Acts 2
2
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a noise came from heaven. It sounded like a strong wind blowing. This noise filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw something that looked like flames of fire. The flames were separated and stood over each person there. 4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages. The Holy Spirit was giving them the power to do this.
5There were some godly Jews in Jerusalem at this time. They were from every country in the world. 6A large crowd came together because they heard the noise. They were surprised because, as the apostles were speaking, everyone heard in their own language.
7They were all amazed at this. They did not understand how the apostles could do this. They said, “Look! These men we hear speaking are all from Galilee.#2:7 from Galilee The people thought men from Galilee could speak only their own language. 8But we hear them in our own languages. How is this possible? We are from all these different places: 9Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the areas of Libya near the city of Cyrene, Rome, 11Crete, and Arabia. Some of us were born Jews, and others have changed their religion to worship God like Jews. We are from these different countries, but we can hear these men in our own languages! We can all understand the great things they are saying about God.”
12The people were all amazed and confused. They asked each other, “What is happening?” 13But others were laughing at the apostles, saying they were drunk from too much wine.
Peter Speaks to the People
14Then Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles. He spoke loudly so that all the people could hear. He said, “My Jewish brothers and all of you who live in Jerusalem, listen to me. I will tell you something you need to know. Listen carefully. 15These men are not drunk as you think; it’s only nine o’clock in the morning. 16But Joel the prophet wrote about what you see happening here today. This is what he wrote:
17‘God says: In the last days
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions.
Your old men will have special dreams.
18In those days I will pour out my Spirit
on my servants, men and women,
and they will prophesy.
19I will work wonders in the sky above.
I will cause miraculous signs on the earth below.
There will be blood, fire, and thick smoke.
20The sun will be changed into darkness,
and the moon will be as red as blood.
Then the great and glorious day of the Lord will come.
21And everyone who trusts in the Lord#2:21 who trusts in the Lord Literally, “who calls on the name of the Lord,” meaning to show faith in him by worshiping him or praying to him for help. will be saved.’ Joel 2:28-32
22“My fellow Israelites, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a very special man. God clearly showed this to you. He proved it by the miracles, wonders, and miraculous signs he did through Jesus. You all saw these things, so you know this is true. 23Jesus was handed over to you, and you killed him. With the help of evil men, you nailed him to a cross. But God knew all this would happen. It was his plan—a plan he made long ago. 24Jesus suffered the pain of death, but God made him free. He raised him from death. There was no way for death to hold him. 25David said this about him:
‘I saw the Lord before me always;
he is at my right side to keep me safe.
26So my heart is happy,
and the words I speak are words of joy.
Yes, even my body will live with hope,
27because you will not leave me in the place of death.#2:27 place of death Literally, “Hades.” Also in verse 31.
You will not let the body of your Holy One rot in the grave.
28You taught me how to live.
You will come close to me and give me great joy.’ Psalm 16:8-11
29“My brothers, I can tell you for sure about David, our great ancestor. He died, was buried, and his tomb is still here with us today. 30He was a prophet and knew something that God had said. God had promised David that someone from his own family would sit on David’s throne as king.#2:30 God had promised … as king See 2 Sam. 7:12, 13 and Ps. 132:11. 31David knew this before it happened. That is why he said this about that future king:
‘He was not left in the place of death.
His body did not rot in the grave.’
David was talking about the Messiah rising from death. 32So Jesus is the one God raised from death. We are all witnesses of this. We saw him. 33Jesus was lifted up to heaven. Now he is with God, at God’s right side. The Father has given the Holy Spirit to him, as he promised. So Jesus has now poured out that Spirit. This is what you see and hear. 34David was not the one who was lifted up to heaven. David himself said,
‘The Lord God said to my Lord:
Sit at my right side,
35until I put your enemies under your power.#2:35 until I put … power Literally, “until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ Psalm 110:1
36“So, all the people of Israel should know this for certain: God has made Jesus to be Lord and Messiah. He is the man you nailed to the cross!”
37When the people heard this, they felt very, very sorry. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38Peter said to them, “Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise is for you. It is also for your children and for the people who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself.”
40Peter warned them with many other words; he begged them, “Save yourselves from the evil of the people who live now!” 41Then those who accepted what Peter said were baptized. On that day about 3000 people were added to the group of believers.
The Believers Share
42The believers spent their time listening to the teaching of the apostles. They shared everything with each other. They ate#2:42 ate Literally, “broke bread.” This may mean a meal or the Lord’s Supper, the special meal Jesus told his followers to eat to remember him. Also in verse 46. See Lk. 22:14-20. together and prayed together. 43Many wonders and miraculous signs were happening through the apostles, and everyone felt great respect for God. 44All the believers stayed together and shared everything. 45They sold their land and the things they owned. Then they divided the money and gave it to those who needed it. 46The believers shared a common purpose, and every day they spent much of their time together in the Temple area. They also ate together in their homes. They were happy to share their food and ate with joyful hearts. 47The believers praised God and were respected by all the people. More and more people were being saved every day, and the Lord was adding them to their group.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Acts 2
2
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
1 #
Lev 23.15–21; Deut 16.9–11 When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one place. 2Suddenly there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there. 4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
5There were Jews living in Jerusalem, religious people who had come from every country in the world. 6When they heard this noise, a large crowd gathered. They were all excited, because each one of them heard the believers speaking in his or her own language. 7In amazement and wonder they exclaimed, “These people who are talking like this are Galileans! 8How is it, then, that all of us hear them speaking in our own native languages? 9We are from Parthia, Media, and Elam; from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia; from Pontus and Asia, 10from Phrygia and Pamphylia, from Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene. Some of us are from Rome, 11both Jews and Gentiles converted to Judaism, and some of us are from Crete and Arabia — yet all of us hear them speaking in our own languages about the great things that God has done!” 12Amazed and confused, they kept asking each other, “What does this mean?”
13But others made fun of the believers, saying, “These people are drunk!”
Peter's Message
14Then Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles and in a loud voice began to speak to the crowd: “Fellow-Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, listen to me and let me tell you what this means. 15These people are not drunk, as you suppose; it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16Instead, this is what the prophet Joel spoke about:
17 #
Joel 2.28–32 (LXX) ‘This is what I will do in the last days, God says:
I will pour out my Spirit on everyone.
Your sons and daughters will proclaim my message;
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will have dreams.
18Yes, even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will proclaim my message.
19I will perform miracles in the sky above
and wonders on the earth below.
There will be blood, fire, and thick smoke;
20the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will turn red as blood,
before the great and glorious Day of the Lord comes.
21And then, whoever calls out to the Lord for help will be saved.’
22“Listen to these words, fellow-Israelites! Jesus of Nazareth was a man whose divine authority was clearly proven to you by all the miracles and wonders which God performed through him. You yourselves know this, for it happened here among you. 23#Mt 27.35; Mk 15.24; Lk 23.33; Jn 19.18In accordance with his own plan God had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him by letting sinful men crucify him. 24#Mt 28.5–6; Mk 16.6; Lk 24.5But God raised him from death, setting him free from its power, because it was impossible that death should hold him prisoner. 25#Ps 16.8–11 (LXX)For David said about him:
‘I saw the Lord before me at all times;
he is near me, and I will not be troubled.
26And so I am filled with gladness,
and my words are full of joy.
And I, mortal though I am,
will rest assured in hope,
27because you will not abandon me in the world of the dead;
you will not allow your faithful servant to rot in the grave.
28You have shown me the paths that lead to life,
and your presence will fill me with joy.’
29“My fellow-Israelites, I must speak to you plainly about our famous ancestor King David. He died and was buried, and his grave is here with us to this very day. 30#Ps 132.11; 2 Sam 7.12–13He was a prophet, and he knew what God had promised him: God had made a vow that he would make one of David's descendants a king, just as David was. 31David saw what God was going to do in the future, and so he spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah when he said:
‘He was not abandoned in the world of the dead;
his body did not rot in the grave.’
32God has raised this very Jesus from death, and we are all witnesses to this fact. 33He has been raised to the right-hand side of God, his Father, and has received from him the Holy Spirit, as he had promised. What you now see and hear is his gift that he has poured out on us. 34#Ps 110.1For it was not David who went up into heaven; rather he said:
‘The Lord said to my Lord:
Sit here at my right
35until I put your enemies as a footstool under your feet.’
36“All the people of Israel, then, are to know for sure that this Jesus, whom you crucified, is the one that God has made Lord and Messiah!”
37When the people heard this, they were deeply troubled and said to Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do, brothers?”
38Peter said to them, “Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit. 39For God's promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away — all whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
40Peter made his appeal to them and with many other words he urged them, saying, “Save yourselves from the punishment coming on this wicked people!” 41Many of them believed his message and were baptized, and about 3,000 people were added to the group that day. 42They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers.
Life among the Believers
43Many miracles and wonders were being done through the apostles, and everyone was filled with awe. 44#Acts 4.32–35All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. 45They would sell their property and possessions, and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed. 46Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating with glad and humble hearts, 47praising God, and enjoying the good will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.