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The Coming of the Holy Spirit

When the day of Pentecost was being celebrated,[a] all of them were together in one place. Suddenly, a sound like the roar of a mighty windstorm came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames[b] of fire that separated, and one rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign[c] languages as the Spirit gave them that ability.

Now devout Jews from every nation on earth[d] were living in Jerusalem. When that sound came, a crowd quickly gathered, startled because each one heard the disciples[e] speaking in his own language. Stunned and amazed, they asked, “All of these people who are speaking are Galileans, aren’t they? So how is it that each one of us hears them speaking in his own native language:[f] Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the district of Libya near Cyrene, Jewish and proselyte visitors from Rome, 11 Cretans, and Arabs, listening to them talk in our own languages about the great deeds of God?”

12 All of them continued to be stunned and puzzled, and they kept asking one another, “What can this mean?”

13 But others kept saying in derision, “They’re drunk on sweet wine!”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

14 Then Peter stood up among the eleven apostles[g] and raised his voice to address them:

“Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. 15 These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it’s only nine o’clock in the morning.[h] 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 everyone.[i]
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
        and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will even pour out my Spirit
    on my slaves, men and women alike,
        and they will prophesy.
19 I will display wonders in the sky above
    and signs on the earth below:
        blood, fire, and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark,
    and the moon turn to blood,
        before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.[j]
21 Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord[k] will be saved.’[l]

22 “Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth[m] was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know. 23 After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men. 24 But God raised him up, putting an end to the suffering of death,[n] since it was impossible for him to be held by it, 25 since David says about him,

‘I always keep my eyes on the Lord,[o]
    for he is at my right hand
        so that I cannot be shaken.
26 That is why my heart is glad
    and my tongue rejoices,
        yes, even my body still rests securely in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades[p]
    or allow your Holy One to experience decay.
28 You have made the ways of life known to me,
    and you will fill me with gladness in your presence.’[q]

29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day. 30 Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah:[r]

‘He was not abandoned to Hades,[s]
    and his flesh did not experience decay.’[t]

32 “It was this very Jesus whom God raised—and we’re all witnesses of that. 33 He has been exalted to the right hand of God, has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit,[u] and has caused you to experience what you are seeing and hearing. 34 After all, David did not go up to heaven, but he said,

‘The Lord[v] told my Lord,
    “Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’[w]

36 “Therefore, let all the people[x] of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!”[y]

37 When the crowd that had gathered[z] heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

38 Peter answered them, “Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah[aa] for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.[ab] 39 For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself.”

40 Using many different expressions, Peter[ac] continued to testify and to plead: “Be saved,” he urged them, “from this corrupt generation!” 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number.

Life among the Believers

42 The believers[ad] continued to devote themselves to what the apostles were teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to times of prayer.[ae] 43 A sense of fear[af] came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were united and shared everything with one another.[ag] 45 They made it their practice to sell their possessions and goods and to distribute the proceeds[ah] to anyone who was in need. 46 United in purpose, they went to the Temple every day, ate at each other’s homes, and shared their food with glad and humble hearts. 47 They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 2:1 Lit. Pentecost had fully arrived
  2. Acts 2:3 Or tongues
  3. Acts 2:4 Or different
  4. Acts 2:5 Lit. nation under heaven
  5. Acts 2:6 Lit. them
  6. Acts 2:8 Lit. in our language in which we were born
  7. Acts 2:14 The Gk. lacks apostles
  8. Acts 2:15 Lit. the third hour of the day
  9. Acts 2:17 Lit. on all flesh
  10. Acts 2:20 MT source citation reads Lord
  11. Acts 2:21 MT source citation reads Lord
  12. Acts 2:21 Cf. Joel 2:28-32
  13. Acts 2:22 Or Jesus the Nazarene; the Gk. Nazoraios may be a word play between Heb. netser, meaning branch (cf. Isa 11:1), and the name Nazareth.
  14. Acts 2:24 Other mss. read Hades (the realm of the dead)
  15. Acts 2:25 Lit. always see the Lord in front of me; MT source citation reads Lord
  16. Acts 2:27 I.e. the realm of the dead
  17. Acts 2:28 Cf. Ps 16:8-11
  18. Acts 2:31 Or Christ
  19. Acts 2:31 I.e. the realm of the dead
  20. Acts 2:31 Cf. Ps 16:10
  21. Acts 2:33 Or the promise of the Holy Spirit
  22. Acts 2:34 MT source citation reads Lord
  23. Acts 2:35 Cf. Ps 110:1
  24. Acts 2:36 Lit. house
  25. Acts 2:36 Or Christ
  26. Acts 2:37 Lit. When they
  27. Acts 2:38 Or Christ
  28. Acts 2:38 Or the gift of the Holy Spirit
  29. Acts 2:40 Lit. he
  30. Acts 2:42 Lit. They
  31. Acts 2:42 Lit. to the prayers
  32. Acts 2:43 Or awe
  33. Acts 2:44 Lit. and had all things in common
  34. Acts 2:45 Lit. to distribute them