Acts 2:14–41

Peter’s Sermon

¹⁴But Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Men of Judah and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this ^qto you and pay attention to my words. ¹⁵For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning. ^r16On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷And it will be in the last days, says God,

that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;

then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams. ^s

¹⁸I will even pour out My Spirit

on My male and female slaves in those days,

and they will prophesy. ^t

¹⁹I will display wonders in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below:

blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.

²⁰The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood ^u

before the great and remarkable Day of the Lord ^v comes.

²¹Then everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved. ^wx

²²“Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, just as you yourselves know. ^y23Though He was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used ^zlawless people ^ato nail Him to a cross and kill Him. ^b24God raised Him up, ending the pains of death, ^cbecause it was not possible for Him to be held by it. ²⁵For David says of Him:

I saw the Lord ever before me;

because He is at my right hand,

I will not be shaken.

²⁶Therefore my heart was glad,

and my tongue rejoiced.

Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,

²⁷because You will not leave me in Hades

or allow Your Holy One to see decay. ^d

²⁸You have revealed the paths of life to me;

You will fill me with gladness

in Your presence. ^ef

²⁹“Brothers, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ^g30Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants ^hion his throne. ^j31Seeing this in advance, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah:

He ^kwas not left in Hades,

and His flesh did not experience decay. ^lm

³²“God has resurrected ⁿthis Jesus. We are all witnesses of this. ³³Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand of God ^oand has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, ^pHe has poured out ^qwhat you both see and hear. ³⁴For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:

The Lord declared to my Lord,

‘Sit at My right hand

³⁵until I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ ^rs

³⁶“Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!” ^t

Forgiveness through the Messiah

³⁷When they heard this, they came under deep conviction ^uand said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?” ^v

³⁸“Repent,” ^wPeter said to them, “and be baptized, ^xeach of you, in the name ^yof Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, ^zaas many as the Lord our God will call.” ⁴⁰And with many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt ^bgeneration!” ^c

A Generous and Growing Church

⁴¹So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.