Acts 2
New Catholic Bible
Pentecost[a]
Chapter 2
Descent of the Spirit and Birth of the Church.[b] 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all assembled together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there came from heaven a sound similar to that of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages,[c] as the Spirit enabled them to do so.
5 Now staying in Jerusalem there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 At this sound, a large crowd of them gathered, and they were bewildered because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
7 They were astounded and asked in amazement, “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,[d] 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the mighty deeds of God.”
12 They were all astounded and perplexed, and they said to one another, “What does all this mean?” 13 However, others said mockingly, “They are filled with new wine.”
14 Peter Preaches in the Name of the Twelve.[e] Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and proclaimed to them in a loud voice, “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only nine o’clock in the morning.[f] 16 Rather, this is what was revealed through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘It will come to pass in the last days, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy;
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Indeed, even upon my servants and my handmaids
I shall pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they shall prophesy.
19 I will show portents in the sky above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness
and the moon to blood
before the day of the Lord comes,
that great and glorious day.
21 Then it will come to pass
that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth was a man commended to you by God by means of miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him, as you yourselves know. 23 By the set plan and foreknowledge of God, he was handed over into the hands of lawless men. Crucifying him, you killed him. 24 However, God raised him up, releasing him from the pangs of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 25 For David says of him:
‘I saw the Lord always before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be shaken.
26 Therefore, my heart rejoiced and my tongue exulted;
moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
27 For you will not abandon me to the netherworld
or allow your holy one to suffer corruption.
28 You have made known to me the way of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’
29 “Brethren, I can say to you boldly that our ancestor David both died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this very day. 30 But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that one of his descendants would sit on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, saying that he was not abandoned to the netherworld and that his flesh did not suffer corruption.
32 “God raised this Jesus to life. Of that we are all witnesses. 33 Exalted at God’s right hand, he received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
36 “Therefore, let the whole house of Israel know with complete certitude that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.”
37 When they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “What are we to do, brethren?” 38 Peter answered, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise that was made is for you, for your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God will call.”
40 Life of the First Community—I.[g] He offered further testimony with many other arguments as he exhorted them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and on that day about three thousand people were added to their number. 42 They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers.
43 A sense of awe was felt by all for many wonders and signs were performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and owned everything in common. 45 They would sell their property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to all according to what each one needed. 46 Every day, united in spirit, they would assemble together in the temple. They would break bread in their homes and share their food with joyful and generous hearts 47 as they praised God, and they were regarded with favor by all the people. And day by day the Lord added to those who were being saved.
Footnotes
- Acts 2:1 For the first time, the witnesses come in contact with the crowd, which is made up of persons from all the nations. We are at the center of the world that is the starting point for a universal future.
- Acts 2:1 The gift of the Spirit founds the Church as a living reality; Christ has prepared the way for the Church; the Spirit comes to take possession of her, to animate her, to help her with his charisms. Thus, for every community of believers, Pentecost is the feast of its own birth. The Spirit is “poured out” (see Acts 2:17) like rain, which is the source of life in an arid land; as Jesus had promised, there is a “baptism with the Spirit” (Acts 1:5).
The phenomena that accompany the event are rich in symbolism and also have a biblical meaning: they call to mind the theophanies, i.e., the manifestations of God to his people in order to change their anonymous destiny into a life-giving covenant (see Ex 19:18; Deut 4:9-24, 36; Ps 68).
Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after Passover, was the feast on which the firstfruits of the harvest were offered to God, but it was above all the feast of the covenant and of the gift of the Law. - Acts 2:4 Different languages: i.e., different from their usual language. The reference may also be to ecstatic language (see Mk 16:17; 1 Cor 14:2-23).
- Acts 2:10 Proselytes: those who had accepted circumcision and the Jewish Law.
- Acts 2:14 The author of Acts does not make up his discourses like the historians of antiquity, who liked to place their own thoughts and reactions on the lips of their subjects. In Luke’s view, the Word is decisive for the life of the community.
This sermon is the first; therefore, it has programmatic value in addition to its function in the immediate context. It proclaims the paschal event to all of Israel and even to distant peoples. The same fundamental pattern will recur in the other addresses of the apostles to the Jews. - Acts 2:15 Nine o’clock in the morning: literally, “the third hour.” See notes on Mt 27:35 and Mk 15:25.
- Acts 2:40 Luke offers us three general descriptions of the first community, each depicting their manner of life: here, and in Acts 4:32-35 and 5:12-16.
Acts 2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.(A) 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.(B) 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.(C)
5 Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews[a] and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.(D) 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out 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.(E)
18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
and they shall prophesy.(F)
19 And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
20 The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.(G)
21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’(H)
22 “Fellow Israelites,[b] listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth,[c] a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know(I)— 23 this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law.(J) 24 But God raised him up, having released him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.(K) 25 For David says concerning him,
‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;(L)
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades
or let your Holy One experience corruption.(M)
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Fellow Israelites,[d] I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.(N) 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne.(O) 31 Foreseeing this, David[e] spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah,[f] saying,
‘He was not abandoned to Hades,
nor did his flesh experience corruption.’(P)
32 “This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.(Q) 33 Being therefore exalted at[g] the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you see and hear.(R) 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,(S)
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
36 “Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah,[h] this Jesus whom you crucified.”
The First Converts
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers,[i] what should we do?”(T) 38 Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(U) 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.”(V) 40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Life among the Believers
43 Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.(W) 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common;(X) 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds[j] to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home[k] and ate their food with glad and generous[l] hearts,(Y) 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.(Z)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.