Acts 2

A Sound Like a Strong Wind

1-4 When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.

5-11 There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, "Aren't these all Galileans? How come we're hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?
Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene; Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; Even Cretans and Arabs! "They're speaking our languages, describing God's mighty works!"

12 Their heads were spinning; they couldn't make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: "What's going on here?"

13 Others joked, "They're drunk on cheap wine."

Peter Speaks Up

14-21 That's when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: "Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't had time to get drunk—it's only nine o'clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
"In the Last Days," God says, "I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters; Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams. When the time comes, I'll pour out my Spirit On those who serve me, men and women both, and they'll prophesy. I'll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, Blood and fire and billowing smoke, the sun turning black and the moon blood-red, Before the Day of the Lord arrives, the Day tremendous and marvelous; And whoever calls out for help to me, God, will be saved."

22-28 "Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge—this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. David said it all:
I saw God before me for all time. Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side. I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I've pitched my tent in the land of hope. I know you'll never dump me in Hades; I'll never even smell the stench of death. You've got my feet on the life-path, with your face shining sun-joy all around.

29-36 "Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried—his tomb is in plain sight today. But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah—'no trip to Hades, no stench of death.' This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear. For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say,
God said to my Master, "Sit at my right hand Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet." "All Israel, then, know this: There's no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross."

37 Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?"

38-39 Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites."

40 He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, "Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!"

41-42 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.

43-45 Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met.

46-47 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were 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.