Acts 2
2
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers gathered in one place. 2Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw something that looked like fire in the shape of tongues. The flames separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All 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.
5Godly Jews from every country in the world were staying in Jerusalem. 6A crowd came together when they heard the sound. They were bewildered because each of them heard their own language being spoken. 7The crowd was really amazed. They asked, “Aren’t all these people who are speaking Galileans? 8Then why do we each hear them speaking in our own native language? 9We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites. We live in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia. We are from Pontus, Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia. Others of us are from Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Still others are visitors from Rome. 11Some 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!” 12They were amazed and bewildered. They asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13But some people in the crowd made fun of the believers. “They’ve had too much wine!” they said.
Peter Speaks to the Crowd
14Then Peter stood up with the 11 apostles. In a loud voice he spoke to the crowd. “My fellow Jews,” he said, “let me explain this to you. All of you who live in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I say. 15You think these people are drunk. But they aren’t. It’s only nine o’clock in the morning! 16No, here is what the prophet Joel meant. 17He 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.
18In those days, I will pour out my Spirit on my servants.
I will pour out my Spirit on both men and women.
When I do, they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heavens above.
I will show signs on the earth below.
There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20The 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.
21Everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Joel 2:28–32)
22“Fellow Israelites, 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. 23Long 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. 24But 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. 25David spoke about him. He said,
“ ‘I know that the Lord is always with me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will always be secure.
26So my heart is glad and joy is on my tongue.
My whole body will be full of hope.
27You will not leave me in the place of the dead.
You will not let your holy one rot away.
28You 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“Fellow Israelites, you can be sure that King David died. He was buried. His tomb is still here today. 30But David was a prophet. He knew that God had made a promise to him. God had promised that he would make someone in David’s family line king after him. 31David saw what was coming. So he spoke about the Messiah rising from the dead. He said that the Messiah would not be left in the place of the dead. His body wouldn’t rot in the ground. 32God has raised this same Jesus back to life. We are all witnesses of this. 33Jesus 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. 34David did not go up to heaven. But he said,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand.
35I 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 Messiah.”
37When the people heard this, it had a deep effect on them. They said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38Peter 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. 39The 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.”
40Peter said many other things to warn them. He begged them, “Save yourselves from these evil people.” 41Those who accepted his message were baptized. About 3,000 people joined the believers that day.
The Believers Share Their Lives Together
42The believers studied what the apostles taught. They shared their lives together. They ate and prayed together. 43Everyone was amazed at what God was doing. They were amazed when the apostles performed many wonders and signs. 44All the believers were together. They shared everything they had. 45They sold property and other things they owned. They gave to anyone who needed something. 46Every day they met together in the temple courtyard. They ate meals together in their homes. Their hearts were glad and sincere. 47They praised God. They were respected by all the people. Every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
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Acts 2: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Acts 2
2
1 And when the days of Pentecost were completed, they were all together in the same place.
2 And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, like that of a wind approaching violently, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared to them separate tongues, as if of fire, which settled upon each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they began to speak in various languages, just as the Holy Spirit bestowed eloquence to them.
5 Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, pious men from every nation that is under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confused in mind, because each one was listening to them speaking in his own language.
7 Then all were astonished, and they wondered, saying: "Behold, are not all of these who are speaking Galileans?
8 And how is it that we have each heard them in our own language, into which we were born?
9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those who inhabit Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya which are around Cyrene, and new arrivals of the Romans,
11 likewise Jews and new converts, Cretans and Arabs: we have heard them speaking in our own languages the mighty deeds of God."
12 And they were all astonished, and they wondered, saying to one another: "But what does this mean?"
13 But others mockingly said, "These men are full of new wine."
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and he spoke to them: "Men of Judea, and all those who are staying in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and incline your ears to my words.
15 For these men are not inebriated, as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken of by the prophet Joel:
17 'And this shall be: in the last days, says the Lord, I will pour out, from my Spirit, upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. And your youths shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams.
18 And certainly, upon my men and women servants in those days, I will pour out from my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will bestow wonders in heaven above, and signs on earth below: blood and fire and the vapor of smoke.
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord arrives.
21 And this shall be: whoever shall invoke the name of the Lord will be saved.'
22 Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Nazarene is a man confirmed by God among you through the miracles and wonders and signs that God accomplished through him in your midst, just as you also know.
23 This man, under the definitive plan and foreknowledge of God, was delivered by the hands of the unjust, afflicted, and put to death.
24 And he whom God has raised up has broken the sorrows of Hell, for certainly it was impossible for him to be held by it.
25 For David said about him: 'I foresaw the Lord always in my sight, for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be moved.
26 Because of this, my heart has rejoiced, and my tongue has exulted. Moreover, my flesh shall also rest in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hell, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life. You will completely fill me with happiness by your presence.'
29 Noble brothers, permit me to speak freely to you about the Patriarch David: for he passed away and was buried, and his sepulcher is with us, even to this very day.
30 Therefore, he was a prophet, for he knew that God had sworn an oath to him about the fruit of his loins, about the One who would sit upon his throne.
31 Foreseeing this, he was speaking about the Resurrection of the Christ. For he was neither left behind in Hell, nor did his flesh see corruption.
32 This Jesus, God raised up again, and of this we are all witnesses.
33 Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured this out, just as you now see and hear.
34 For David did not ascend into heaven. But he himself said: 'The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.'
36 Therefore, may the entire house of Israel know most certainly that God has made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37 Now when they had heard these things, they were contrite in heart, and they said to Peter and to the other Apostles: "What should we do, noble brothers?"
38 Yet truly, Peter said to them: "Do penance; and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the Promise is for you and for your sons, and for all who are far away: for whomever the Lord our God will have called."
40 And then, with very many other words, he testified and he exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this depraved generation."
41 Therefore, those who accepted his discourse were baptized. And about three thousand souls were added on that day.
42 Now they were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communion of the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers.
43 And fear developed in every soul. Also, many miracles and signs were accomplished by the Apostles in Jerusalem. And there was a great awe in everyone.
44 And then all who believed were together, and they held all things in common.
45 They were selling their possessions and belongings, and dividing them to all, just as any of them had need.
46 Also, they continued, daily, to be of one accord in the temple and to break bread among the houses; and they took their meals with exultation and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God greatly, and holding favor with all the people. And every day, the Lord increased those who were being saved among them.
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