The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was on me,(A) and He brought me out by His Spirit(B) and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them. There were a great many of them on the surface of the valley, and they were very dry. Then He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I replied, “Lord God, only You know.”(C)

He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live.(D) I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.”(E)

So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath,[a] prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!”(F) 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me; the breath[b] entered them,(G) and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.

11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.(H) Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up,(I) and our hope has perished;(J) we are cut off.’(K) 12 Therefore, prophesy and say to them: This is what the Lord God says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them,(L) My people, and lead you into the land of Israel. 13 You will know that I am Yahweh, My people, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.(M) 14 I will put My Spirit in you,(N) and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I am Yahweh. I have spoken, and I will do it.”(O) This is the declaration of the Lord.

The Reunification of Israel

15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, take a single stick and write on it:(P) Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him. Then take another stick and write on it: Belonging to Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and all the house of Israel associated with him.(Q) 17 Then join them together into a single stick so that they become one in your hand.(R) 18 When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you explain to us what you mean by these things?’(S) 19 tell them: This is what the Lord God says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and put them together with the stick of Judah. I will make them into a single stick so that they become one in My hand.

20 “When the sticks you have written on are in your hand and in full view of the people,(T) 21 tell them: This is what the Lord God says: I am going to take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone.(U) I will gather them from all around and bring them into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land,(V) on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them.(W) They will no longer be two nations and will no longer be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will not defile themselves anymore with their idols,(X) their detestable things, and all their transgressions.(Y) I will save them from all their apostasies by which[c] they sinned,(Z) and I will cleanse them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.(AA) 24 My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them.(AB) They will follow My ordinances, and keep My statutes and obey them.(AC)

25 “They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob,(AD) where your fathers lived. They will live in it forever with their children and grandchildren, and My servant David will be their prince forever.(AE) 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them;(AF) it will be an everlasting covenant(AG) with them. I will establish and multiply them and will set My sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them;(AH) I will be their God, and they will be My people.(AI) 28 When My sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, Yahweh, sanctify Israel.”(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 37:9 Or wind, or spirit
  2. Ezekiel 37:10 Or wind, or spirit
  3. Ezekiel 37:23 Some Hb mss, LXX, Sym; other Hb mss read their settlements where

Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.(A) Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind(B) came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.(C) And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled(D) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.(E)

There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation(F) under heaven. When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were astounded and amazed, saying,[a] “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?(G) How is it that each of us can hear in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,(H) 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,(I) 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking the magnificent acts of God in our own languages.” 12 They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What could this be?” 13 But some sneered and said, “They’re full of new wine!”(J)

Peter’s Sermon

14 But Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Men of Judah and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this[b] to you and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning.[c] 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.(K)
18 I will even pour out My Spirit
on My male and female slaves in those days,
and they will prophesy.(L)
19 I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood(M)
before the great and remarkable Day of the Lord(N) comes.
21 Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.(O)[d]

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, just as you yourselves know.(P) 23 Though He was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used[e] lawless people[f] to nail Him to a cross and kill Him.(Q) 24 God raised Him up, ending the pains of death,(R) because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. 25 For David says of Him:

I saw the Lord ever before me;
because He is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart was glad,
and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,
27 because You will not leave me in Hades
or allow Your Holy One to see decay.(S)
28 You have revealed the paths of life to me;
You will fill me with gladness
in Your presence.(T)[g]

29 “Brothers, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.(U) 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants[h][i] on his throne.(V) 31 Seeing this in advance, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah:

He[j] was not left in Hades,
and His flesh did not experience decay.(W)[k]

32 “God has resurrected(X) this Jesus. We are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand of God(Y) and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit,(Z) He has poured out(AA) what you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:

The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at My right hand
35 until I make Your enemies Your footstool.’(AB)[l]

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!”(AC)

Forgiveness through the Messiah

37 When they heard this, they came under deep conviction[m] and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?”(AD)

38 “Repent,”(AE) Peter said to them, “and be baptized,(AF) each of you, in the name(AG) of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off,[n](AH) as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 And with many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt[o] generation!”(AI)

A Generous and Growing Church

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,(AJ) to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.(AK)

43 Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.(AL) 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.(AM) 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need.[p] 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude,(AN) 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them[q] those who were being saved.(AO)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 2:7 Other mss add to one another
  2. Acts 2:14 Lit let this be known
  3. Acts 2:15 Lit it’s the third hour of the day
  4. Acts 2:21 Jl 2:28-32
  5. Acts 2:23 Other mss read you have taken
  6. Acts 2:23 Or used the hand of lawless ones
  7. Acts 2:28 Ps 16:8-11
  8. Acts 2:30 Other mss add according to the flesh to raise up the Messiah
  9. Acts 2:30 Lit one from the fruit of his loin
  10. Acts 2:31 Other mss read His soul
  11. Acts 2:31 Ps 16:10
  12. Acts 2:35 Ps 110:1
  13. Acts 2:37 Lit they were pierced to the heart
  14. Acts 2:39 For distant generations or perhaps Gentiles
  15. Acts 2:40 Or crooked, or twisted
  16. Acts 2:45 Or to all, according to one’s needs
  17. Acts 2:47 Other mss read to the church

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