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The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 2 -

(Genesis 11:1–9; Leviticus 23:15–22)
1
When the day of Pentecost (a) came, they were all together in one place.
2
Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3
They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5
Now there were dwelling (b) in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.
6
And when this sound rang out, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking his own language.
7
Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
8
How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language?
9
Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,(c)
10
Phrygia 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!”
12
Astounded and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13
But others mocked them and said, “They are drunk on new wine!”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

(Psalm 16:1–11; Joel 2:28–32)
14
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words.
15
These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!(d)
16
No, 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.
18
Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
19
I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20
The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.
21
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’(e)
22
Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
23
He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
24
But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches.
25
David says about Him: ‘I saw (f) the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
26
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell in hope,
27
because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
28
You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’(g)
29
Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30
But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.(h)
31
Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay.
32
God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
33
Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
34
For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand
35
until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’(i)
36
Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”

Three Thousand Believe

37
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39
This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
40
With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.”
41
Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.(j)

The Fellowship of Believers

(Acts 4:32–37)
42
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43
A sense of awe (k) came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.
44
All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45
Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.
46
With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts (l) and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,
47
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Footnotes

(a)2:1 That is, Shavuot, the late spring feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; it is also known as the Feast of Harvest (see Exodus 23:16) or the Feast of Weeks (see Exodus 34:22).
(b)2:5 Or staying; similarly in verse 14
(c)2:9 That is, the Roman Province of Asia, located in what is now western Turkey
(d)2:15 That is, nine in the morning
(e)2:21 Joel 2:28–32 (see also LXX)
(f)2:25 Literally I foresaw; see verse 31.
(g)2:28 Psalms 16:8–11 (see also LXX)
(h)2:30 Literally on oath that He would place out of the fruit of his loins on his throne; BYZ and TR on oath out of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, to raise up Christ to sit on his throne; Psalms 132:11
(i)2:35 Psalms 110:1
(j)2:41 Literally about three thousand souls were added that day
(k)2:43 Or fear
(l)2:46 Literally the temple
(Genesis 11:1–9; Leviticus 23:15–22)
1
Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2
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.
3
Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.
4
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
5
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.
6
When this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.
7
They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans?
8
How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?
9
Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,
10
Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11
Cretans and Arabians—we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!”
12
They were all amazed and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
13
Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

(Psalm 16:1–11; Joel 2:28–32)
14
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15
For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.(a)
16
But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17
‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.
18
Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
19
I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
20
The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21
It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’(b)
22
“Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,
23
him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;
24
whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.
25
For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
26
Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope,
27
because you will not leave my soul in Hades,(c) neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
28
You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’(d)
29
“Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30
Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ(e) to sit on his throne,
31
he foreseeing this, spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades,(f) and his flesh didn’t see decay.
32
This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
33
Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you now see and hear.
34
For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand
35
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’(g)
36
“Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Three Thousand Believe

37
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38
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.
39
For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
40
With many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
41
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.

The Fellowship of Believers

(Acts 4:32–37)
42
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
43
Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44
All who believed were together, and had all things in common.
45
They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.
46
Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
47
praising God and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

Footnotes

(a)2:15 about 9:00 a.m.
(b)2:21 ℘ Joel 2:28-32
(c)2:27 or, Hell
(d)2:28 ℘ Psalms 16:8-11
(e)2:30 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.
(f)2:31 or, Hell
(g)2:35 ℘ Psalms 110:1
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