◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Acts 2:1-21 (Filled with the Spirit); or Numbers 11:24-30 (The spirit rests on Israel’s leaders); Psalm 104:24-34 35b (Renewing the face of the earth); 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 (Varieties of gifts the same Spirit); or Acts 2:1-21 (Filled with the Spirit); John 20:19-23 (The Spirit poured out); or John 7:37-39 (Jesus the true living water) (New English Translation)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.

Duration: 1245 days

Acts 2:1-21

The Holy Spirit and the Day of Pentecost

2 Now^[a] when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly^[b] a sound^[c] like a violent wind blowing^[d] came from heaven^[e] and filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³And tongues spreading out like a fire^[f] appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. ⁴All^[g] of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages^[h] as the Spirit enabled them.^[i]

⁵Now there were devout Jews^[j] from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem.^[k] ⁶When this sound^[l] occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion,^[m] because each one heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷Completely baffled, they said,^[n] “Aren’t^[o] all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸And how is it that each one of us hears them^[p] in our own native language?^[q] ⁹Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia,^[r] ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene,^[s] and visitors from Rome, ¹¹both Jews and proselytes,^[t] Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!”^[u] ¹²All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³But others jeered at the speakers,^[v] saying, “They are drunk on new wine!”^[w]

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

¹⁴But Peter stood up^[x] with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea^[y] and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this^[z] and listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk,^[aa] for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.^[ab] ¹⁶But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel:^[ac]

¹⁷‘And in the last days^[ad] it will be,’ God says,
‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people,^[ae]
and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
and your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
¹⁸Even on my servants,^[af] both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.^[ag]
¹⁹And I will perform wonders in the sky^[ah] above
and miraculous signs^[ai] on the earth below,
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
²⁰The sun will be changed to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and glorious^[aj] day of the Lord comes.
²¹And then^[ak] everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’^[al]

Footnotes

Acts 2:1 tn Grk “And” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.
Acts 2:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated for stylistic reasons. It occurs as part of the formula καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto) which is often left untranslated in Luke-Acts because it is redundant in contemporary English. Here it is possible (and indeed necessary) to translate ἐγένετο as “came” so that the initial clause of the English translation contains a verb; nevertheless the translation of the conjunction καί is not necessary.
Acts 2:2 tn Or “a noise.”
Acts 2:2 tn While φέρω (pherō) generally refers to movement from one place to another with the possible implication of causing the movement of other objects, in Acts 2:2 φέρομαι (pheromai) should probably be understood in a more idiomatic sense of “blowing” since it is combined with the noun for wind (πνοή, pnoē).
Acts 2:2 tn Or “from the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context.
Acts 2:3 tn Or “And divided tongues as of fire.” The precise meaning of διαμερίζομαι (diamerizomai) in Acts 2:3 is difficult to determine. The meaning could be “tongues as of fire dividing up one to each person,” but it is also possible that the individual tongues of fire were divided (“And divided tongues as of fire appeared”). The translation adopted in the text (“tongues spreading out like a fire”) attempts to be somewhat ambiguous.
Acts 2:4 tn Grk “And all.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
Acts 2:4 tn The Greek term is γλώσσαις (glōssais), the same word used for the tongues of fire.sn Other languages. Acts 2:6-7 indicates that these were languages understandable to the hearers, a diverse group from “every nation under heaven.”
Acts 2:4 tn Grk “just as the spirit gave them to utter.” The verb ἀποφθέγγομαι (apophthengomai) was used of special utterances in Classical Greek (BDAG 125 s.v.).
Acts 2:5 tn Grk “Jews, devout men.” It is possible that only men are in view here in light of OT commands for Jewish men to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at various times during the year (cf. Exod 23:17; 34:23; Deut 16:16). However, other evidence seems to indicate that both men and women might be in view. Luke 2:41-52 shows that whole families would make the temporary trip to Jerusalem. In addition, it is probable that the audience consisted of families who had taken up permanent residence in Jerusalem. The verb κατοικέω (katoikeō) normally means “reside” or “dwell,” and archaeological evidence from tombs in Jerusalem does indicate that many families immigrated to Jerusalem permanently (see B. Witherington, Acts, 135); this would naturally include women. Also, the word ἀνήρ (anēr), which usually does mean “male” or “man” (as opposed to woman), sometimes is used generically to mean “a person” (BDAG 79 s.v. 2; cf. Matt 12:41). Given this evidence, then, it is conceivable that the audience in view here is not individual male pilgrims but a mixed group of men and women.
Acts 2:5 tn Grk “Now there were residing in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.”
Acts 2:6 tn Or “this noise.”
Acts 2:6 tn Or “was bewildered.”
Acts 2:7 tn Grk “They were astounded and amazed, saying.” The two imperfect verbs, ἐξίσταντο (existanto) and ἐθαύμαζον (ethaumazon), show both the surprise and the confusion on the part of the hearers. The verb ἐξίσταντο (from ἐξίστημι, existēmi) often implies an illogical perception or response (BDAG 350 s.v. ἐξίστημι): “to be so astonished as to almost fail to comprehend what one has experienced” (L&N 25.218).
Acts 2:7 tn Grk “Behold, aren’t all these.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
Acts 2:8 tn Grk “we hear them, each one of us.”
Acts 2:8 tn Grk “in our own language in which we were born.”
Acts 2:9 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
Acts 2:10 tn According to BDAG 595 s.v. Λιβύη, the western part of Libya, Libya Cyrenaica, is referred to here (see also Josephus, Ant. 16.6.1 [16.160] for a similar phrase).
Acts 2:11 sn Proselytes refers to Gentile (i.e., non-Jewish) converts to Judaism.
Acts 2:11 tn Or “God’s mighty works.” Here the genitive τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou) has been translated as a subjective genitive.
Acts 2:13 tn The words “the speakers” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
Acts 2:13 tn Grk “They are full of new wine!” sn New wine refers to a new, sweet wine in the process of fermentation.
Acts 2:14 tn Grk “standing up.” The participle σταθείς (statheis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Acts 2:14 tn Or “You Jewish men.” “Judea” is preferred here because it is paired with “Jerusalem,” a location. This suggests locality rather than ethnic background is the primary emphasis in the context. As for “men,” the Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anēr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, where “all” who live in Jerusalem are addressed, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage, although it can also be argued that Peter’s remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.
Acts 2:14 tn Grk “let this be known to you.”
Acts 2:15 tn Grk “These men are not drunk, as you suppose.”
Acts 2:15 tn Grk “only the third hour.”
Acts 2:16 sn Note how in the quotation that follows all genders, ages, and classes are included. The event is like a hope Moses expressed in Num 11:29.
Acts 2:17 sn The phrase in the last days is not quoted from Joel, but represents Peter’s interpretive explanation of the current events as falling “in the last days.”
Acts 2:17 tn Grk “on all flesh.”
Acts 2:18 tn Grk “slaves.” Although this translation frequently renders δοῦλος (doulos) as “slave,” the connotation is often of one who has sold himself into slavery; in a spiritual sense, the idea is that of becoming a slave of God or of Jesus Christ voluntarily. The voluntary notion is conspicuous here; hence the translation “servants.” In any case, the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
Acts 2:18 sn The words and they will prophesy in Acts 2:18 are not quoted from Joel 2:29 at this point but are repeated from earlier in the quotation (Acts 2:17) for emphasis. Tongues speaking is described as prophecy, just like intelligible tongues are described in 1 Cor 14:26-33.
Acts 2:19 tn Or “in the heaven.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context. Here, in contrast to “the earth below,” a reference to the sky is more likely.
Acts 2:19 tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned; this is made explicit in the translation.
Acts 2:20 tn Or “and wonderful.”
Acts 2:21 tn Grk “And it will be that.”
Acts 2:21 sn A quotation from Joel 2:28-32.

Numbers 11:24-30

²⁴So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. He then gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and had them stand around the tabernacle. ²⁵And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to them, and he took some of the Spirit that was on Moses^[a] and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them,^[b] they prophesied,^[c] but did not do so again.^[d]

Eldad and Medad

²⁶But two men remained in the camp; one’s name was Eldad, and the other’s name was Medad. And the Spirit rested on them. (Now they were among those in the registration,^[e] but had not gone to the tabernacle.) So they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷And a^[f] young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!” ²⁸Joshua son of Nun, the servant^[g] of Moses, one of his choice young men,^[h] said,^[i] “My lord Moses, stop them!”^[j] ²⁹Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for me?^[k] I wish that^[l] all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” ³⁰Then Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel.

Footnotes

Numbers 11:25 tn Heb “on him”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Numbers 11:25 tn The temporal clause is introduced by the temporal indicator וַיְהִי (vay^ehi), which need not be translated. It introduces the time of the infinitive as past time narrative. The infinitive construct is from נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”). The figurative expression of the Spirit resting upon them indicates the temporary indwelling and empowering by the Spirit in their lives.
Numbers 11:25 tn The text may mean that these men gave ecstatic utterances, much like Saul did when the Spirit came upon him and he made the same prophetic utterances (see 1 Sam 10:10-13). But there is no strong evidence for this (see K. L. Barker, “Zechariah,” EBC 7:605-6). In fact there is no consensus among scholars as to the origin and meaning of the verb “prophesy” or the noun “prophet.” It has something to do with speech, being God’s spokesman or spokeswoman or making predictions or authoritative utterances or ecstatic utterances. It certainly does mean that the same Holy Spirit, the same divine provision that was for Moses to enable him to do the things that God had commanded him to do, was now given to them. It would have included wisdom and power with what they were saying and doing—in a way that was visible and demonstrable to the people! The people needed to know that the same provision was given to these men, authenticating their leadership among the clans. And so it could not simply be a change in their understanding and wisdom.
Numbers 11:25 tn The final verb of the clause stresses that this was not repeated: “they did not add” is the literal rendering of וְלֹא יָסָפוּ (v^eloʾ yasafu). It was a one-time spiritual experience associated with their installation.tc The Targum, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, and the Vulgate read “they did not cease prophesying,” presumably taking the verb to be יָסֻפוּ (yasufu; from סוּף; suf). This does not represent a change in the consonantal text, only in the vowels, which were not originally written. The Hebrew verb סוּף is rare (occurring) and appears to mean “to come to an end; to perish” (HALOT, 746). This would mean that they did not die from their encounter with the Lord.
Numbers 11:26 tn The form of the word is the passive participle כְּתֻבִים (k^etuvim, “written”). It is normally taken to mean “among those registered,” but it is not clear if that means they were to be among the seventy or not. That seems unlikely since there is no mention of the seventy being registered, and vv. 24-25 says all seventy went out and prophesied. The registration may be to eldership, or the role of the officer.
Numbers 11:27 tn The article indicates that the “young man” was definite in the mind of the writer, but indefinite in English.
Numbers 11:28 tn The form is the Piel participle מְשָׁרֵת (m^esharet), meaning “minister, servant, assistant.” The word has a loftier meaning than the ordinary word for slave.
Numbers 11:28 tn The verb is בָּחַר (bakhar, “to choose”); here the form is the masculine plural participle with a suffix, serving as the object of the preposition מִן (min). It would therefore mean “[one of] his chosen men,” or “[one of] his choice men.”
Numbers 11:28 tn Heb “answered and said.”
Numbers 11:28 sn The effort of Joshua is to protect Moses’ prerogative as leader by stopping these men in the camp from prophesying. Joshua did not understand the significance in the Lord’s plan to let others share the burden of leadership.
Numbers 11:29 tn The Piel participle מְקַנֵּא (m^eqanneʾ) serves as a verb here in this interrogative sentence. The word means “to be jealous; to be envious.” That can be in a good sense, such as with the translation “zeal,” or it can be in a negative sense as here. Joshua’s apparent “zeal” is questioned by Moses—was he zealous/envious for Moses sake, or for some other reason?
Numbers 11:29 tn The optative is expressed by the interrogative clause in Hebrew, “who will give….” Moses expresses here the wish that the whole nation would have that portion of the Spirit. The new covenant, of course, would turn Moses’ wish into a certainty.

Psalm 104:24-34

²⁴How many living things you have made, O Lord!^[a]
You have exhibited great skill in making all of them;^[b]
the earth is full of the living things you have made.
²⁵Over here is the deep, wide sea,^[c]
which teems with innumerable swimming creatures,^[d]
living things both small and large.
²⁶The ships travel there,
and over here swims the whale^[e] you made to play in it.
²⁷All your creatures^[f] wait for you
to provide them with food on a regular basis.^[g]
²⁸You give food to them and they receive it;
you open your hand and they are filled with food.^[h]
²⁹When you ignore them, they panic.^[i]
When you take away their life’s breath,
they die and return to dust.
³⁰When you send your life-giving breath, they are created,
and you replenish the surface of the ground.
³¹May the splendor of the Lord endure.^[j]
May the Lord find pleasure in the living things he has made.^[k]
³²He looks down on the earth and it shakes;
he touches the mountains and they start to smolder.
³³I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist.^[l]
³⁴May my thoughts^[m] be pleasing to him.
I will rejoice in the Lord.

Psalm 104:35

³⁵May sinners disappear^[a] from the earth,
and the wicked vanish.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:3-13

³So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. ⁷To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. ⁸For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.

Different Members in One Body

¹²For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body—though many—are one body, so too is Christ. ¹³For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves^[a] or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.

Acts 2:1-21

The Holy Spirit and the Day of Pentecost

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

Footnotes

Acts 2:1 tn Grk “And” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.
Acts 2:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated for stylistic reasons. It occurs as part of the formula καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto) which is often left untranslated in Luke-Acts because it is redundant in contemporary English. Here it is possible (and indeed necessary) to translate ἐγένετο as “came” so that the initial clause of the English translation contains a verb; nevertheless the translation of the conjunction καί is not necessary.
Acts 2:2 tn Or “a noise.”
Acts 2:2 tn While φέρω (pherō) generally refers to movement from one place to another with the possible implication of causing the movement of other objects, in Acts 2:2 φέρομαι (pheromai) should probably be understood in a more idiomatic sense of “blowing” since it is combined with the noun for wind (πνοή, pnoē).
Acts 2:2 tn Or “from the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context.
Acts 2:3 tn Or “And divided tongues as of fire.” The precise meaning of διαμερίζομαι (diamerizomai) in Acts 2:3 is difficult to determine. The meaning could be “tongues as of fire dividing up one to each person,” but it is also possible that the individual tongues of fire were divided (“And divided tongues as of fire appeared”). The translation adopted in the text (“tongues spreading out like a fire”) attempts to be somewhat ambiguous.
Acts 2:4 tn Grk “And all.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
Acts 2:4 tn The Greek term is γλώσσαις (glōssais), the same word used for the tongues of fire.sn Other languages. Acts 2:6-7 indicates that these were languages understandable to the hearers, a diverse group from “every nation under heaven.”
Acts 2:4 tn Grk “just as the spirit gave them to utter.” The verb ἀποφθέγγομαι (apophthengomai) was used of special utterances in Classical Greek (BDAG 125 s.v.).
Acts 2:5 tn Grk “Jews, devout men.” It is possible that only men are in view here in light of OT commands for Jewish men to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at various times during the year (cf. Exod 23:17; 34:23; Deut 16:16). However, other evidence seems to indicate that both men and women might be in view. Luke 2:41-52 shows that whole families would make the temporary trip to Jerusalem. In addition, it is probable that the audience consisted of families who had taken up permanent residence in Jerusalem. The verb κατοικέω (katoikeō) normally means “reside” or “dwell,” and archaeological evidence from tombs in Jerusalem does indicate that many families immigrated to Jerusalem permanently (see B. Witherington, Acts, 135); this would naturally include women. Also, the word ἀνήρ (anēr), which usually does mean “male” or “man” (as opposed to woman), sometimes is used generically to mean “a person” (BDAG 79 s.v. 2; cf. Matt 12:41). Given this evidence, then, it is conceivable that the audience in view here is not individual male pilgrims but a mixed group of men and women.
Acts 2:5 tn Grk “Now there were residing in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.”
Acts 2:6 tn Or “this noise.”
Acts 2:6 tn Or “was bewildered.”
Acts 2:7 tn Grk “They were astounded and amazed, saying.” The two imperfect verbs, ἐξίσταντο (existanto) and ἐθαύμαζον (ethaumazon), show both the surprise and the confusion on the part of the hearers. The verb ἐξίσταντο (from ἐξίστημι, existēmi) often implies an illogical perception or response (BDAG 350 s.v. ἐξίστημι): “to be so astonished as to almost fail to comprehend what one has experienced” (L&N 25.218).
Acts 2:7 tn Grk “Behold, aren’t all these.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
Acts 2:8 tn Grk “we hear them, each one of us.”
Acts 2:8 tn Grk “in our own language in which we were born.”
Acts 2:9 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
Acts 2:10 tn According to BDAG 595 s.v. Λιβύη, the western part of Libya, Libya Cyrenaica, is referred to here (see also Josephus, Ant. 16.6.1 [16.160] for a similar phrase).
Acts 2:11 sn Proselytes refers to Gentile (i.e., non-Jewish) converts to Judaism.
Acts 2:11 tn Or “God’s mighty works.” Here the genitive τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou) has been translated as a subjective genitive.
Acts 2:13 tn The words “the speakers” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
Acts 2:13 tn Grk “They are full of new wine!” sn New wine refers to a new, sweet wine in the process of fermentation.
Acts 2:14 tn Grk “standing up.” The participle σταθείς (statheis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Acts 2:14 tn Or “You Jewish men.” “Judea” is preferred here because it is paired with “Jerusalem,” a location. This suggests locality rather than ethnic background is the primary emphasis in the context. As for “men,” the Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anēr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, where “all” who live in Jerusalem are addressed, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage, although it can also be argued that Peter’s remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.
Acts 2:14 tn Grk “let this be known to you.”
Acts 2:15 tn Grk “These men are not drunk, as you suppose.”
Acts 2:15 tn Grk “only the third hour.”
Acts 2:16 sn Note how in the quotation that follows all genders, ages, and classes are included. The event is like a hope Moses expressed in Num 11:29.
Acts 2:17 sn The phrase in the last days is not quoted from Joel, but represents Peter’s interpretive explanation of the current events as falling “in the last days.”
Acts 2:17 tn Grk “on all flesh.”
Acts 2:18 tn Grk “slaves.” Although this translation frequently renders δοῦλος (doulos) as “slave,” the connotation is often of one who has sold himself into slavery; in a spiritual sense, the idea is that of becoming a slave of God or of Jesus Christ voluntarily. The voluntary notion is conspicuous here; hence the translation “servants.” In any case, the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
Acts 2:18 sn The words and they will prophesy in Acts 2:18 are not quoted from Joel 2:29 at this point but are repeated from earlier in the quotation (Acts 2:17) for emphasis. Tongues speaking is described as prophecy, just like intelligible tongues are described in 1 Cor 14:26-33.
Acts 2:19 tn Or “in the heaven.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context. Here, in contrast to “the earth below,” a reference to the sky is more likely.
Acts 2:19 tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned; this is made explicit in the translation.
Acts 2:20 tn Or “and wonderful.”
Acts 2:21 tn Grk “And it will be that.”
Acts 2:21 sn A quotation from Joel 2:28-32.

John 20:19-23

Jesus’ Appearance to the Disciples

¹⁹On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together^[a] and locked the doors^[b] of the place^[c] because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.^[d] Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.^[e] ²¹So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” ²²And after he said this, he breathed on them and said,^[f] “Receive the Holy Spirit.^[g] ²³If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven;^[h] if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.”^[i]

Footnotes

John 20:19 tn Although the words “had gathered together” are omitted in some of the earliest and best mss, they are nevertheless implied, and have thus been included in the translation.
John 20:19 tn Grk “the doors were shut”; “locked” conveys a more appropriate idea for the modern English reader.sn The fact that the disciples locked the doors is a perfectly understandable reaction to the events of the past few days. But what is the significance of the inclusion of this statement by the author? It is often taken to mean that Jesus, when he entered the room, passed through the closed doors. This may well be the case, but it may be assuming too much about our knowledge of the mode in which the resurrected body of Jesus exists. The text does not explicitly state how Jesus got through the closed doors. It is possible to assume that the doors opened of their own accord before him, or that he simply appeared in the middle of the room without passing through the doors at all. The point the author makes here is simply that the closed doors were no obstacle at all to the resurrected Jesus.
John 20:19 tn Grk “where they were.”
John 20:19 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders.
John 20:20 sn When the disciples recognized Jesus (now referred to as the Lord, cf. Mary’s words in v. 18) they were suddenly overcome with joy. This was a fulfillment of Jesus’ words to the disciples in the Farewell Discourse (16:20-22) that they would have sorrow while the world rejoiced, but that their sorrow would be turned to lasting joy when they saw him again.
John 20:22 tn Grk “said to them.”
John 20:22 sn He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The use of the Greek verb breathed on (ἐμφυσάω, emphusaō) to describe the action of Jesus here recalls Gen 2:7 in the LXX, where “the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” This time, however, it is Jesus who is breathing the breath-Spirit of eternal life, life from above, into his disciples (cf. 3:3-10). Furthermore there is the imagery of Ezek 37:1-14, the prophecy concerning the resurrection of the dry bones: In 37:9 the Son of Man is told to prophesy to the “wind-breath-Spirit” to come and breathe on the corpses, so that they will live again. In 37:14 the Lord promised, “I will put my Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you in your own land.” In terms of ultimate fulfillment the passage in Ezek 37 looks at the regeneration of Israel immediately prior to the establishment of the messianic kingdom. The author saw in what Jesus did for the disciples at this point a partial and symbolic fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy, much as Peter made use of the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 in his sermon on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:17-21. What then did Jesus do for the disciples in John 20:22? It appears that in light of the symbolism of the new creation present here, as well as the regeneration symbolism from the Ezek 37 passage, that Jesus at this point breathed into the disciples the breath of eternal life. This was in the form of the Holy Spirit, who was to indwell them. It is instructive to look again at 7:38-39, which states, “Just as the scripture says, ‘Out from within him will flow rivers of living water.’ (Now he said this about the Spirit whom those who believed in him were going to receive; for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”) But now in 20:22 Jesus was glorified, so the Spirit could be given. Had the disciples not believed in Jesus before? It seems clear that they had, since their belief is repeatedly affirmed, beginning with 2:11. But it also seems clear that even on the eve of the crucifixion, they did not understand the necessity of the cross (16:31-33). And even after the crucifixion, the disciples had not realized that there was going to be a resurrection (20:9). Ultimate recognition of who Jesus was appears to have come to them only after the postresurrection appearances (note the response of Thomas, who was not present at this incident, in v. 28). Finally, what is the relation of this incident in 20:22 to the account of the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2? It appears best to view these as two separate events which have two somewhat different purposes. This was the giving of life itself, which flowed out from within (cf. 7:38-39). The giving of power would occur later, on the day of Pentecost—power to witness and carry out the mission the disciples had been given. (It is important to remember that in the historical unfolding of God’s program for the church, these events occurred in a chronological sequence which, after the church has been established, is not repeatable today.)
John 20:23 tn Grk “they are forgiven to them.” The words “to them” are unnecessary in English and somewhat redundant.
John 20:23 sn The statement by Jesus about forgive or retaining anyone’s sins finds its closest parallel in Matt 16:19 and 18:18. This is probably not referring to apostolic power to forgive or retain the sins of individuals (as it is sometimes understood), but to the “power” of proclaiming this forgiveness which was entrusted to the disciples. This is consistent with the idea that the disciples are to carry on the ministry of Jesus after he has departed from the world and returned to the Father, a theme which occurred in the Farewell Discourse (cf. 15:27; 16:1-4; 17:18).

John 7:37-39

Teaching About the Spirit

³⁷On the last day of the feast, the greatest day,^[a] Jesus stood up and shouted out,^[b] “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and ³⁸let the one who believes in me drink.^[c] Just as the scripture says, ‘From within him^[d] will flow rivers of living water.’”^[e] ³⁹(Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were going to receive, for the Spirit had not yet been given,^[f] because Jesus was not yet glorified.)^[g]

Footnotes

John 7:37 sn There is a problem with the identification of this reference to the last day of the feast, the greatest day: It appears from Deut 16:13 that the feast went for seven days. Lev 23:36, however, makes it plain that there was an eighth day, though it was mentioned separately from the seven. It is not completely clear whether the seventh or eighth day was the climax of the feast, called here by the author the “last great day of the feast.” Since according to the Mishnah (m. Sukkah 4.1) the ceremonies with water and lights did not continue after the seventh day, it seems more probable that this is the day the author mentions.
John 7:37 tn Grk “Jesus stood up and cried out, saying.”
John 7:38 tn An alternate way of punctuating the Greek text of vv. 37-38 results in this translation: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, just as the scripture says, ‘From within him will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38 has been the subject of considerable scholarly debate. Certainly Jesus picks up on the literal water used in the ceremony and uses it figuratively. But what does the figure mean? According to popular understanding, it refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell in the believer. There is some difficulty in locating an OT text which speaks of rivers of water flowing from within such a person, but Isa 58:11 is often suggested: “The Lord will continually lead you, he will feed you even in parched regions. He will give you renewed strength, and you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring that continually produces water.” Other passages which have been suggested are Prov 4:23 and 5:15; Isa 44:3 and 55:1; Ezek 47:1 ff.; Joel 3:18; and Zech 13:1 and 14:8. The meaning in this case is that when anyone comes to believe in Jesus the scriptures referring to the activity of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life are fulfilled. “When the believer comes to Christ and drinks he not only slakes his thirst but receives such an abundant supply that veritable rivers flow from him” (L. Morris, John [NICNT], 424-25). In other words, with this view, the believer himself becomes the source of the living water. This is the traditional understanding of the passage, often called the “Eastern interpretation” following Origen, Athanasius, and the Greek Fathers. It is supported by such modern scholars as Barrett, Behm, Bernard, Cadman, Carson, R. H. Lightfoot, Lindars, Michaelis, Morris, Odeberg, Schlatter, Schweizer, C. H. Turner, M. M. B. Turner, Westcott, and Zahn. In addition it is represented by the following Greek texts and translations: KJV, RSV, NASB, NA²⁸, and UBS⁵. D. A. Carson, John, 322-29, has a thorough discussion of the issues and evidence although he opts for the previous interpretation. There is another interpretation possible, however, called the “Western interpretation” because of patristic support by Justin, Hippolytus, Tertullian, and Irenaeus. Modern scholars who favor this view are Abbott, Beasley-Murray, Bishop, Boismard, Braun, Brown, Bullinger, Bultmann, Burney, Dodd, Dunn, Guilding, R. Harris, Hoskyns, Jeremias, Loisy, D. M. Stanley, Thüsing, N. Turner, and Zerwick. This view is represented by the translation in the RSV margin and by the NEB. It is also sometimes called the “christological interpretation” because it makes Jesus himself the source of the living water in v. 38, by punctuating as follows: (37b) ἐάν τις διψᾷ ἐρχέσθω πρός με, καὶ πινέτω (38) ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμέ. Καθὼς εἶπεν ἡ γραφή, ποταμοὶ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας αὐτοῦ ῥεύσουσιν ὕδατος ζῶντος. Three crucial questions are involved in the solution of this problem: (1) punctuation; (2) determining the antecedent of αὐτοῦ (autou); and (3) the source of the scripture quotation. With regard to (1) P⁶⁶ does place a full stop after πινέτω (pinetō), but this may be theologically motivated and could have been added later. Grammatical and stylistic arguments are inconclusive. More important is (2) the determination of the antecedent of αὐτοῦ. Can any other Johannine parallels be found which make the believer the source of the living water? John 4:14 is often mentioned in this regard, but unlike 4:14 the water here becomes a source for others also. Neither does 14:12 provide a parallel. Furthermore, such an interpretation becomes even more problematic in light of the explanation given in v. 39 that the water refers to the Holy Spirit, since it is extremely difficult to see the individual believer becoming the ‘source’ of the Spirit for others. On the other hand, the Gospel of John repeatedly places Jesus himself in this role as source of the living water: 4:10, of course, for the water itself, but according to 20:22 Jesus provides the Spirit (cf. 14:16). Furthermore, the symbolism of 19:34 is difficult to explain as anything other than a deliberate allusion to what is predicted here. This also explains why the Spirit cannot come to the disciples unless Jesus “departs” (16:7). As to (3) the source of the scripture quotation, M. E. Boismard has argued that John is using a targumic rendering of Ps 78:15-16 which describes the water brought forth from the rock in the wilderness by Moses (“Les citations targumiques dans le quatrième évangile,” RB 66 [1959]: 374-78). The frequency of Exodus motifs in the Fourth Gospel (paschal lamb, bronze serpent, manna from heaven) leads quite naturally to the supposition that the author is here drawing on the account of Moses striking the rock in the wilderness to bring forth water (Num 20:8 ff.). That such imagery was readily identified with Jesus in the early church is demonstrated by Paul’s understanding of the event in 1 Cor 10:4. Jesus is the Rock from which the living water—the Spirit—will flow. Carson (see note above) discusses this imagery although he favors the traditional or “Eastern” interpretation. In summary, the latter or “Western” interpretation is to be preferred.
John 7:38 tn Or “out of the innermost part of his person”; Grk “out of his belly.”
John 7:38 sn An OT quotation whose source is difficult to determine. Isa 44:3; 55:1; 58:11; and Zech 14:8 have all been suggested.
John 7:39 tn Grk “for the Spirit was not yet.” Although only B and a handful of other NT mss supply the participle δεδομένον (dedomenon), this is followed in the translation to avoid misunderstanding by the modern English reader that prior to this time the Spirit did not exist. John’s phrase is expressed from a human standpoint and has nothing to do with the preexistence of the third Person of the Godhead. The meaning is that the era of the Holy Spirit had not yet arrived; the Spirit was not as yet at work in a way he later would be because Jesus had not yet returned to his Father. Cf. also Acts 19:2.
John 7:39 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Holy Spirit and the Day of Pentecost

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

Footnotes

Eldad and Medad

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Different Members in One Body

Footnotes

The Holy Spirit and the Day of Pentecost

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

Footnotes

Jesus’ Appearance to the Disciples

Footnotes

Teaching About the Spirit

Footnotes