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Acts 2
The Voice

2 When the holy day of Pentecost came 50 days after Passover, they were gathered together in one place.

2 Picture yourself among the disciples:

A sound roars from the sky without warning, the roar of a violent wind, and the whole house where you are gathered reverberates with the sound. 3 Then a flame appears, dividing into smaller flames and spreading from one person to the next. 4 All the people present are filled with the Holy Spirit and begin speaking in languages they’ve never spoken, as the Spirit empowers them.

5 Because of the holy festival, there are devout Jews staying as pilgrims in Jerusalem from every nation under the sun. 6 They hear the sound, and a crowd gathers. They are amazed because each of them can hear the group speaking in their native languages. 7 They are shocked and amazed by this.

Pilgrims: Just a minute. Aren’t all of these people Galileans? 8 How in the world do we all hear our native languages being spoken? 9 Look—there are Parthians here, and Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, and Judeans, residents of Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygians and Pamphylians, Egyptians and Libyans from Cyrene, Romans including both Jews by birth and converts, 11 Cretans, and Arabs. We’re each, in our own languages, hearing these people talk about God’s powerful deeds.

12 Their amazement becomes confusion as they wonder,

Pilgrims: What does this mean?

Skeptics: 13 It doesn’t mean anything. They’re all drunk on some fresh wine!

This miraculous sign of God’s kingdom is astounding. The followers of Jesus are not known as people who drink too much wine with breakfast, so this fantastic episode requires some other kind of explanation. Unfortunately it is impossible to comprehend or explain what transpires on Pentecost. But this is not a novelty performance; rather, it is the foundation of the kingdom of God in that it establishes the church as the place where God moves on the earth through His Spirit. They expect a political kingdom, but God moves in people’s hearts to transform individuals and communities.

14 As the twelve stood together, Peter shouted to the crowd,

Peter: Men of Judea and all who are staying here in Jerusalem, listen. I want you to understand: 15 these people aren’t drunk as you may think. Look, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! 16 No, this isn’t drunkenness; this is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. 17 Hear what God says!

    In the last days,
    I will offer My Spirit to humanity as a libation.
    Your children will boldly speak the word of the Lord.
    Young warriors will see visions,
        and your elders will dream dreams.
18     Yes, in those days I shall offer My Spirit to all servants,
        both male and female, and they will boldly speak My word.
19     And in the heaven above and on the earth below,
    I shall give signs of impending judgment: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke.
20     The sun will become a void of darkness,
        and the moon will become blood.
    Then the great and dreadful day of the Lord will arrive,
21     And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
        will be liberated into God’s freedom and peace.[a]

22 All of you Israelites, listen to my message: it’s about Jesus of Nazareth, a man whom God authenticated for you by performing in your presence powerful deeds, wonders, and signs through Him, just as you yourselves know. 23 This man, Jesus, who came into your hands by God’s sure plan and advanced knowledge, you nailed to a cross and killed in collaboration with lawless outsiders. 24 But God raised Jesus and unleashed Him from the agonizing birth pangs of death, for death could not possibly keep Jesus in its power. 25 David spoke of Jesus’ resurrection, saying:

    I see the Lord is ever present with me.
    I will not live in fear or abandon my calling because He guides my right hand.
26     My heart is glad; my soul rejoices;
        my body is safe.
27     You will not abandon me to experience the suffering of a miserable afterlife,
        nor leave Your Holy One to rot alone.
28     Instead, You direct me on a path that leads to a beautiful life.
    As I walk with You, the pleasures are never-ending, and I know true joy and contentment.[b]

29 My fellow Israelites, I can say without question that David our ancestor died and was buried, and his tomb is with us today. 30 David wasn’t speaking of himself; he was speaking as a prophet. He saw with prophetic insight that God had made a solemn promise to him: God would put one of his descendants on His throne. 31 Here’s what David was seeing in advance; here’s what David was talking about—the Anointed One would be resurrected. Think of David’s words about Him not being abandoned to the place of the dead nor being left to decay in the grave. 32 He was talking about Jesus, the One God has raised, whom all of us have seen with our own eyes and announce to you today. 33 Since Jesus has been lifted to the right hand of God—the highest place of authority and power—and since Jesus has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has now poured out what you have seen and heard here today. 34 Remember: David couldn’t have been speaking of himself rising to the heavens when he said,

    The Master said to my master,
    “Sit here at My right hand,
        in the place of honor and power,
35     And I will gather Your enemies together,
        lead them in on hands and knees,
        and You will rest Your feet on their backs.”[c]

36 Everyone in Israel should now realize with certainty what God has done: God has made Jesus both Lord and Anointed King—this same Jesus whom you crucified.

37 When the people heard this, their hearts were pierced; and they said to Peter and his fellow apostles,

Pilgrims: Our brothers, what should we do?

Peter: 38 Reconsider your lives; change your direction. Participate in the ceremonial washing of baptism[d] in the name of Jesus God’s Anointed, the Liberating King. Then your sins will be forgiven, and the gift of the Holy Spirit will be yours. 39 For the promise of the Spirit is for you, for your children, for all people—even those considered outsiders and outcasts—the Lord our God invites everyone to come to Him.

Just as God raised Jesus from a decaying body, Peter holds out hope for God to liberate those who follow Him from their decaying culture.

40 Peter was pleading and offering many logical reasons to believe. 41 Whoever made a place for his message in their hearts received the baptism;[e] in fact, that day alone, about 3,000 people joined the disciples.

42 The community continually committed themselves to learning what the apostles taught them, gathering for fellowship, breaking bread, and praying. 43 Everyone felt a sense of awe because the apostles were doing many signs and wonders among them. 44 There was an intense sense of togetherness among all who believed; they shared all their material possessions in trust. 45 They sold any possessions and goods that did not benefit the community and used the money to help everyone in need. 46 They were unified as they worshiped at the temple day after day. In homes, they broke bread and shared meals with glad and generous hearts. 47 The new disciples praised God, and they enjoyed the goodwill of all the people of the city. Day after day the Lord added to their number everyone who was experiencing liberation.

Footnotes

  1. 2:17–21 Joel 2:28–32
  2. 2:25–28 Psalm 16:8–11
  3. 2:34–35 Psalm 110:1
  4. 2:38 Literally, immersion, a rite of initiation and purification
  5. 2:41 Literally, immersion, a rite of initiation and purification
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Acts 2
New American Standard Bible

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:

17 ‘(U)And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all [p]mankind;
And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
And your young men will see visions,
And your old men will [q]have dreams;
18 And even on My male and female [r]servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days,
And they will prophesy.
19 And I will [s]display wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below,
Blood, fire, and [t]vapor of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And it shall be that (V)everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: (W)Jesus the Nazarene, (X)a Man [u]attested to you by God with [v]miracles and (Y)wonders and [w]signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the (Z)predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, (AA)you nailed to a cross by the hands of [x]godless men and put Him to death. 24 [y]But (AB)God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the [z]agony of death, since it (AC)was impossible for Him to be held [aa]in its power. 25 For David says of Him,

‘(AD)I saw the Lord continually before me,
Because He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue was overjoyed;
Moreover my flesh also will live in hope;
27 For You will not abandon my soul to (AE)Hades,
(AF)Nor will You [ab]allow Your [ac]Holy One to [ad]undergo decay.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’

29 “[ae]Brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the (AG)patriarch David that he both (AH)died and (AI)was buried, and (AJ)his tomb is [af]with us to this day. 30 So because he was (AK)a prophet and knew that (AL)God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one [ag]of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the [ah]Christ, that (AM)He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh [ai]suffer decay. 32 It is this Jesus whom (AN)God raised up, [aj]a fact to which we are all (AO)witnesses. 33 Therefore, [ak]since He has been exalted [al](AP)at the right hand of God, and (AQ)has received (AR)the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has (AS)poured out this which you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into [am]heaven, but he himself says:

‘(AT)The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
35 Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’

36 Therefore let all the (AU)house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both (AV)Lord and [an]Christ—this Jesus (AW)whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this, they were [ao]pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “[ap]Brothers, (AX)what are we to do?” 38 Peter said to them, “(AY)Repent, and each of you be (AZ)baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For (BA)the promise is for you and your children and for all who are (BB)far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly (BC)testified and kept on urging them, saying, “[aq]Be saved from this (BD)perverse generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand [ar](BE)souls. 42 They were (BF)continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to (BG)the breaking of bread and (BH)to [as]prayer.

43 [at]Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many (BI)wonders and [au]signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all the believers [av]were together and (BJ)had all things in common; 45 and they (BK)would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need. 46 (BL)Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and (BM)breaking bread [aw]from house to house, they were taking their [ax]meals together with gladness and [ay]sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and (BN)having favor with all the people. And the Lord (BO)was adding to [az]their number day by day (BP)those who were being saved.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 2:1 Lit was being fulfilled
  2. Acts 2:3 Or being distributed, and
  3. Acts 2:3 Or sat
  4. Acts 2:4 Or languages
  5. Acts 2:6 Or dialect
  6. Acts 2:7 Lit Behold
  7. Acts 2:8 Or dialect
  8. Acts 2:8 Lit in
  9. Acts 2:9 I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
  10. Acts 2:10 Lit the sojourning Romans
  11. Acts 2:10 I.e., Gentile converts to Judaism
  12. Acts 2:11 Or languages
  13. Acts 2:13 I.e., new wine
  14. Acts 2:14 Lit let this be known to you
  15. Acts 2:15 I.e., 9 a.m.
  16. Acts 2:17 Lit flesh
  17. Acts 2:17 Lit dream with dreams
  18. Acts 2:18 Or slaves
  19. Acts 2:19 Lit give
  20. Acts 2:19 I.e., like a volcanic eruption
  21. Acts 2:22 Or exhibited; or accredited
  22. Acts 2:22 Or works of power
  23. Acts 2:22 I.e., confirming miracles
  24. Acts 2:23 Lit men without the Law; i.e., pagan
  25. Acts 2:24 Lit Whom God raised up
  26. Acts 2:24 Lit birth pains
  27. Acts 2:24 Lit by it
  28. Acts 2:27 Lit give
  29. Acts 2:27 Or Devout; or Pious
  30. Acts 2:27 Lit see corruption
  31. Acts 2:29 Lit Men, brothers
  32. Acts 2:29 Lit among
  33. Acts 2:30 Lit of the fruit of his loins
  34. Acts 2:31 I.e., Messiah
  35. Acts 2:31 Lit see corruption
  36. Acts 2:32 Or of whom we
  37. Acts 2:33 Or having been...having received
  38. Acts 2:33 Or by
  39. Acts 2:34 Lit the heavens
  40. Acts 2:36 I.e., Messiah
  41. Acts 2:37 Or wounded in conscience
  42. Acts 2:37 Lit Men, brothers
  43. Acts 2:40 Or Escape
  44. Acts 2:41 I.e., persons
  45. Acts 2:42 Lit the prayers
  46. Acts 2:43 Lit Fear was occurring to every soul
  47. Acts 2:43 I.e., confirming miracles
  48. Acts 2:44 One early ms does not contain were and and
  49. Acts 2:46 Or in the various private homes
  50. Acts 2:46 Lit food
  51. Acts 2:46 Or simplicity
  52. Acts 2:47 Lit the same
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