Acts 2

Pentecost

1 When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place.2 Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting.3 They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them.

4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
5 There were pious Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem.6 When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered. They were mystified because everyone heard them speaking in their native languages.7 They were surprised and amazed, saying, "Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them?8 How then can each of us hear them speaking in our native language?9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; as well as residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya bordering Cyrene; and visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism),11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the mighty works of God in our own languages!"12 They were all surprised and bewildered. Some asked each other, "What does this mean?"

13 Others jeered at them, saying, "They’re full of new wine!"
14 Peter stood with the other eleven apostles. He raised his voice and declared, “Judeans and everyone living in Jerusalem! Know this! Listen carefully to my words!15 These people aren’t drunk, as you suspect; after all, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning!

16 Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17  In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young will see visions.
Your elders will dream dreams.
18  Even upon my servants, men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19  I will cause wonders to occur in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
20  The sun will be changed into darkness,
and the moon will be changed into blood,
before the great and spectacular day of the Lord comes.

21  And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. t
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words! Jesus the Nazarene was a man whose credentials God proved to you through miracles, wonders, and signs, which God performed through him among you. You yourselves know this.23 In accordance with God’s established plan and foreknowledge, he was betrayed. You, with the help of wicked men, had Jesus killed by nailing him to a cross.24 God raised him up! God freed him from death’s dreadful grip, since it was impossible for death to hang on to him.

25 David says about him,
I foresaw that the Lord was always with me;
because he is at my right hand I won’t be shaken.
26  Therefore, my heart was glad
and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover, my body will live in hope,
27  because you won’t abandon me to the grave,
nor permit your holy one to experience decay.

28  You have shown me the paths of life;
your presence will fill me with happiness. t
29 “Brothers and sisters, I can speak confidently about the patriarch David. He died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this very day.30 Because he was a prophet, he knew that God promised him with a solemn pledge to seat one of his descendants on his throne.31 Having seen this beforehand, David spoke about the resurrection of Christ, that he wasn’t abandoned to the grave, nor did his body experience decay .t32 This Jesus, God raised up. We are all witnesses to that fact.33 He was exalted to God’s right side and received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit. He poured out this Spirit, and you are seeing and hearing the results of his having done so.

34 David didn’t ascend into heaven. Yet he says,
The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right side,

35  until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ t

36 "Therefore, let all Israel know beyond question that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

37 When the crowd heard this, they were deeply troubled. They said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"
38 Peter replied, "Change your hearts and lives. Each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39 This promise is for you, your children, and for all who are far away—as many as the Lord our God invites."40 With many other words he testified to them and encouraged them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."

41 Those who accepted Peter’s message were baptized. God brought about three thousand people into the community on that day.

Community of believers

42 The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers.43 A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles.44 All the believers were united and shared everything.45 They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them.46 Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity.

47 They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved.

Acts 2

The Holy Spirit and the Day of Pentecost

1 Nowt when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.2 Suddenlyt a soundt like a violent wind blowingt came from heavent and filled the entire house where they were sitting.3 And tongues spreading out like a firet appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them.

4 Allt of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languagests as the Spirit enabled them.t
5 Now there were devout Jewst from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem.ts6 When this soundt occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion,t because each one heard them speaking in his own language.7 Completely baffled, they said,t “Aren’tt all these who are speaking Galileans?8 And how is it that each one of us hears themt in our own native language?t9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia,t10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene,t and visitors from Rome,s11 both Jews and proselytes,s Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!”t12 All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

13 But others jeered at the speakers,t saying, “They are drunk on new wine!”ts

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

14 But Peter stood upt with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judeat and all you who live in Jerusalem,s know thist and listen carefully to what I say.15 In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk,t for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.t

16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel:s

17 ‘And in the last dayssit will be,’ God says,
‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people,t
and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
and your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.

18 Even on my servants,tboth men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.s

19 And I will perform wonders in the skytabove
and miraculous signston the earth below,
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

20 The sun will be changed to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and glorioustday of the Lord comes.

21 And thenteveryone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’s
22 “Men of Israel,t listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds,t wonders, and miraculous signst that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know –23 this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executedt by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles.t24 But God raised him up,t having releasedt him from the painss of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power.t

25 For David says about him,
‘I saw the Lord always in front of me,t
for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.

26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;
my bodytalso will live in hope,

27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades,t
nor permit your Holy One to experiencetdecay.

28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of joy with your presence.’s
29 “Brothers,t I can speak confidentlys to you about our forefathert David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.30 So then, becauset he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendantston his throne,s31 David by foreseeing thist spoke about the resurrection of the Christ,ts that he was neither abandoned to Hades,t nor did his bodytexperiencetdecay.s32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it.t33 So then, exaltedt to the right hands of God, and having receivedt the promise of the Holy Spiritt from the Father, he has poured outs what you both see and hear.

34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,
‘The Lord said to my lord,
“Sitsat my right hand

35 until I make your enemies a footstoolsfor your feet.”’s

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubtt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucifiedt both Lords and Christ.”ts

The Response to Peter’s Address

37 Now when they heard this,t they were acutely distressedt and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?”38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptizedt in the name of Jesus Christts fort the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.t39 For the promises is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”40 With many other words he testifiedt and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverset generation!”

41 So those who acceptedt his messaget were baptized, and that day about three thousand peoplet were added.t

The Fellowship of the Early Believers

42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,s to the breaking of bread and to prayer.t43 Reverential awet came over everyone,t and many wonders and miraculous signst came about by the apostles.44 All who believed were together and heldt everything in common,45 and they began sellingt their propertyt and possessions and distributing the proceedst to everyone, as anyone had need.46 Every dayt they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts,t breaking bread fromt house to house, sharing their food with glads and humble hearts,t

47 praising God and having the good willt of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every dayt those who were being saved.