Acts 2

The Holy Spirit and the Day of Pentecost

2:1 Now¹ when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2:2 Suddenly² a sound³ like a violent wind blowing⁴ came from heaven⁵ and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 2:3 And tongues spreading out like a fire⁶ appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 2:4 All⁷ of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages⁸ as the Spirit enabled them.⁹

2:5 Now there were devout Jews¹⁰ from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem.¹¹ 2:6 When this sound¹² occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion,¹³ because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said,¹⁴ “Aren’t¹⁵ all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them¹⁶ in our own native language?¹⁷ 2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia,¹⁸ 2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene,¹⁹ and visitors from Rome,²⁰ 2:11 both Jews and proselytes,²¹ Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!”²² 2:12 All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 2:13 But others jeered at the speakers,²³ saying, “They are drunk on new wine!”²⁴

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

2:14 But Peter stood up²⁵ with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea²⁶ and all you who live in Jerusalem,²⁷ know this²⁸ and listen carefully to what I say. 2:15 In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk,²⁹ for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.³⁰ 2:16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel:³¹

2:17 ‘And in the last days³² it will be,’ God says,

‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people,³³

and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

and your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

2:18 Even on my servants,³⁴ both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.³⁵

2:19 And I will perform wonders in the sky³⁶ above

and miraculous signs³⁷ on the earth below,

blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

2:20 The sun will be changed to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the great and glorious³⁸ day of the Lord comes.

2:21 And then³⁹ everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’⁴⁰

2:22 “Men of Israel,⁴¹ listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds,⁴² wonders, and miraculous signs⁴³ that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know – 2:23 this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed⁴⁴ by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles.⁴⁵ 2:24 But God raised him up,⁴⁶ having released⁴⁷ him from the pains⁴⁸ of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power.⁴⁹ 2:25 For David says about him,

‘I saw the Lord always in front of me,⁵⁰

for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.

2:26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;

my body⁵¹ also will live in hope,

2:27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades,⁵²

nor permit your Holy One to experience⁵³ decay.

2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of joy with your presence.’⁵⁴

2:29 “Brothers,⁵⁵ I can speak confidently⁵⁶ to you about our forefather⁵⁷ David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 2:30 So then, because⁵⁸ he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants⁵⁹ on his throne,⁶⁰ 2:31 David by foreseeing this⁶¹ spoke about the resurrection of the Christ,⁶² that he was neither abandoned to Hades,⁶³ nor did his body⁶⁴ experience⁶⁵ decay.⁶⁶ 2:32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it.⁶⁷ 2:33 So then, exalted⁶⁸ to the right hand⁶⁹ of God, and having received⁷⁰ the promise of the Holy Spirit⁷¹ from the Father, he has poured out⁷² what you both see and hear. 2:34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,

‘The Lord said to my lord,

“Sit⁷³ at my right hand

2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool⁷⁴ for your feet.”’⁷⁵

2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt⁷⁶ that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified⁷⁷ both Lord⁷⁸ and Christ.”⁷⁹

The Response to Peter’s Address

2:37 Now when they heard this,⁸⁰ they were acutely distressed⁸¹ and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?” 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized⁸² in the name of Jesus Christ⁸³ for⁸⁴ the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.⁸⁵ 2:39 For the promise⁸⁶ is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 2:40 With many other words he testified⁸⁷ and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse⁸⁸ generation!” 2:41 So those who accepted⁸⁹ his message⁹⁰ were baptized, and that day about three thousand people⁹¹ were added.⁹²

The Fellowship of the Early Believers

2:42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,⁹³ to the breaking of bread and to prayer.⁹⁴ 2:43 Reverential awe⁹⁵ came over everyone,⁹⁶ and many wonders and miraculous signs⁹⁷ came about by the apostles. 2:44 All who believed were together and held⁹⁸ everything in common, 2:45 and they began selling⁹⁹ their property¹⁰⁰ and possessions and distributing the proceeds¹⁰¹ to everyone, as anyone had need. 2:46 Every day¹⁰² they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts,¹⁰³ breaking bread from¹⁰⁴ house to house, sharing their food with glad¹⁰⁵ and humble hearts,¹⁰⁶ 2:47 praising God and having the good will¹⁰⁷ of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day¹⁰⁸ those who were being saved.

Next Chapter