Acts 2:1-41
English Standard Version
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When (A)the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like (B)a mighty rushing wind, and (C)it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues (D)as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all (E)filled with the Holy Spirit and began (F)to speak in other tongues (G)as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And (H)at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And (I)they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking (J)Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and (K)Medes and (L)Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and (M)proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And (N)all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others (O)mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter's Sermon at Pentecost
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, (P)since it is only the third hour of the day.[b] 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 (Q)“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
(R)that I will pour out my Spirit (S)on all flesh,
and your sons and (T)your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and (U)they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 (V)the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before (W)the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that (X)everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, (Y)a man attested to you by God (Z)with (AA)mighty works and wonders and signs that (AB)God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus,[c] (AC)delivered up according to (AD)the definite plan and (AE)foreknowledge of God, (AF)you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 (AG)God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because (AH)it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
(AI)“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell (AJ)in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to (AK)Hades,
(AL)or let your (AM)Holy One (AN)see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about (AO)the patriarch David (AP)that he both died and (AQ)was buried, and (AR)his tomb is with us to this day. 30 (AS)Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that (AT)God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that (AU)he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus (AV)God raised up, (AW)and of that we all are witnesses. 33 (AX)Being therefore (AY)exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from (AZ)the Father (BA)the promise of the Holy Spirit, (BB)he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For (BC)David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
(BD)“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that (BE)God has made him (BF)both Lord and Christ, this Jesus (BG)whom you crucified.”
37 Now when (BH)they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, (BI)what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, (BJ)“Repent and (BK)be baptized every one of you (BL)in the name of Jesus Christ (BM)for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive (BN)the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For (BO)the promise is for you and (BP)for your children and for all (BQ)who are far off, everyone (BR)whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, (BS)“Save yourselves from this (BT)crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and (BU)there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Read full chapter
Acts 2:1-42
The Message
A Sound Like a Strong Wind
2 1-4 When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.
5-11 There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were blown away. They couldn’t for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, “Aren’t these all Galileans? How come we’re hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?
Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;
Even Cretans and Arabs!
“They’re speaking our languages, describing God’s mighty works!”
12 Their heads were spinning; they couldn’t make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: “What’s going on here?”
13 Others joked, “They’re drunk on cheap wine.”
Peter Speaks Up
14-21 That’s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: “Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren’t drunk as some of you suspect. They haven’t had time to get drunk—it’s only nine o’clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
“In the Last Days,” God says,
“I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I’ll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they’ll prophesy.
I’ll set wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below,
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
the Day tremendous and marvelous;
And whoever calls out for help
to me, God, will be saved.”
22-28 “Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge—this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. David said it all:
I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side.
I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.
I know you’ll never dump me in Hades;
I’ll never even smell the stench of death.
You’ve got my feet on the life-path,
with your face shining sun-joy all around.
29-36 “Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried—his tomb is in plain sight today. But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah—‘no trip to Hades, no stench of death.’ This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear. For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say,
God said to my Master, “Sit at my right hand
Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet.”
“All Israel, then, know this: There’s no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross.”
37 Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?”
38-39 Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”
40 He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”
41-42 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.
* * *
Read full chapterThe Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson