Acts 2

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

1 The day of Pentecost came. The believers all gathered in one place.2 Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting.3 They saw something that looked like tongues of fire. The flames separated and settled on each of them.4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this.
5 Godly Jews from every country in the world were staying in Jerusalem.6 A crowd came together when they heard the sound. They were bewildered because they each heard the believers speaking in their own language.7 The crowd was really amazed. They asked, "Aren't all these people from Galilee?8 Why, then, do we each hear them speaking in our own native language?9 We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites. We live in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia. We are from Pontus, Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia. Others of us are from Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Still others are visitors from Rome.11 Some of the visitors are Jews. Others have accepted the Jewish faith. Also, Cretans and Arabs are here. We hear all these people speaking about God's wonders in our own languages!"12 They were amazed and bewildered. They asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13 But some people in the crowd made fun of the believers. "They've had too much wine!" they said.

Peter Speaks to the Crowd

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven. In a loud voice he spoke to the crowd. "My Jewish friends," he said, "let me explain this to you. All of you who live in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I say.15 You think these people are drunk. But they aren't. It's only nine o'clock in the morning!16 No, here is what the prophet Joel meant.

17 He said,
" 'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions.
Your old men will have dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on those who serve me, both men and women.
When I do, they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above.
I will show miraculous signs on the earth below.
There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark.
The moon will turn red like blood.
This will happen before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

21 Everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.' (Joel 2:28-32)
22 "Men of Israel, listen to this! Jesus of Nazareth was a man who had God's approval. God did miracles, wonders and signs among you through Jesus. You yourselves know this.23 Long ago God planned that Jesus would be handed over to you. With the help of evil people, you put Jesus to death. You nailed him to the cross.24 But God raised him from the dead. He set him free from the suffering of death. It wasn't possible for death to keep its hold on Jesus.

25 David spoke about him. He said,
" 'I know that the Lord is always with me.
He is at my right hand.
I will always be secure.
26 So my heart is glad. Joy is on my tongue.
My body also will be full of hope.
27 You will not leave me in the grave.
You will not let your Holy One rot away.

28 You always show me the path that leads to life.
You will fill me with joy when I am with you.' (Psalm 16:8-11)
29 "Brothers, you can be sure that King David died. He was buried. His tomb is still here today.30 But David was a prophet. He knew that God had made a promise to him. He had taken an oath that someone in David's family line would be king after him.31 David saw what was ahead. So he spoke about the Christ rising from the dead. He said that the Christ would not be left in the grave. His body wouldn't rot in the ground.32 God has raised this same Jesus back to life. We are all witnesses of this.33 Jesus has been given a place of honor at the right hand of God. He has received the Holy Spirit from the Father. This is what God had promised. It is Jesus who has poured out what you now see and hear.

34 David did not go up to heaven. But he said,
" 'The Lord said to my Lord,
"Sit at my right hand.

35 I will put your enemies
under your control." ' (Psalm 110:1)
36 "So be sure of this, all you people of Israel. You nailed Jesus to the cross. But God has made him both Lord and Christ."
37 When the people heard this, their hearts were filled with shame. They said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"
38 Peter replied, "All of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39 The promise is for you and your children. It is also for all who are far away. It is for all whom the Lord our God will choose."
40 Peter said many other things to warn them. He begged them, "Save yourselves from these evil people."41 Those who accepted his message were baptized. About 3,000 people joined the believers that day.

The Believers Share Life Together

42 The believers studied what the apostles taught. They shared life together. They broke bread and ate together. And they prayed.43 Everyone felt that God was near. The apostles did many wonders and miraculous signs.44 All the believers were together. They shared everything they had.45 They sold what they owned. They gave each other everything they needed.46 Every day they met together in the temple courtyard. In their homes they broke bread and ate together. Their hearts were glad and honest and true.47 They praised God. They were respected by all the people. Every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

Acts 2

1 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.6 And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language.7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans?8 And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born?9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,10 in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God.12 And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this?13 But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine.14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words.15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day.16 but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams:

18 Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.

19 And I will show wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath; Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:

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

21 And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know;23 him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay:24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.25 For David saith concerning him, I beheld the Lord always before my face; For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope:

27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption.

28 Thou madest known unto me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance.

29 Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day.30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne;31 he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.32 This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses.33 Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear.34 For David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

35 Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation.41 They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;45 and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.46 And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.