The Day of Pentecost

2 When ^(A)the day of Pentecost ^[a]had come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled ^(B)the whole house where they were sitting. ³ And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, ^[b]distributing themselves, and a tongue ^[c]rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all ^(C)filled with the Holy Spirit and began to ^(D)speak with different ^[d]tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out.

⁵ Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, ^(E)devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And when ^(F)this sound occurred, the crowd came together and they were bewildered, because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own ^[e]language. ^7 (G)They were amazed and astonished, saying, “^[f]Why, are not all these who are speaking ^(H)Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we each hear them in our own ^[g]language ^[h]to which we were born? ⁹ Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and ^(I)Cappadocia, ^(J)Pontus and ^[i](K)Asia, ^10 (L)Phrygia and ^(M)Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around ^(N)Cyrene, and ^[j](O)visitors from Rome, both Jews and ^[k](P)proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own ^[l]tongues of the mighty deeds of God.” ¹² And ^(Q)they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others were jeering and saying, “^(R)They are full of ^[m]sweet wine!”

Peter’s Sermon

¹⁴ But Peter, taking his stand with ^(S)the other eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, ^[n]know this, and pay attention to my words. ¹⁵ For these people are not drunk, as you assume, ^(T)since it is only the ^[o]third hour of the day; ¹⁶ but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:

Cornelius’ Vision

10 Now there was a man in ^(A)Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was ^(B)called the Italian ^[a]cohort, ² a devout man and ^(C)one who feared God with all his household, and ^(D)made many charitable contributions to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. ³ About ^(E)the ^[b]ninth hour of the day he clearly saw ^(F)in a vision ^(G)an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” ⁴ And he ^(H)looked at him intently and became terrified, and said, “What is it, lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and charitable gifts ^(I)have ascended ^(J)as a memorial offering before God. ⁵ Now dispatch some men to ^(K)Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; ⁶ he is staying with a tanner named ^(L)Simon, whose house is by the sea.” ⁷ When the angel who *spoke to him left, he summoned two of his ^[c]servants and a devout soldier from his personal attendants, ⁸ and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to ^(M)Joppa.

⁹ On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, ^(N)Peter went up on ^(O)the ^[d]housetop about ^[e](P)the sixth hour to pray. ¹⁰ But he became hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were making preparations, he ^(Q)fell into a trance; ¹¹ and he *saw ^(R)the sky opened up, and an ^[f]object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, ¹² and on it were all kinds of four-footed animals and ^[g]crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the sky. ¹³ A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, ^[h]kill and eat!” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “By no means, ^(S)Lord, for ^(T)I have never eaten anything ^[i]unholy and unclean.” ¹⁵ Again a voice came to him a second time, “^(U)What God has cleansed, no longer ^[j]consider unholy.” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and immediately the ^[k]object was taken up into the sky.

¹⁷ Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in ^[l]mind as to what ^(V)the vision which he had seen might ^[m]mean, behold, ^(W)the men who had been sent by Cornelius had asked directions to Simon’s house, and they appeared at the gate; ¹⁸ and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. ¹⁹ While Peter was reflecting on ^(X)the vision, ^(Y)the Spirit said to him, “Behold, ^[n]three men are looking for you. ²⁰ But get up, go downstairs and ^(Z)accompany them ^[o]without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” ²¹ Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” ²² They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and ^(AA)God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, ^(AB)was divinely directed by a ^(AC)holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear ^[p](AD)a message from you.” ²³ So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

Peter in Caesarea

Now on the next day he got ready and went away with them, and ^(AE)some of ^(AF)the brothers from ^(AG)Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ On the following day he entered ^(AH)Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and ^[q](AI)worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter helped him up, saying, “^(AJ)Stand up; I, too, am just a man.” ²⁷ As he talked with him, he entered and *found ^(AK)many people assembled. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is ^(AL)forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a ^[r]foreigner; and yet ^(AM)God has shown me that I am not to call any person ^[s]unholy or unclean. ²⁹ That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask, for what reason did you send for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius said, “^(AN)Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during ^(AO)the ^[t]ninth hour; and behold, ^(AP)a man stood before me in shining clothing, ³¹ and he *said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your charitable gifts have been remembered before God. ³² Therefore send some men to ^(AQ)Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent men to you immediately, and you have ^[u]been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear everything that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Gentiles Hear Good News

^34 (AR)Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that ^(AS)God is not one to show partiality, ³⁵ but ^(AT)in every nation the one who ^[v](AU)fears Him and ^[w]does what is right is acceptable to Him. ³⁶ The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, ^(AV)preaching ^[x](AW)peace through Jesus Christ (He is ^(AX)Lord of all)— ³⁷ you yourselves know the thing that happened throughout Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. ^38 [y]You know of ^(AY)Jesus of Nazareth, how God ^(AZ)anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, ^[z](BA)and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for ^(BB)God was with Him. ³⁹ We are ^(BC)witnesses of all the things that He did both in the ^[aa]country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on ^[ab](BD)a cross. ^40 (BE)God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He ^[ac]be revealed, ^41 (BF)not to all the people, but to ^(BG)witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us ^(BH)who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. ⁴² And He ^(BI)ordered us to ^[ad]preach to the people, and to ^(BJ)testify solemnly that this is the One who has been ^(BK)appointed by God as ^(BL)Judge of the living and the dead. ^43 (BM)All the prophets testify of Him, that through ^(BN)His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, ^(BO)the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the ^[ae]message. ^45 (BP)All the ^[af]Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been ^(BQ)poured out on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they were hearing them ^(BR)speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter responded, ⁴⁷ “^(BS)Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who ^(BT)have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” ⁴⁸ And he ^(BU)ordered them to be baptized ^(BV)in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

¹¹ Therefore remember that ^(A)previously ^(B)you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “^(C)Uncircumcision” by the so-called “^(D)Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— ¹² remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, ^[a](E)excluded from ^[b]the people of Israel, and strangers to ^(F)the covenants of the promise, having ^(G)no hope and ^(H)without God in the world. ¹³ But now in ^(I)Christ Jesus you who ^(J)previously were ^(K)far away ^[c]have ^(L)been brought near ^[d](M)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For He Himself is ^(N)our peace, ^(O)who made both groups into one and broke down the ^[e]barrier of the dividing wall, ^15 [f]by ^(P)abolishing ^[g]in His flesh the hostility, which is ^(Q)the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might ^[h](R)make the two ^(S)one new person, in this way establishing ^(T)peace; ¹⁶ and that He might ^(U)reconcile them both in ^(V)one body to God through the cross, ^[i]by it having ^(W)put to death the hostility. ¹⁷ And ^(X)He came and preached ^(Y)peace to you who were ^(Z)far away, and peace to those who were ^(AA)near; ¹⁸ for through Him we both have ^(AB)our access in ^(AC)one Spirit to ^(AD)the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(AE)strangers and foreigners, but you are ^(AF)fellow citizens with the ^[j]saints, and are of ^(AG)God’s household, ²⁰ having been ^(AH)built on ^(AI)the foundation of ^(AJ)the apostles and prophets, ^(AK)Christ Jesus Himself being the ^(AL)cornerstone, ^21 (AM)in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into ^(AN)a holy ^[k]temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being ^(AO)built together into a ^(AP)dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Paul’s Stewardship

3 For this reason I, Paul, ^(AQ)the prisoner of ^(AR)Christ Jesus ^(AS)for the sake of you ^(AT)Gentiles— ² if indeed you have heard of the ^(AU)administration of God’s grace which was given to me for you; ^3 (AV)that ^(AW)by revelation there was ^(AX)made known to me ^(AY)the mystery, ^(AZ)as I wrote before briefly. ^4 [l]By referring to this, when you read you can understand ^(BA)my insight ^[m]into the ^(BB)mystery of Christ, ⁵ which in other generations was not made known to ^[n]mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy ^(BC)apostles and prophets ^[o]in the Spirit; ⁶ to be specific, that the Gentiles are ^(BD)fellow heirs and ^(BE)fellow members of the body, and ^(BF)fellow partakers of the promise in ^(BG)Christ Jesus through the gospel, ^7 (BH)of which I was made a ^(BI)minister, according to the gift of ^(BJ)God’s grace which was given to me ^(BK)according to the working of His power.

⁹ However, you are not ^(A)in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God ^(B)dwells in you. But ^(C)if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

¹³ For ^[a](A)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether ^(B)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to ^(C)drink of one Spirit.

Israel’s Mourning Turned to Joy

31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the ^(A)God of all the ^(B)families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”

¹⁶ This is what the Lord says:

²³ This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I ^(BJ)restore their fortunes,

²⁴ Judah and all its cities will ^(BM)live together in it, the farmers and those who travel with flocks. ^25 (BN)For I give plenty of water to the weary ones, and ^[l]refresh everyone who languishes.” ²⁶ At this I ^(BO)awoke and looked, and my ^(BP)sleep had been pleasant to me.

A New Covenant

²⁷ “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will ^(BQ)sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of mankind and the seed of animals. ²⁸ And just as I have ^(BR)watched over them to ^(BS)uproot them, tear them down, ruin, destroy, and bring disaster on them, so I will watch over them to ^(BT)build and to plant them,” declares the Lord.

³⁰ But ^(BV)everyone will die for his own wrongdoing; each person who eats the sour grapes, his own teeth will become blunt.

³¹ “^(BW)Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a ^(BX)new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, ³² not like the ^(BY)covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I ^(BZ)took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My ^(CA)covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. ³³ “For ^(CB)this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “^(CC)I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and ^(CD)I will be their God, and they shall be My people. ³⁴ They will ^(CE)not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all ^(CF)know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will ^(CG)forgive their wrongdoing, and their ^(CH)sin I will no longer remember.”

³⁸ “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the ^(CP)city will be rebuilt for the Lord from the ^(CQ)Tower of Hananel to the ^(CR)Corner Gate. ³⁹ The ^(CS)measuring line will go out farther straight ahead, to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah. ⁴⁰ And ^(CT)the entire valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook ^(CU)Kidron to the corner of the ^(CV)Horse Gate toward the east, shall be ^(CW)holy to the Lord; it will not be uprooted or overthrown ever again.”

²⁷ And I will ^(A)put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes, and are careful and ^[a]follow My ordinances.