Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Here comes the power

2 When the day of Pentecost had finally arrived, they were all together in the same place. ² Suddenly there came from heaven a noise like the sound of a strong, blowing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then tongues, seemingly made of fire, appeared to them, moving apart and coming to rest on each one of them. ⁴ They were all filled with the holy spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the spirit gave them the words to say.

New words for new news

⁵ There were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem at that time. ⁶ When they heard this noise they came together in a crowd. They were deeply puzzled, because every single one of them could hear them speaking in his or her own native language. ⁷ They were astonished and amazed.

“These men who are doing the speaking are all Galileans, aren’t they?” they said. ⁸ “So how is it that each of us can hear them in our own mother tongues? ⁹ There are Parthians here, and Medians, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judaea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya that belong to Cyrene; there are people from Rome, ¹¹ proselytes as well as Jews; there are Cretans and Arabs. We can hear them speaking about the powerful things God has done—in our own languages!”

¹² Everyone was astonished and perplexed.

“What does it all mean?” they were asking each other.

¹³ But some sneered.

“They’re full of new wine!” they said.

It’s all coming true at last!

¹⁴ Then Peter got up, with the eleven. He spoke to them in a loud voice.

“People of Judaea!” he began. “All of you staying here in Jerusalem! There’s something you have to know! Listen to what I’m saying! ¹⁵ These people aren’t drunk, as you imagine. It’s only nine o’clock in the morning! ¹⁶ No, this is what the prophet Joel was talking about, when he said,

²² Let me explain. We know that the entire creation is groaning together, and going through labor pains together, up until the present time. ²³ Not only so: we too, we who have the first fruits of the spirit’s life within us, are groaning within ourselves, as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our body. ²⁴ We were saved, you see, in hope. But hope isn’t hope if you can see it! Who hopes for what they can see? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we don’t see, we wait for it eagerly—but also patiently.

Prayer, sonship and the sovereignty of God

²⁶ In the same way, too, the spirit comes alongside and helps us in our weakness. We don’t know what to pray for as we ought to; but that same spirit pleads on our behalf, with groanings too deep for words. ²⁷ And the Searcher of Hearts knows what the spirit is thinking, because the spirit pleads for God’s people according to God’s will.

Here comes the power

2 When the day of Pentecost had finally arrived, they were all together in the same place. ² Suddenly there came from heaven a noise like the sound of a strong, blowing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then tongues, seemingly made of fire, appeared to them, moving apart and coming to rest on each one of them. ⁴ They were all filled with the holy spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the spirit gave them the words to say.

New words for new news

⁵ There were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem at that time. ⁶ When they heard this noise they came together in a crowd. They were deeply puzzled, because every single one of them could hear them speaking in his or her own native language. ⁷ They were astonished and amazed.

“These men who are doing the speaking are all Galileans, aren’t they?” they said. ⁸ “So how is it that each of us can hear them in our own mother tongues? ⁹ There are Parthians here, and Medians, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judaea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya that belong to Cyrene; there are people from Rome, ¹¹ proselytes as well as Jews; there are Cretans and Arabs. We can hear them speaking about the powerful things God has done—in our own languages!”

¹² Everyone was astonished and perplexed.

“What does it all mean?” they were asking each other.

¹³ But some sneered.

“They’re full of new wine!” they said.

It’s all coming true at last!

¹⁴ Then Peter got up, with the eleven. He spoke to them in a loud voice.

“People of Judaea!” he began. “All of you staying here in Jerusalem! There’s something you have to know! Listen to what I’m saying! ¹⁵ These people aren’t drunk, as you imagine. It’s only nine o’clock in the morning! ¹⁶ No, this is what the prophet Joel was talking about, when he said,

²⁶ “When the helper comes—the one I shall send you from the father, the spirit of truth who comes from the father—he will give evidence about me. ²⁷ And you will give evidence as well, because you have been with me from the start.”

⁴ But I have been talking to you about these things so that, when their time comes, you will remember that I told you about them.

“I didn’t say these things to you from the start, because I was with you. ⁵ But now I’m going to the one who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ⁶ But because I’ve said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷ However, it’s the truth that I’m telling you: it’s better for you that I should go away. If I don’t go away, you see, the helper won’t come to you. But if I go away, I will send him to you.

⁸ “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong on three counts: sin, justice and judgment. ⁹ In relation to sin—because they don’t believe in me. ¹⁰ In relation to justice—because I’m going to the father, and you won’t see me anymore. ¹¹ In relation to judgment—because the ruler of this world is judged.”

Your hearts will rejoice

¹² “There are many things I still have to say to you,” Jesus continued, “but you’re not yet strong enough to take them. ¹³ When the spirit of truth comes, though, he will guide you in all the truth. He won’t speak on his own account, you see, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will announce to you what’s to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me, because he will take what belongs to me and will announce it to you. ¹⁵ Everything that the father has is mine. That’s why I said that he would take what is mine and announce it to you.