Acts
Chapter 2: 1-21
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1When the day of Pentecost
came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound
like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they
were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire
that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them
were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled
them.
5Now
there were staying in Jerusalem Godfearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in
bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are
speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears
them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and
Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;
visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism
Cretans and Arabs–we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What
does this mean?”
13Some,
however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14
Then Peter stood up with
the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who
live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the
morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17“ ‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and
daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
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.
19I
will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the
Lord.
21And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
