Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, ⁴ and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

⁵ Now dwelling in Jerusalem were Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When this sound occurred, the crowd came together and were confounded, because each man heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷ They were all amazed and marveled, saying to each other, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ How is it that we hear, each in our own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages the mighty works of God.” ¹² They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other, “What does this mean?”

¹³ Others mocking said, “These men are full of new wine.”

Peter’s Speech at Pentecost

¹⁴ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. ¹⁵ For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, ² and He caused me to pass among them all around. And there were very many in the open valley. And they were very dry. ³ He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”

⁴ Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. ⁵ Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you so that you live. ⁶ And I will lay sinews upon you and will grow back flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you so that you live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise and a shaking. And the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸ When I looked, the sinews and the flesh grew upon them, and the skin covered them. But there was no breath in them.

⁹ Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the wind; prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain so that they live.” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

¹¹ Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. We are cut off completely.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Pay attention, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves. ¹⁴ And I shall put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I the Lord have spoken and performed it, says the Lord.”

²² We know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. ²³ Not only that, but we also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves while eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For we are saved through hope, but hope that is seen is not hope, for why does a man still hope for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

²⁶ Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, for we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. ²⁷ He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, ⁴ and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

⁵ Now dwelling in Jerusalem were Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When this sound occurred, the crowd came together and were confounded, because each man heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷ They were all amazed and marveled, saying to each other, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ How is it that we hear, each in our own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages the mighty works of God.” ¹² They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other, “What does this mean?”

¹³ Others mocking said, “These men are full of new wine.”

Peter’s Speech at Pentecost

¹⁴ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. ¹⁵ For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

²⁶ “But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

⁴ I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them.

The Work of the Spirit

“I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you. ⁵ But now I am going to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ ⁶ Rather, sorrow has filled your heart because I have told you these things. ⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸ When He comes, He will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I am going to My Father, and you will see Me no more; ¹¹ and of judgment, because the ruler of this world stands condemned.

¹² “I have yet many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own authority. But He will speak whatever He hears, and He will tell you things that are to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will receive from Me and will declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is Mine. Therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and will declare it to you.