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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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Acts 2
2
1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all meeting together in one place. 2Suddenly a noise came from heaven like a roaring wind that filled the whole house where they were staying. 3They saw what looked like separate tongue-shaped flames that settled on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to do so.
5At that time there were devout Jews from every nation on earth living in Jerusalem. 6When they heard this noise, a large crowd of them gathered. They were puzzled because everyone heard their own language being spoken. 7They were totally amazed, saying, “Look, these people who are speaking—aren't they all Galileans? 8So how is it that we can all hear them speaking in our own mother tongue? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia; from Egypt and the area of Libya around Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts, 11Cretans and Arabians—we hear them speaking in our own languages about all the great things God has done.”
12They were all amazed and confused. “What does this mean?” they asked each other. 13But others jeered and said, “They've been drinking too much wine!”
14Then Peter stood up with the eleven disciples and spoke in a loud voice: “Fellow Jews and everyone living here in Jerusalem: pay attention to me and I'll explain all this to you! 15These men aren't drunk as you presume. It's only nine in the morning! 16What's happening is what was predicted by the prophet Joel: 17God says, ‘In the last days I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. 18I will pour out my Spirit on my servants, both male and female, and they will prophesy. 19I will also give you miraculous signs in the heavens above and on the earth below—blood, fire, and swirling smoke! 20The sun will become dark, and the moon will become red like blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21But whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’#2:21. Quoting Joel 2:28-32.
22People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man confirmed by God to you by the powerful miracles and signs that God performed through him, right here among you—as you well know. 23God, knowing beforehand what would happen, followed his plan and resolved to hand him over to you. By means of the hands of wicked men, you killed him by nailing him to a cross. 24But God raised him back to life, freeing him from the burden of death, because death did not have the power to keep him a prisoner.
25David says of him, ‘I saw the Lord always in front of me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. 26That's why I'm so happy! That's why my words are full of joy! That's why my body lives in hope! 27For you will not abandon me in the grave,#2:27. Literally, “Hades,” the place of the dead. Also verse 31. nor will you allow your Holy One to experience decay. 28You have revealed to me the ways of life. You will fill me with joy with your presence.’#2:28. Quoting Psalms 16:8-11.
29My brothers and sisters, let me tell you plainly that our ancestor David died and was buried, and his tomb is here with us to this day. 30But he was a prophet, and knew that God had promised on oath to place one of his descendants on his throne. 31David saw what would happen and spoke about the resurrection of Christ—for Christ was not abandoned to the grave nor did he experience decay.
32God has raised this Jesus from the dead, and we're all witnesses of that. 33Now he's been exalted to God's right hand, and has received from the Father the Holy Spirit whom he promised, and has poured out what you're seeing and hearing. 34For David didn't ascend into heaven, but he did say: The Lord told my Lord, ‘Sit down here at my right hand 35until I have made your enemies a stool to put your feet on.’#2:35. Quoting Psalms 110:1. A sign of victory. 36Now let everyone in Israel be totally convinced of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you killed on a cross, both Lord and Messiah!”#2:36. Messiah (Hebrew) is equivalent to Christ (Greek).
37When the people heard this they were conscience-stricken.#2:37. Literally, “cut to the heart.” They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38“Repent!” Peter told them. “All of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise is given to you, to your children, and to all who are far away—everyone the Lord our God calls.”
40Peter went on speaking, giving them much more evidence. He warned them, “Save yourselves from this perverted generation.” 41Those who accepted what he'd said were baptized, adding about three thousand people to the group of believers that day.
42They committed themselves to what the apostles had taught them, and to the fellowship of the believers, “breaking bread”#2:42. This is probably a reference to the Lord's Supper, and not just ordinary meals, though they would also be included. and praying together. 43Everyone was in awe, and many miracles and signs were done through the apostles. 44All the believers were together and shared everything they had. 45They sold their property and belongings, sharing the proceeds with everyone as they needed. 46Day after day they continued to meet together in the Temple, and ate together in their homes. They enjoyed their meals humbly and happily. They praised God, and everyone thought favorably of them. 47Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com