New Testament · Gospels and Acts

Acts chapter 2

When the day of arrived, they were all together in one place.Suddenly, a sound came from the sky like a violent rushing , and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.Then they saw what looked like splitting apart and resting on each one of them.All of them were filled with and began speaking in other — the Breath gave them the ability to do this.Now there were Jewish people staying in Jerusalem — people from every nation under the sky.When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered — and they were completely baffled because each person heard them speaking in their own native language.They were stunned and amazed, saying, “Aren’t all these people from ?”So how is it that each of us hears them in the ?; people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, and the province of Asia;Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; —both Jews and — Cretans and Arabs too — we hear them declaring the God has done, in our own languages!Everyone was amazed and confused, asking each other, “What does this mean?”But others mocked them, saying, “They’ve had too much !”Then Peter stood up with the eleven other , raised his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and everyone staying in Jerusalem — listen carefully, because I need to explain what’s happening here.”These people aren’t drunk, like you’re assuming — it’s only !No — this is what the prophet was talking about:“In ,” God says, “I will on everyone. Your sons and daughters will speak as . Your young people will see visions, and your old people will have prophetic dreams.”“Even on my — both men and women — I will pour out my Breath in those days, and they will speak as prophets.”“I will show in the sky above and signs on the earth below — blood, fire, and clouds of smoke.”“The sun will go dark and the moon will turn blood-red before the great and day of arrives.”“And everyone who of Yahweh will be .”“People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man whose among you through — which God did through him right here among you, as you know perfectly well.”“This man was handed over to you by God’s — and you, with the help of people who don’t follow God’s law, nailed him to an and killed him.”“But God raised him back to life, — because it was impossible for death to keep holding on to him.”“ said this about him: ‘I kept Yahweh in front of me at all times. Because he’s right beside me, I won’t be shaken.’”“‘That’s why my heart is glad and my words are full of joy — and even my body will rest in .’”“‘Because you won’t abandon me to , and you won’t let your see .’”“‘You’ve shown me . You will fill me with joy in your presence.’”“, I can tell you with certainty that our ancestor David died and was buried — his tomb is still here to this day.”“But David was a prophet, and he knew that God had made a to him — that one of his own descendants would sit on his .”“David saw the future and spoke about the of — that he would not be abandoned to the grave, and his body would not see decay.”“This Jesus — God raised him back to life. Every one of us is a to that fact.”“So — God . He received the promised Breath of God from the Father, and he has poured out what you’re now seeing and hearing.”“David didn’t go up to the heavens himself, but he did say: ‘Yahweh said to : Sit at my right side’”“‘until I make your enemies a .’”“So let everyone in Israel know this beyond any doubt: God has made this Jesus — you executed on a stake — both and the One.”When they heard this, it . They said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”Peter told them, “, and each of you be in the name of Jesus the One — for the . And you will receive .”“This promise is for you and your children, and for — everyone that Yahweh our God calls to himself.”Peter kept urging them with many more words, saying, “ from this !”So those who his message were — and about people were added to their number that day.They to the apostles’ teaching, to , to , and to prayer.A deep sense of came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.All the believers were together and they had.They would and distribute the money to anyone who needed it.Every day they met together at the , and they broke bread in each other’s homes, sharing meals with and ,praising God and earning the of all the people. And every day, to their number those who were .