Acts 2
New Catholic Bible
Pentecost[a]
Chapter 2
Descent of the Spirit and Birth of the Church.[b] 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all assembled together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there came from heaven a sound similar to that of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages,[c] as the Spirit enabled them to do so.
5 Now staying in Jerusalem there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 At this sound, a large crowd of them gathered, and they were bewildered because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
7 They were astounded and asked in amazement, “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,[d] 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the mighty deeds of God.”
12 They were all astounded and perplexed, and they said to one another, “What does all this mean?” 13 However, others said mockingly, “They are filled with new wine.”
14 Peter Preaches in the Name of the Twelve.[e] Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and proclaimed to them in a loud voice, “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only nine o’clock in the morning.[f] 16 Rather, this is what was revealed through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘It will come to pass in the last days, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy;
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Indeed, even upon my servants and my handmaids
I shall pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they shall prophesy.
19 I will show portents in the sky above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness
and the moon to blood
before the day of the Lord comes,
that great and glorious day.
21 Then it will come to pass
that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth was a man commended to you by God by means of miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him, as you yourselves know. 23 By the set plan and foreknowledge of God, he was handed over into the hands of lawless men. Crucifying him, you killed him. 24 However, God raised him up, releasing him from the pangs of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 25 For David says of him:
‘I saw the Lord always before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be shaken.
26 Therefore, my heart rejoiced and my tongue exulted;
moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
27 For you will not abandon me to the netherworld
or allow your holy one to suffer corruption.
28 You have made known to me the way of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’
29 “Brethren, I can say to you boldly that our ancestor David both died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this very day. 30 But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that one of his descendants would sit on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, saying that he was not abandoned to the netherworld and that his flesh did not suffer corruption.
32 “God raised this Jesus to life. Of that we are all witnesses. 33 Exalted at God’s right hand, he received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
36 “Therefore, let the whole house of Israel know with complete certitude that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.”
37 When they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “What are we to do, brethren?” 38 Peter answered, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise that was made is for you, for your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God will call.”
40 Life of the First Community—I.[g] He offered further testimony with many other arguments as he exhorted them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and on that day about three thousand people were added to their number. 42 They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers.
43 A sense of awe was felt by all for many wonders and signs were performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and owned everything in common. 45 They would sell their property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to all according to what each one needed. 46 Every day, united in spirit, they would assemble together in the temple. They would break bread in their homes and share their food with joyful and generous hearts 47 as they praised God, and they were regarded with favor by all the people. And day by day the Lord added to those who were being saved.
Footnotes
- Acts 2:1 For the first time, the witnesses come in contact with the crowd, which is made up of persons from all the nations. We are at the center of the world that is the starting point for a universal future.
- Acts 2:1 The gift of the Spirit founds the Church as a living reality; Christ has prepared the way for the Church; the Spirit comes to take possession of her, to animate her, to help her with his charisms. Thus, for every community of believers, Pentecost is the feast of its own birth. The Spirit is “poured out” (see Acts 2:17) like rain, which is the source of life in an arid land; as Jesus had promised, there is a “baptism with the Spirit” (Acts 1:5).
The phenomena that accompany the event are rich in symbolism and also have a biblical meaning: they call to mind the theophanies, i.e., the manifestations of God to his people in order to change their anonymous destiny into a life-giving covenant (see Ex 19:18; Deut 4:9-24, 36; Ps 68).
Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after Passover, was the feast on which the firstfruits of the harvest were offered to God, but it was above all the feast of the covenant and of the gift of the Law. - Acts 2:4 Different languages: i.e., different from their usual language. The reference may also be to ecstatic language (see Mk 16:17; 1 Cor 14:2-23).
- Acts 2:10 Proselytes: those who had accepted circumcision and the Jewish Law.
- Acts 2:14 The author of Acts does not make up his discourses like the historians of antiquity, who liked to place their own thoughts and reactions on the lips of their subjects. In Luke’s view, the Word is decisive for the life of the community.
This sermon is the first; therefore, it has programmatic value in addition to its function in the immediate context. It proclaims the paschal event to all of Israel and even to distant peoples. The same fundamental pattern will recur in the other addresses of the apostles to the Jews. - Acts 2:15 Nine o’clock in the morning: literally, “the third hour.” See notes on Mt 27:35 and Mk 15:25.
- Acts 2:40 Luke offers us three general descriptions of the first community, each depicting their manner of life: here, and in Acts 4:32-35 and 5:12-16.
Acts 2
King James Version
2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
