Acts 2
1As the fiftieth day of Pentecost was reaching its fulfillment, they were all together in the same place. 2Suddenly, a sound like the blast of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Tongues like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves and resting on each one of them. 4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, just as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak out with inspired utterance.
5Now there were devout Jews living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven. 6When this sound occurred, a large crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each person heard them speaking in their own native language. 7They were completely astonished and amazed, saying, “Look, are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? 8How is it that each of us hears them in our own native language in which we were born? 9Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the mighty deeds of God!” 12They were all astonished and deeply perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others were mocking them, saying, “They are gorged on sweet wine!”
14Then Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and spoke out boldly to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen closely to my words. 15These people are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day. 16Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17‘And it shall be in the last days,’ says God, ‘that I will pour out my Spirit upon all humanity; your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. 18Even upon my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19I will display wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below—blood, and fire, and a cloud of smoke. 20The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and manifest Day of the Lord. 21And it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene was a man attested to you by God through powerful deeds, wonders, and signs that God performed through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know. 23This man, delivered up by the deliberate purpose and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross through the hands of lawless men. 24But God raised him up, releasing him from the birth pangs of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its grip on him. 25For David says concerning him: ‘I saw the Lord before me continually, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. 26Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; moreover, my body will rest in hope. 27For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will you allow your Devoted One to see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with gladness in your presence.’
29Brothers, I can speak plainly to you about the patriarch David: he died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30Because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants upon his throne, 31he saw what was ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah—that he was neither abandoned to Hades nor did his body see decay. 32This Jesus, God raised up, and of this we are all witnesses. 33Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out this which you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand 35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’
36Therefore, let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah—this Jesus whom you crucified!”
37When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38Peter said to them, “Change your hearts and your way of life, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you, and for your children, and for all who are far away—as many as the Lord our God may call to himself.” 40With many other words he gave his testimony and continued to urge them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation!” 41So those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand souls were added that day.
42They were constantly devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the shared life of the community, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. 43A sense of awe came over every soul, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44All the believers stayed together and held everything in common. 45They would sell their property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone, according to what anyone needed. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts with one mind; they broke bread in their homes and shared their food with gladness and uncomplicated joy of heart, 47praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their gathering those who were being saved.