The Holy Spirit and the Day of Pentecost

1Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. 6When this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Completely baffled, they said, “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” 12All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others jeered at the speakers, saying, “They are drunk on new wine!”

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

14But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to what I say. 15In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel:

17‘And in the last days it will be,’ God says,

‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people,

and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

and your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

18Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

19And I will perform wonders in the sky above

and miraculous signs on the earth below,

blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

20The sun will be changed to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

21And then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

22“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know – 23this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. 24But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. 25For David says about him,

‘I saw the Lord always in front of me,

for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.

26Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;

my body also will live in hope,

27because you will not leave my soul in Hades,

nor permit your Holy One to experience decay.

28You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of joy with your presence.’

29“Brothers, I can speak confidently to you about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience decay. 32This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. 33So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear. 34For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,

‘The Lord said to my lord,

“Sit at my right hand

35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

36Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.”

The Response to Peter’s Address

37Now when they heard this, they were acutely distressed and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?” 38Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one 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. 39For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 40With many other words he testified and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse generation!” 41So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.

The Fellowship of the Early Believers

42They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. 44All who believed were together and held everything in common, 45and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. 46Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, 47praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.