Acts 2:1–17

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

2When 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 ⁿ 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.