The Father Pours out His Spirit
2 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. a a v1 Pentecost was the Jewish Festival of Weeks, celebrated fifty days after Passover. 2 Suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing, violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 What looked like divided tongues of fire appeared and rested on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
5 At that time devout Jews from every nation under heaven were living in Jerusalem. 6 When this sound rang out, a crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in their own language. 7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?" 8 "How is it, then, that each of us hears them in our own native language?" 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism; 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of our Father!" 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others mocked and said, "They are full of sweet wine."
Peter Announces the Risen Lord
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to my words." 15 "These people are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning." b b v15 The third hour of the day was about nine o'clock in the morning—far too early for the drunkenness the crowd assumed. 16 "No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:"
17 "'And in the last days, says our Father, I will pour out my Spirit on all people; your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. 18 "'Even on my male servants and my female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy. 19 "'I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below—blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 "'The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. 21 "'And 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 accredited to you by our Father with miracles, wonders, and signs that our Father did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—" 23 "this man, handed over by the set purpose and foreknowledge of our Father, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men." 24 "But our Father raised him up, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its grip." 25 "For David says of him: 'I saw our Father always before me, for he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.'" 26 "Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; moreover, my body also will rest in hope. 27 "For you will not abandon my soul to the grave nor let your Holy One see decay." 28 "You have shown me the paths of life; you will fill me with gladness in your presence.
29 "Brothers, I can say to you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day." 30 "Since he was a prophet, he knew that our Father had sworn with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay." 32 "This Jesus our Father raised up, and we are all witnesses of it." 33 "Therefore, exalted to the right hand of our Father, and having received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you now see and hear."
34 "For David did not go up into heaven, yet he himself says: 'Our Father said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand,"'" 35 "'until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.
36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that our Father has made him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified."
37 When they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name 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—as many as the Lord our Father will call to himself." 40 And with many other words he warned and urged them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and about three thousand people were added that day.
Living as the Father's Family
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the deep communion, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. 43 Awe came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 They sold their property and possessions and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone needed. 46 Day by day, devoting themselves together in the temple and breaking bread in their homes, they shared their food with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising our Father and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.