Acts 2:14–47

Peter Addresses the Crowd

Then 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. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!^a No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

“ ‘In the last days, God says,

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

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,^c

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.^d

I will show wonders in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below,^e

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood^f

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

And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord^g will be saved.’^h

“People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazarethⁱ was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,^j which God did among you through him,^k as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;^l and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.^m But God raised him from the dead,ⁿ freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.^o David said about him:

“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me.

Because he is at my right hand,

I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

my body also will rest in hope,

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

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

You have made known to me the paths of life;

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

“Brothers and sisters,^r we all know that the patriarch^s David died and was buried,^t and his tomb is here^u to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^v 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.^w God has raised this Jesus to life,^x and we are all witnesses^y of the fact. Exalted^z to the right hand of God,^a he has received from the Father^b the promised Holy Spirit^c and has poured out^d what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord:

“Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies

a footstool for your feet.” ’^e

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

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

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,ⁱ every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^j And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^k The promise is for you and your children^l and for all who are far off^m—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

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

The Fellowship of the Believers

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^a and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^b and to prayer.^c Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^d All the believers were together and had everything in common.^e They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^f Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^g They broke bread^h in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.ⁱ And the Lord added to their number^j daily those who were being saved.