Acts 2

Chapter 2

The Holy Spirit Comes

1 On the day of Pentecostt all the believers were meeting together in one place.2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.

4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,t as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem.

6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee,8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia,10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”

12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.

13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”

Peter Preaches to the Crowd

14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that.

16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.20 The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and glorious day of the LORD arrives.21 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD
will be saved.’t22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarenet by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

25 King David said this about him:
‘I see that the LORD is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.26 No wonder my heart is glad,
and my tongue shouts his praises!
My body rests in hope.27 For you will not leave my soul among the deadt
or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.28 You have shown me the way of life,
and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’t29 “Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us.30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne.

31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.

34 For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,
‘The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand35 until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”’t

36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and 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 to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentilest—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”

40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

The Believers Form a Community

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Suppert), and to prayer.
43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosityt—

47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship 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.