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And when the day of Pentecost was now accomplishing, they were all together in one place.

And there came suddenly a sound out of heaven as of a violent impetuous blowing, and filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared to them parted tongues, as of fire, and it sat upon each one of them.

And they were all filled with [the] Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave to them to speak forth.

Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, pious men, from every nation of those under heaven.

But the rumour of this having spread, the multitude came together and were confounded, because each one heard them speaking in his own dialect.

And all were amazed and wondered, saying, Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galilaeans?

and how do *we* hear [them] each in our own dialect in which we have been born,

Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and those who inhabit Mesopotamia, and Judaea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10 both Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya which adjoin Cyrene, and the Romans sojourning [here], both Jews and proselytes,

11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our own tongues the great things of God?

12 And they were all amazed and in perplexity, saying one to another, What would this mean?

13 But others mocking said, They are full of new wine.

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke forth to them, Men of Judaea, and all ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give heed to my words:

15 for these are not full of wine, as *ye* suppose, for it is the third hour of the day;

16 but this is that which was spoken through the prophet Joel,

17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, [that] I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream with dreams;

18 yea, even upon my bondmen and upon my bondwomen in those days will I pour out of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

19 And I will give wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20 the sun shall be changed to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and gloriously appearing day of [the] Lord come.

21 And it shall be that whosoever shall call upon the name of [the] Lord shall be saved.

22 Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Nazaraean, a man borne witness to by God to you by works of power and wonders and signs, which God wrought by him in your midst, as yourselves know

23 —him, given up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye, by [the] hand of lawless [men], have crucified and slain.

24 Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death, inasmuch as it was not possible that he should be held by its power;

25 for David says as to him, I foresaw the Lord continually before me, because he is at my right hand that I may not be moved.

26 Therefore has my heart rejoiced and my tongue exulted; yea more, my flesh also shall dwell in hope,

27 for thou wilt not leave my soul in hades, nor wilt thou give thy gracious one to see corruption.

28 Thou hast made known to me [the] paths of life, thou wilt fill me with joy with thy countenance.

29 Brethren, let it be allowed to speak with freedom to you concerning the patriarch David, that he has both died and been buried, and his monument is amongst us unto this day.

30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him with an oath, of the fruit of his loins to set upon his throne;

31 he, seeing [it] before, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that neither has he been left in hades nor his flesh seen corruption.

32 This Jesus has God raised up, whereof all *we* are witnesses.

33 Having therefore been exalted by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which *ye* behold and hear.

34 For David has not ascended into the heavens, but he says himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at my right hand

35 until I have put thine enemies [to be] the footstool of thy feet.

36 Let the whole house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him, this Jesus whom *ye* have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

37 And having heard [it] they were pricked in heart, and said to Peter and the other apostles, What shall we do, brethren?

38 And Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptised, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for remission of sins, and ye will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For to you is the promise and to your children, and to all who [are] afar off, as many as [the] Lord our God may call.

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation.

41 Those then who had accepted his word were baptised; and there were added in that day about three thousand souls.

42 And they persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in breaking of bread and prayers.

43 And fear was upon every soul, and many wonders and signs took place through the apostles' means.

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common,

45 and sold their possessions and substance, and distributed them to all, according as any one might have need.

46 And every day, being constantly in the temple with one accord, and breaking bread in [the] house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

47 praising God, and having favour with all the people; and the Lord added [to the assembly] daily those that were to be saved.

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost(A) came, they were all together(B) in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.(C) They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit(D) and began to speak in other tongues[a](E) as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing(F) Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed,(G) they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?(H) Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,(I) Pontus(J) and Asia,[b](K) 10 Phrygia(L) and Pamphylia,(M) Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;(N) 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!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”(O)

Peter Addresses the Crowd

14 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. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!(P) 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.(Q)
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,(R)
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy.(S)
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,(T)
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood(U)
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord(V) will be saved.’[c](W)

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth(X) was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,(Y) which God did among you through him,(Z) as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;(AA) and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.(AB) 24 But God raised him from the dead,(AC) freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.(AD) 25 David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
    Because he is at my right hand,
    I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    you will not let your holy one see decay.(AE)
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence.’[e](AF)

29 “Fellow Israelites,(AG) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch(AH) David died and was buried,(AI) and his tomb is here(AJ) to this day. 30 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.(AK) 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.(AL) 32 God has raised this Jesus to life,(AM) and we are all witnesses(AN) of it. 33 Exalted(AO) to the right hand of God,(AP) he has received from the Father(AQ) the promised Holy Spirit(AR) and has poured out(AS) what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
    a footstool for your feet.”’[f](AT)

36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord(AU) and Messiah.”(AV)

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

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,(AX) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.(AY) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(AZ) 39 The promise is for you and your children(BA) and for all who are far off(BB)—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

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

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching(BE) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread(BF) and to prayer.(BG) 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.(BH) 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.(BI) 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.(BJ) 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.(BK) They broke bread(BL) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.(BM) And the Lord added to their number(BN) daily those who were being saved.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 2:4 Or languages; also in verse 11
  2. Acts 2:9 That is, the Roman province by that name
  3. Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32
  4. Acts 2:23 Or of those not having the law (that is, Gentiles)
  5. Acts 2:28 Psalm 16:8-11 (see Septuagint)
  6. Acts 2:35 Psalm 110:1