Acts 2

Evangelical Heritage Version

The Holy Spirit Comes on Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the rushing of a violent wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw divided tongues that were like fire resting on each one of them. ⁴ They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, since the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak fluently.

⁵ Now there were godly Jewish men from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶ When this sound was heard, a crowd came together and was confused, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷ They were completely baffled and said to each other,^[a] “Look, are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, and of Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya around Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring in our own languages the wonderful works of God.” ¹² They were all amazed and perplexed. They kept saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocked them and said, “They are full of new wine.”

Peter’s Pentecost Message

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and spoke loudly and clearly to them: “Men of Judea, and all you residents of Jerusalem, understand this, and listen closely to my words. ¹⁵ These men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day.^{[b] 16} On the contrary, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus the Nazarene was a man recommended to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man, who was handed over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, you^[d] killed by having lawless men nail him to a cross. ²⁴ He is the one God raised up by freeing him from the agony of death, because death was not able to hold him in its grip.

²⁵ “Indeed, David says concerning him:

²⁹ “Gentlemen, brothers, I can speak confidently to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of his descendants^[g] on his throne,^{[h] 31} he saw what was coming and spoke about the resurrection of Christ, saying that he^[i] was neither abandoned to the grave nor did his flesh see decay.^[j]

³² “This Jesus is the one God has raised up. We are all witnesses of that. ³³ So, after he was exalted to the right hand of God and after he received the promised Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out what you are now seeing and hearing.

³⁴ “For David did not ascend into heaven, and yet he says:

³⁶ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

³⁷ Now when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Gentlemen, brothers, what should we do?”

³⁸ Peter answered them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your^[l] 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 away, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ He testified solemnly with many other words and was appealing to them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

⁴¹ Those who^[m] accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.

The Christians Lived in Unity

⁴² They continued to hold firmly to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread, and to the prayers. ⁴³ Awe came over every soul,^[n] and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They were selling their possessions and property and were distributing the proceeds according to what anyone needed.

⁴⁶ Day after day, with one mind, they were devoted to meeting in the temple area, as they continued to break bread in their homes. They shared their food with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ as they continued praising God and being viewed favorably by all the people. Day after day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.