Acts 2
Christian Standard Bible
Pentecost
2 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.(A) 2 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) 3 They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled(D) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues,[a] as the Spirit enabled them.(E)
5 Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation(F) under heaven. 6 When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were astounded and amazed, saying,[b] “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?(G) 8 How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? 9 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 converts),(I) 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” 12 They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But some sneered and said, “They’re drunk on new wine.”(J)
Peter’s Sermon
14 Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known 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 people;
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 servants in those days, both men and women
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 glorious day of the Lord(N) comes.
21 Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.[d](O)
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested 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 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 death. 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 is glad
and my tongue rejoices.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon 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.[f](T)
29 “Brothers and sisters, 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[g] on his throne.(V) 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He[h] was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.[i](W)
32 “God has raised(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.’[j](AB)
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)
Call to Repentance
37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” (AD)
38 Peter replied, “Repent(AE) 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,(AH) as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt[k] generation!” (AI) 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.
A Generous and Growing Church
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,(AJ) to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.(AK)
43 Everyone was filled with awe, 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 any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts,(AN) 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number[l] those who were being saved.(AO)
Footnotes
- 2:4 languages, also in v. 11
- 2:7 Other mss add to one another
- 2:15 Lit it’s the third hour of the day
- 2:17–21 Jl 2:28–32
- 2:23 Other mss read you have taken
- 2:25–28 Ps 16:8–11
- 2:30 Other mss add according to the flesh to raise up the Messiah
- 2:31 Other mss read His soul
- 2:31 Ps 16:10
- 2:34–35 Ps 110:1
- 2:40 Or crooked, or twisted
- 2:47 Other mss read to the church
Acts 2
International Standard Version
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the day of Pentecost was being celebrated,[a] all of them were together in one place. 2 Suddenly, a sound like the roar of a mighty windstorm came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw tongues like flames[b] of fire that separated, and one rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign[c] languages as the Spirit gave them that ability.
5 Now devout Jews from every nation on earth[d] were living in Jerusalem. 6 When that sound came, a crowd quickly gathered, startled because each one heard the disciples[e] speaking in his own language. 7 Stunned and amazed, they asked, “All of these people who are speaking are Galileans, aren’t they? 8 So how is it that each one of us hears them speaking in his own native language:[f] 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the district of Libya near Cyrene, Jewish and proselyte visitors from Rome, 11 Cretans, and Arabs, listening to them talk in our own languages about the great deeds of God?”
12 All of them continued to be stunned and puzzled, and they kept asking one another, “What can this mean?”
13 But others kept saying in derision, “They’re drunk on sweet wine!”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up among the eleven apostles[g] and raised his voice to address them:
“Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. 15 These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it’s only nine o’clock in the morning.[h] 16 Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on everyone.[i]
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will even pour out my Spirit
on my slaves, men and women alike,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will display wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below:
blood, fire, and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark,
and the moon turn to blood,
before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.[j]
21 Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord[k] will be saved.’[l]
22 “Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth[m] was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know. 23 After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men. 24 But God raised him up, putting an end to the suffering of death,[n] since it was impossible for him to be held by it, 25 since David says about him,
‘I always keep my eyes on the Lord,[o]
for he is at my right hand
so that I cannot be shaken.
26 That is why my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices,
yes, even my body still rests securely in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades[p]
or allow your Holy One to experience decay.
28 You have made the ways of life known to me,
and you will fill me with gladness in your presence.’[q]
29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day. 30 Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah:[r]
32 “It was this very Jesus whom God raised—and we’re all witnesses of that. 33 He has been exalted to the right hand of God, has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit,[u] and has caused you to experience what you are seeing and hearing. 34 After all, David did not go up to heaven, but he said,
36 “Therefore, let all the people[x] of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!”[y]
37 When the crowd that had gathered[z] heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter answered them, “Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah[aa] for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.[ab] 39 For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself.”
40 Using many different expressions, Peter[ac] continued to testify and to plead: “Be saved,” he urged them, “from this corrupt generation!” 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number.
Life among the Believers
42 The believers[ad] continued to devote themselves to what the apostles were teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to times of prayer.[ae] 43 A sense of fear[af] came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were united and shared everything with one another.[ag] 45 They made it their practice to sell their possessions and goods and to distribute the proceeds[ah] to anyone who was in need. 46 United in purpose, they went to the Temple every day, ate at each other’s homes, and shared their food with glad and humble hearts. 47 They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved.
Footnotes
- Acts 2:1 Lit. Pentecost had fully arrived
- Acts 2:3 Or tongues
- Acts 2:4 Or different
- Acts 2:5 Lit. nation under heaven
- Acts 2:6 Lit. them
- Acts 2:8 Lit. in our language in which we were born
- Acts 2:14 The Gk. lacks apostles
- Acts 2:15 Lit. the third hour of the day
- Acts 2:17 Lit. on all flesh
- Acts 2:20 MT source citation reads Lord
- Acts 2:21 MT source citation reads Lord
- Acts 2:21 Cf. Joel 2:28-32
- Acts 2:22 Or Jesus the Nazarene; the Gk. Nazoraios may be a word play between Heb. netser, meaning branch (cf. Isa 11:1), and the name Nazareth.
- Acts 2:24 Other mss. read Hades (the realm of the dead)
- Acts 2:25 Lit. always see the Lord in front of me; MT source citation reads Lord
- Acts 2:27 I.e. the realm of the dead
- Acts 2:28 Cf. Ps 16:8-11
- Acts 2:31 Or Christ
- Acts 2:31 I.e. the realm of the dead
- Acts 2:31 Cf. Ps 16:10
- Acts 2:33 Or the promise of the Holy Spirit
- Acts 2:34 MT source citation reads Lord
- Acts 2:35 Cf. Ps 110:1
- Acts 2:36 Lit. house
- Acts 2:36 Or Christ
- Acts 2:37 Lit. When they
- Acts 2:38 Or Christ
- Acts 2:38 Or the gift of the Holy Spirit
- Acts 2:40 Lit. he
- Acts 2:42 Lit. They
- Acts 2:42 Lit. to the prayers
- Acts 2:43 Or awe
- Acts 2:44 Lit. and had all things in common
- Acts 2:45 Lit. to distribute them
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