The Early Church · c. AD 30
Chapter 2
Pentecost
Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.
The day of had come, and they were all gathered in one place, of one mind.
Suddenly a sound came from the sky, like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled the whole house they were sitting in. Tongues like fire appeared and were shared out among them, and one sat on each of them.
They were all filled with the , and they began to speak other languages, as the Spirit made them able to speak.
Devout Jewish men from every nation under the sky were living in .
When this sound was heard, a crowd gathered, bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.
They were all amazed and filled with wonder. “Look,” they said to one another, “aren’t they all , these people who are speaking? How do we each hear them in our own native language?
“We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites. We come from Mesopotamia, and Cappadocia, from Pontus, , Phrygia and Pamphylia, from Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene. We are visitors from , both Jews and , and we are Cretans and Arabians. And we hear them speak of God’s mighty works, each of us in our own language!”
Everyone was amazed and puzzled. “What does this mean?” they said to one another.
But others mocked. “They’re full of new wine,” they said.
But stood up with the eleven and spoke out to them in a loud voice. “Men of Judea, and everyone who lives in Jerusalem,” he said, “know this, and hear me out.
“They aren’t drunk, as you think. It is only the third hour of the day, about nine in the morning.
“No, this is what was said through the :
‘This is how it will be in the last days, says God:I will pour out my Spirit on all humankind.Your sons and your daughters will prophesy.Your young men will see visions.Your old men will dream dreams.Yes, on the men and the women who serve me,in those days I will pour out my Spirit,and they will prophesy.I will show wonders in the sky aboveand signs on the earth beneath:blood, and fire, and billowing smoke.The sun will turn dark,and the moon will turn into blood,before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.It will be that whoever calls on the Lord’s namewill be saved.’
“Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of was a man God approved, and God showed it to you by the mighty works and wonders and signs he did through Jesus among you. You know this yourselves.
“He was handed over, as God had firmly planned and known beforehand, and you took him and used lawless men to him and kill him.
“But God raised him up and freed him from the agony of death, because there was no way death could hold him.
“As says about him:
‘I saw the Lord always in front of me,since he is at my right hand, that nothing may shake me.That is why my heart was gladand my tongue was full of joy.My body, too, will live in hope,because you will not leave my soul in ,nor will you let your Holy One decay.You showed me the ways of life.You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
“Brothers, I can speak freely to you about our ancestor David. He died, he was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
“David was a prophet. He knew that God had promised him with an oath to raise up the from David’s own family line to sit on his throne. So he saw this ahead of time, and he spoke about the of the Christ: his soul was not left in Hades, and his body did not decay.
“God raised this Jesus up, and all of us are witnesses to that. So now he has been lifted high by the right hand of God. From the Father he has received the promise of the Holy Spirit, and he has poured out what you are now seeing and hearing.
“David did not go up into the heavens, yet these are his own words:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,“Sit by my right handuntil I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’
“So let all the people of Israel know for sure that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
When they heard this, it cut them to the heart. “Brothers, what should we do?” they asked Peter and the rest of the .
Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
“For the promise is to you and to your children, and to everyone who is far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
He said much more as well, testifying and urging them on: “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
Those who gladly accepted what he said were . About three thousand people were added that day.
They kept on faithfully with the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, with the breaking of bread, and with prayer.
Fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
All who believed were together, and everything they had belonged to all of them. They sold their property and belongings and shared them out to everyone, as each one needed.
Day by day they kept on meeting in the temple, all of one mind, and breaking bread at home. They ate their food with gladness and honest hearts, praising God, and all the people thought well of them. And day by day the Lord added those who were being saved to the .