Acts 2
2
The Believers Are Filled with the Holy Spirit
1When Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Passover, came, all the believers were together in one place. 2Suddenly, a sound like a violently blowing wind came from the sky and filled the whole house where they were staying. 3Tongues that looked like fire appeared to them. The tongues arranged themselves so that one came to rest on each believer. 4All the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
5Devout Jewish men from every nation were living in Jerusalem. 6They gathered when they heard the wind. Each person was startled to recognize his own dialect when the disciples spoke.
7Stunned and amazed, the people in the crowd said, “All of these men who are speaking are Galileans. 8Why do we hear them speaking in our native dialects? 9We’re Parthians, Medes, and Elamites. We’re people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the country near Cyrene in Libya. We’re Jewish people, converts to Judaism, and visitors from Rome, 11Crete, and Arabia. We hear these men in our own languages as they tell about the miracles that God has done.”
12All of these devout men were stunned and puzzled. They asked each other, “What can this mean?” 13Others said jokingly, “They’re drunk on sweet wine.”
Peter Talks to the Crowd
14Then Peter stood up with the eleven apostles. In a loud voice he said to them, “Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand this, so pay attention to what I say. 15These men are not drunk as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning. 16Rather, this is what the prophet Joel spoke about:
17‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour my Spirit on everyone.
Your sons and daughters will speak what God has revealed.
Your young men will see visions.
Your old men will dream dreams.
18In those days
I will pour my Spirit on my servants, on both men and women.
They will speak what God has revealed.
19I will work miracles in the sky and give signs on the earth:
blood, fire, and clouds of smoke.
20The sun will become dark,
and the moon will become as red as blood
before the terrifying day of the Lord comes.
21Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22“Men of Israel, listen to what I say: Jesus from Nazareth was a man whom God brought to your attention. You know that through this man God worked miracles, did amazing things, and gave signs. 23By using men who don’t acknowledge Moses’ Teachings, you crucified Jesus, who was given over ⌞to death⌟ by a plan that God had determined in advance. 24But God brought him from death back to life and destroyed the pains of death, because death had no power to hold him. 25This is what David meant when he said about Jesus:
‘I always see the Lord in front of me.
I cannot be moved because he is by my side.
26That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices.
My body also rests securely
27because you do not abandon my soul to the grave
or allow your holy one to decay.
28You make the path of life known to me.
In your presence there is complete joy.’
29“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that our ancestor David died and was buried and that his tomb is here to this day. 30David was a prophet and knew that God had promised with an oath that he would place one of David’s descendants on his throne. 31David knew that the Messiah would come back to life, and he spoke about that before it ever happened. He said that the Messiah wouldn’t be left in the grave and that his body wouldn’t decay.
32“God brought this man Jesus back to life. We are all witnesses to that. 33God the Father used his power to give Jesus the honored position—the one next to him on the heavenly throne. Jesus has also received and has poured out the Holy Spirit as the Father had promised, and this is what you’re seeing and hearing. 34David didn’t go up to heaven, but he said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Take the honored position—the one next to me [God the Father] on the heavenly throne—
35until I put your enemies under your control.” ’
36“All the people of Israel should know beyond a doubt that God made Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37When the people heard this, they were deeply upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38Peter answered them, “All of you must turn to God and change the way you think and act, and each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift. 39This promise belongs to you and to your children and to everyone who is far away. It belongs to everyone who worships the Lord our God.”
40Peter said much more to warn them. He urged, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41Those who accepted what Peter said were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added ⌞to the group⌟.
Life as a Christian
42The disciples were devoted to the teachings of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 43A feeling of fear came over everyone as many amazing things and miraculous signs happened through the apostles. 44All the believers kept meeting together, and they shared everything with each other. 45From time to time, they sold their property and other possessions and distributed the money to anyone who needed it. 46The believers had a single purpose and went to the temple every day. They were joyful and humble as they ate at each other’s homes and shared their food. 47At the same time, they praised God and had the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord saved people, and they were added to the group.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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 like a strong, blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw something like flames of fire that were separated and stood over each person there. 4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages by the power the Holy Spirit was giving them.
5There were some religious Jews staying in Jerusalem who were from every country in the world. 6When they heard this noise, a crowd came together. They were all surprised, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7They were completely amazed at this. They said, “Look! Aren’t all these people that we hear speaking from Galilee? 8Then how is it possible that we each hear them in our own languages? We are from different places: 9Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the areas of Libya near Cyrene, Rome 11(both Jews and those who had become Jews), Crete, and Arabia. But we hear them telling in our own languages about the great things God has done!” 12They were all amazed and confused, asking each other, “What does this mean?”
13But others were making fun of them, saying, “They have had too much wine.”
Peter Speaks to the People
14But Peter stood up with the eleven apostles, and in a loud voice he spoke to the crowd: “My fellow Jews, and all of you who are in Jerusalem, listen to me. Pay attention to what I have to say. 15These people are not drunk, as you think; it is only nine o’clock in the morning! 16But Joel the prophet wrote about what is happening here today:
17‘God says: In the last days
I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18At that time I will pour out my Spirit
also on my male slaves and female slaves,
and they will prophesy.
19I will show miracles
in the sky and on the earth:
blood, fire, and thick smoke.
20The sun will become dark,
the moon red as blood,
before the overwhelming and glorious day of the Lord will come.
21Then anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved.’ #Joel 2:28–32
22“People of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a very special man. God clearly showed this to you by the miracles, wonders, and signs he did through Jesus. You all know this, because it happened right here among you. 23Jesus was given to you, and with the help of those who don’t know the law, you put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But this was God’s plan which he had made long ago; he knew all this would happen. 24God raised Jesus from the dead and set him free from the pain of death, because death could not hold him. 25For David said this about him:
‘I keep the Lord before me always.
Because he is close by my side,
I will not be hurt.
26So I am glad, and I rejoice.
Even my body has hope,
27because you will not leave me in the grave.
You will not let your Holy One rot.
28You will teach me how to live a holy life.
Being with you will fill me with joy.’#Psalm 16:8–11
29“Brothers and sisters, I can tell you truly that David, our ancestor, died and was buried. His grave is still here with us today. 30He was a prophet and knew God had promised him that he would make a person from David’s family a king just as he was. 31Knowing this before it happened, David talked about the Christ rising from the dead. He said:
‘He was not left in the grave.
His body did not rot.’
32So Jesus is the One whom God raised from the dead. And we are all witnesses to this. 33Jesus was lifted up to heaven and is now at God’s right side. The Father has given the Holy Spirit to Jesus as he promised. So Jesus has poured out that Spirit, and this is what you now see and hear. 34David was not the one who was lifted up to heaven, but he said:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit by me at my right side,
35until I put your enemies under your control.” ’#Psalm 110:1
36“So, all the people of Israel should know this truly: God has made Jesus —the man you nailed to the cross—both Lord and Christ.”
37When the people heard this, they felt guilty and asked Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do?”
38Peter said to them, “Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, 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 for you, for your children, and for all 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 today’s people!” 41Then those people who accepted what Peter said were baptized. About three thousand people were added to the number of believers that day. 42They spent their time learning the apostles’ teaching, sharing, breaking bread, and praying together.
The Believers Share
43The apostles were doing many miracles and signs, and everyone felt great respect for God. 44All the believers were together and shared everything. 45They would sell their land and the things they owned and then divide the money and give it to anyone who needed it. 46The believers met together in the Temple every day. They ate together in their homes, happy to share their food with joyful hearts. 47They praised God and were liked by all the people. Every day the Lord added those who were being saved to the group of believers.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.