Acts 2
Contemporary English Version
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 (A) On the day of Pentecost[a] all the Lord's followers were together in one place. 2 Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. 3 Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. 4 The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak.
5 Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem. 6 And when they heard this noise, a crowd gathered. But they were surprised, because they were hearing everything in their own languages. 7 They were excited and amazed, and said:
Don't all these who are speaking come from Galilee? 8 Then why do we hear them speaking our very own languages? 9 Some of us are from Parthia, Media, and Elam. Others are from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, 11 Crete, and Arabia. Some of us were born Jews, and others of us have chosen to be Jews. Yet we all hear them using our own languages to tell the wonderful things God has done.
12 Everyone was excited and confused. Some of them even kept asking each other, “What does all this mean?”
13 Others made fun of the Lord's followers and said, “They are drunk.”
Peter Speaks to the Crowd
14 Peter stood with the eleven apostles and spoke in a loud and clear voice to the crowd:
Friends and everyone else living in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I have to say! 15 You are wrong to think that these people are drunk. After all, it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 But this is what God told the prophet Joel to say,
17 (B) “When the last days come,
I will give my Spirit
to everyone.
Your sons and daughters
will prophesy.
Your young men
will see visions,
and your old men
will have dreams.
18 In those days I will give
my Spirit to my servants,
both men and women,
and they will prophesy.
19 “I will work miracles
in the sky above
and wonders
on the earth below.
There will be blood and fire
and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will turn dark,
and the moon
will be as red as blood
before the great
and wonderful day
of the Lord appears.
21 Then the Lord
will save everyone
who asks for his help.”
22 Now, listen to what I have to say about Jesus from Nazareth. God proved he sent Jesus to you by having him work miracles, wonders, and signs. All of you know this. 23 (C) God had already planned and decided that Jesus would be handed over to you. So you took him and had evil men put him to death on a cross. 24 (D) But God set him free from death and raised him to life. Death could not hold him in its power. 25 (E) What David said are really the words of Jesus,
“I always see the Lord
near me,
and I will not be afraid
with him at my right side.
26 Because of this,
my heart will be glad,
my words will be joyful,
and I will live in hope.
27 The Lord won't leave me
in the grave.
I am his holy one,
and he won't let
my body decay.
28 He has shown me
the path to life,
and he makes me glad
by being near me.”
29 My friends, it is right for me to speak to you about our ancestor David. He died and was buried, and his tomb is still here. 30 (F) But David was a prophet, and he knew that God had made a promise he would not break. He had told David someone from his own family would someday be king.
31 David knew this would happen, and so he told us Christ would be raised to life. He said God would not leave him in the grave or let his body decay. 32 All of us can tell you that God has raised Jesus to life!
33 Jesus was taken up to sit at the right side[b] of God, and he was given the Holy Spirit, just as the Father had promised. Jesus is also the one who has given the Spirit to us, and this is what you are now seeing and hearing.
34 (G) David didn't go up to heaven. So he wasn't talking about himself when he said, “The Lord told my Lord to sit at his right side, 35 until he made my Lord's enemies into a footstool for him.” 36 Everyone in Israel should then know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, even though you put him to death on a cross.
37 When the people heard this, they were very upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Friends, what should we do?”
38 Peter said to them, “Turn to God 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. 39 This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live.”
40 Peter told them many other things as well. Then he said, “I beg you to save yourselves from what will happen to all these evil people.” 41 On that day about 3,000 believed his message and were baptized. 42 They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread[c] and prayed together.
Life among the Lord's Followers
43 Everyone was amazed by the many miracles and wonders that the apostles worked. 44 (H) All the Lord's followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. 45 They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever was in need. 46 Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread[d] together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, 47 while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved.
Footnotes
- 2.1 Pentecost: A Jewish festival that came fifty days after Passover and celebrated the wheat harvest. Jews later celebrated Pentecost as the time when they were given the Law of Moses.
- 2.33 right side: The place of honor and power.
- 2.42 broke bread: They ate together and celebrated the Lord's Supper.
- 2.46 broke bread: See the note at 2.42.
Acts 2
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.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 And (BV)they devoted themselves to the apostles' (BW)teaching and the (BX)fellowship, to (BY)the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[d] came upon every soul, and (BZ)many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and (CA)had all things in common. 45 And (CB)they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, (CC)attending the temple (CD)together and (CE)breaking bread in their homes, they received their food (CF)with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and (CG)having favor with all the people. And the Lord (CH)added to their number (CI)day by day those who (CJ)were being saved.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
