Acts 2:1–42

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2When the day of Pentecost^t came, they were all together^u in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.^{v 3}They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit^w and began to speak in other tongues^ax as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing^y Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷Utterly amazed,^z they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?^{a 8}Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,^b Pontus^c and Asia,^{bd 10}Phrygia^e and Pamphylia,^f Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;^g visitors from Rome ¹¹(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹²Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

¹³Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”^h

Peter Addresses the Crowd

¹⁴Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!^{i 16}No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

¹⁷“ ‘In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.^j

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,^k

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

¹⁸Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.^l

¹⁹I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,^m

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

²⁰The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to bloodⁿ

before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

²¹And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord^o will be saved.’^cp

²²“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth^q was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,^r which God did among you through him,^s as you yourselves know. ²³This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;^t and you, with the help of wicked men,^d put him to death by nailing him to the cross.^{u 24}But God raised him from the dead,^v freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.^{w 25}David said about him:

“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me.

Because he is at my right hand,

I will not be shaken.

²⁶Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

my body also will rest in hope,

²⁷because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,

you will not let your holy one see decay.^x

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

you will fill me with joy in your presence.’^ey

²⁹“Fellow Israelites,^z I can tell you confidently that the patriarch^a David died and was buried,^b and his tomb is here^c to this day. ³⁰But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^{d 31}Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^{e 32}God has raised this Jesus to life,^f and we are all witnesses^g of it. ³³Exalted^h to the right hand of God,ⁱ he has received from the Father^j the promised Holy Spirit^k and has poured out^l what you now see and hear. ³⁴For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord:

“Sit at my right hand

³⁵until I make your enemies

a footstool for your feet.” ’^fm

³⁶“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lordⁿ and Messiah.”^o

³⁷When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”^p

³⁸Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^q every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^r And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{s 39}The promise is for you and your children^t and for all who are far off^u—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”^{v 41}Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^w that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^x and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^y and to prayer.^z