocalyptic sign, often interpreted as a portent of significant events in God's redemptive plan. This imagery suggests a dramatic change in the natural order, reflecting the severity and magnitude of the events to come. The "blood moon" is a phenomenon that can occur during a lunar eclipse, but in biblical prophecy, it symbolizes impending judgment or the ushering in of a new era. This phrase is also found in Joel 2:31 and is echoed in Revelation 6:12, reinforcing the theme of cosmic signs preceding divine intervention.

before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord
The "Day of the Lord" is a recurring theme in biblical prophecy, representing a time when God will decisively intervene in human history to judge the wicked and deliver the righteous. This concept is prevalent in the Old Testament, seen in passages like Zephaniah 1:14-18 and Malachi 4:5, where it is depicted as a day of both judgment and salvation. In the New Testament, the Day of the Lord is associated with the second coming of Christ, as seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 and 2 Peter 3:10. The use of "great and glorious" emphasizes the majesty and significance of this event, highlighting both the awe-inspiring nature of God's intervention and the ultimate fulfillment of His promises.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Peter
The apostle who delivers the sermon at Pentecost, quoting the prophet Joel to explain the miraculous events occurring.

2. Jerusalem
The city where the events of Pentecost take place, a significant location for Jewish worship and the early Christian church.

3. Pentecost
The Jewish festival during which the Holy Spirit descends on the apostles, enabling them to speak in various languages.

4. Joel
An Old Testament prophet whose prophecy Peter cites to describe the signs and wonders associated with the last days.

5. The Day of the Lord
A future event characterized by divine judgment and the establishment of God's kingdom, often associated with apocalyptic imagery.
Teaching Points
Understanding Prophecy
Recognize the importance of Old Testament prophecies in understanding New Testament events and eschatology.

Signs of the Times
Be aware of the signs that precede the Day of the Lord, encouraging vigilance and readiness for Christ's return.

God's Sovereignty
Trust in God's control over cosmic events, knowing that He orchestrates history according to His divine plan.

Call to Repentance
The impending Day of the Lord serves as a call to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Hope in Christ
While the imagery may seem daunting, believers can find hope in the promise of Christ's return and the establishment of His kingdom.(20) The sun shall be turned into darkness.--Both clauses bring before us the phenomena of an eclipse: the total darkness of the sun, the dusky copper hue of the moon. Signs, of which these were but faint images, had been predicted by our Lord, echoing, as it were, the words of Joel, as among the preludes of His Advent (Matthew 24:29).

That great and notable day.--St. Luke follows the LXX. version. The Hebrew gives, as in our version, "the great and terrible day." As seen by the prophet, the day was terrible to the enemies of God; a day of blessing to "the remnant whom the Lord should call" (Joel 2:32). The Greek word for "notable" (epiphanes) lent itself readily to the thought of the great Epiphany or manifestation of Christ as the Judge of all.

Verse 20. - The day of the Lord come, that great and notable day for that great and notable day of the Lord come, A.V. and T.R.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
The
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

sun
ἥλιος (hēlios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2246: The sun, sunlight. From hele; the sun; by implication, light.

will be turned
μεταστραφήσεται (metastraphēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3344: To turn, change, corrupt, pervert. From meta and strepho; to turn across, i.e. Transmute or corrupt.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

darkness,
σκότος (skotos)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4655: Darkness, either physical or moral. From the base of skia; shadiness, i.e. Obscurity.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

moon
σελήνη (selēnē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4582: The moon. From selas; the moon.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

blood,
αἷμα (haima)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 129: Blood, literally, figuratively or specially; by implication, bloodshed, also kindred.

before
πρὶν (prin)
Adverb
Strong's 4250: Formerly, before. Adverb from pro; prior, sooner.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

coming
ἐλθεῖν (elthein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

[of the] great
μεγάλην (megalēn)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

glorious
ἐπιφανῆ (epiphanē)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2016: Manifest, glorious, illustrious. From epiphaino; conspicuous, i.e. memorable.

day
ἡμέραν (hēmeran)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2250: A day, the period from sunrise to sunset.

of [the] Lord.
Κυρίου (Kyriou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.


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