Acts of the Apostles 2
2
The Holy Spirit Comes
1On the day of Pentecost#2:1 The Festival of Pentecost came 50 days after Passover (when Jesus was crucified). all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,#2:4 Or in other tongues. as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
7They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11(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!” 12They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.
13But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
Peter Preaches to the Crowd
14Then 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. 15These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16No, 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.
18In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.
19And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’#2:17-21 Joel 2:28-32.
22“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene#2:22 Or Jesus of Nazareth. by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23But 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. 24But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25King 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.
26No wonder my heart is glad,
and my tongue shouts his praises!
My body rests in hope.
27For you will not leave my soul among the dead#2:27 Greek in Hades; also in 2:31.
or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28You have shown me the way of life,
and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’#2:25-28 Ps 16:8-11 (Greek version).
29“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. 30But 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. 31David 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. 33Now 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. 34For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
35until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”’#2:34-35 Ps 110:1.
36“So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
37Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38Peter 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. 39This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away#2:39 Or and to people far in the future, or and to the Gentiles.—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
41Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
The Believers Form a Community
42All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper#2:42 Greek the breaking of bread; also in 2:46.), and to prayer.
43A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity#2:46 Or and sincere hearts.— 47all 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.
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Acts of the Apostles 2: NLT
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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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