Acts 2-4

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:

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:

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:

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)

Healing of a Lame Man

3 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple for the time of prayer^(AP) at three in the afternoon.^{[m] 2} A man who was lame from birth was being carried there. He was placed each day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so that he could beg from those entering the temple.^{(AQ) 3} When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked for money. ⁴ Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, “Look at us.” ⁵ So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” ^{(AR) 7} Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ So he jumped up and started to walk, and he entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.^{(AS) 9} All the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. So they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.^(AT)

Preaching in Solomon’s Colonnade

¹¹ While he^[n] was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astonished, ran toward them in what is called Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(AU) 12} When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Fellow Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk by our own power or godliness? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors,^(AV) has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied before Pilate,^(AW) though he had decided to release him. ¹⁴ You denied the Holy and Righteous One^(AX) and asked to have a murderer released to you.^{(AY) 15} You killed the source^[o] of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this.^{(AZ) 16} By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in front of all of you.

¹⁷ “And now, brothers and sisters, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your leaders also did.^{(BA) 18} In this way God fulfilled what he had predicted through all the prophets—that his Messiah would suffer.^{(BB) 19} Therefore repent^(BC) and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out,^{(BD) 20} that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send Jesus, who has been appointed^(BE) for you as the Messiah. ²¹ Heaven must receive him until the time of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about through his holy prophets from the beginning.^{(BF) 22} Moses said:^[p] The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything he tells you. ²³ And everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be completely cut off from the people.^[q](BG)

²⁴ “In addition, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, have also foretold these days. ²⁵ You are the sons^[r] of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, And all the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring.^{[s](BH) 26} God raised up his servant^[t] and sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”^(BI)

Peter and John Arrested

4 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them,^{(BJ) 2} because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.^{(BK) 3} So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening. ⁴ But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men^[u] came to about five thousand.

Peter and John Face the Jewish Leadership

⁵ The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem ⁶ with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family.^{(BL) 7} After they had Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”

⁸ Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders:^{[v](BM) 9} If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he was healed, ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing here before you healthy.^{(BN) 11} This Jesus is

¹² There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”^(BP)

The Boldness of the Disciples

¹³ When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.^{(BQ) 14} And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition. ¹⁵ After they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶ saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.^{(BR) 17} But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” ¹⁸ So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

¹⁹ Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide;^{(BS) 20} for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”^(BT)

²¹ After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done.^{(BU) 22} For this sign of healing had been performed on a man over forty years old.

Prayer for Boldness

²³ After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.^{(BV) 25} You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant:^[x]

²⁷ “For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,^{(BX) 28} to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place. ²⁹ And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness,^{(BY) 30} while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders^(BZ) are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” ³¹ When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.^(CA)

All Things in Common

³² Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.^{(CB) 33} With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.^{(CC) 34} For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold,^{(CD) 35} and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.^(CE)

³⁶ Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement),^{(CF) 37} sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.^(CG)