ActsChapter 2

Tap any verse to comment or suggest a better wording.

¹The day of Pentecost came. The believers were all together in one place. ²All at once a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong, rushing wind. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what looked like tongues of fire. The flames split apart and rested on each one of them. ⁴They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the power to speak. ⁵At that time, Jews who feared God were staying in Jerusalem. They came from every nation in the world. ⁶When they heard this sound, a crowd came together. They were confused because each one heard the believers speaking in his own language. ⁷They were amazed and stunned. They asked, "Aren't all these people who are speaking from Galilee? ⁸Then how can each of us hear them in the language we grew up speaking? ⁹We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites. We live in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Some of us are visitors from Rome. ¹¹Some are Jews, and some have become Jews. Some are from Crete, and some are Arabs. We hear them telling the great things God has done in our own languages!" ¹²They were amazed and puzzled. They asked each other, "What does this mean?" ¹³But others made fun of them. They said, "They've had too much new wine!" ¹⁴Then Peter stood up with the Eleven. He raised his voice and spoke to the crowd. "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem," he said, "let me explain this to you. Listen closely to what I say. ¹⁵These men are not drunk, as you think. It's only nine in the morning! ¹⁶No, this is what the prophet Joel spoke about: ¹⁷'God says, In the last days I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁸In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants, both men and women. And they will prophesy. ¹⁹I will show wonders in the sky above. I will show signs on the earth below. There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke. ²⁰The sun will turn dark, and the moon will turn red like blood. Then the great and glorious Day of the Lord will come. ²¹And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' ²²People of Israel, listen to this! God showed you that he approved of Jesus of Nazareth. He did this through miracles, wonders, and signs. God did them among you through Jesus. You know this yourselves. ²³Jesus was handed over by God's set plan. God knew it all ahead of time. And you, with the help of lawless men, put him to death. You had him nailed to the cross. ²⁴But God raised him from the dead. He set him free from the pain of death, because it was not possible for death to keep its hold on him. ²⁵David says this about him: 'I always saw the Lord in front of me. He is at my right hand, so I will not be shaken. ²⁶So my heart is glad, and my tongue is full of joy. My body also will rest in hope, ²⁷because you will not leave my soul in Hades. You will not let your Holy One rot away. ²⁸You have shown me the paths of life. You will fill me with joy when I am with you.' ²⁹Brothers, I can tell you for sure that our great father David died. He was buried, and his tomb is still here with us today. ³⁰But David was a prophet. He knew God had made him a promise with an oath. God promised to put one of David's descendants on his throne. ³¹David saw what was ahead. So he spoke about the Messiah rising from the dead. He said the Messiah was not left in Hades. His body did not rot. ³²God has raised this Jesus to life. We are all witnesses of this. ³³Jesus has been lifted up to the right hand of God. He has received the Holy Spirit from the Father, as God promised. He has poured out what you now see and hear. ³⁴For David did not go up into heaven. But he himself says, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand ³⁵until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."' ³⁶So let all Israel know this for sure. God has made this Jesus both Lord and Messiah. He is the one you crucified!" ³⁷When the people heard this, it hurt them deep in their hearts. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" ³⁸Peter answered, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹This promise is for you and your children. It is for all who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God will call to himself." ⁴⁰Peter told them many other things to prove what he said. He begged them, "Be saved from these evil people of today!" ⁴¹Those who accepted his message were baptized. About 3,000 people joined the believers that day. ⁴²They gave themselves to what the apostles taught. They shared life together. They broke bread together, and they prayed. ⁴³Everyone was filled with awe. The apostles did many wonders and signs. ⁴⁴All the believers were together. They shared everything they had. ⁴⁵They sold their land and the things they owned. Then they shared with anyone who was in need. ⁴⁶Every day they kept meeting together as one in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes. They ate their meals together with glad and sincere hearts. ⁴⁷They praised God, and all the people liked them. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.