Acts 2:5-13 They spoke with other tongues

Acts 2:5-13 The reaction of people in Jerusalem to the phenomena of tongues-speaking. Perhaps the biggest miracle in the Holy Spirit manifestation of speaking in tongues is that the disciples were understood by Jews from every part of the world. The disciples were speaking in languages which they had no knowledge of, and were speaking of the mighty deeds of God. At least fifteen different languages are mentioned. The claim by mockers that they were full of wine implies that this was an excited utterance, not just a calm discussion being carried on in another language. But although some thought they were babbling nonsense because they were drunk, the miracle is that the words they were speaking were being understood by foreigners.

          Jerusalem was the focal point for Jewish worship and some effort must have been expended by Jews from every part of the known world to travel there for the major feasts. Deuteronomy 16:16  commanded them to appear for the Feast of Weeks and even from great distances they came, having been born in lands where other languages were spoken. And so God enabled the disciples, who by and large had lived in Judea their whole lives speaking either Aramaic or Hebrew, to speak to those in the dispersion in their native tongues. Although they or their ancestors had been exiled, God had neither forgotten nor forsaken them, and was now going to reach out to them with power. Later we will see that The Lord sent the apostles as missionaries to gentiles in those lands, but that would be impressed on them when Peter visited Cornelius (Acts 10:44-48).