Acts 2:1–21

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 The day of Pentecost came. The believers all gathered in one place. 2Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw something that looked like tongues of fire. The flames separated and settled on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this.

5Godly Jews from every country in the world were staying in Jerusalem. 6A crowd came together when they heard the sound. They were bewildered because they each heard the believers speaking in their own language. 7The crowd was really amazed. They asked, “Aren’t all these people from Galilee? 8Why, then, do we each hear them speaking in our own native language? 9We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites. We live in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia. We are from Pontus, Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia. Others of us are from Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Still others are visitors from Rome. 11Some of the visitors are Jews. Others have accepted the Jewish faith. Also, Cretans and Arabs are here. We hear all these people speaking about God’s wonders in our own languages!” 12They were amazed and bewildered. They asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13But some people in the crowd made fun of the believers. “They’ve had too much wine!” they said.

Peter Speaks to the Crowd

14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven. In a loud voice he spoke to the crowd. “My Jewish friends,” he said, “let me explain this to you. All of you who live in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I say. 15You think these people are drunk. But they aren’t. It’s only nine o’clock in the morning! 16No, here is what the prophet Joel meant. 17He said,

“ ‘In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your young men will see visions.

Your old men will have dreams.

18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit

even on those who serve me, both men and women.

When I do, they will prophesy.

19 I will show wonders in the heavens above.

I will show miraculous signs on the earth below.

There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

20 The sun will become dark.

The moon will turn red like blood.

This will happen before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

21 Everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Joel 2:28–32)