2:1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place,
2:2 and suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
2:3 There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Holy Spirit].
2:4 And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].
2:5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven.
2:6 And when this sound was heard, a crowd gathered, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing those in the upper room speaking in his own language or dialect.
2:7 They were completely astonished, saying, “Look! Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans?
2:8 Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect?
2:9 [Among us there are] Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and people of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia [Minor],
2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism),
2:11 Cretans and Arabs—we all hear them speaking in our [native] tongues about the mighty works of God!”
2:12 And they were beside themselves with amazement and were greatly perplexed, saying one to another, “What could this mean?”
2:13 But others were laughing and joking and ridiculing them, saying, “They are full of sweet wine and are drunk!”
2:14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be explained to you; listen closely and pay attention to what I have to say.
2:15 These people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is [only] the third hour of the day (9:00 a.m.);
2:16 but this is [the beginning of] what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
2:17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ says God, ‘That I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see [divinely prompted] visions, And your old men shall dream [divinely prompted] dreams;
2:18 Even on My bond-servants, both men and women, I will in those days pour out My Spirit And they shall prophesy.
2:19 ‘And I will bring about wonders in the sky above And signs (attesting miracles) on the earth below, Blood and fire and smoking vapor.
2:20 ‘The sun shall be turned into darkness And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
2:21 ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord Jesus] shall be saved (rescued spiritually).’
2:22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man accredited and pointed out and attested to you by God with [the power to perform] miracles and wonders and signs which God worked through Him in your [very] midst, just as you yourselves know—
2:23 this Man, when handed over [to the Roman authorities] according to the predetermined decision and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross and put to death by the hands of lawless and godless men.
2:24 But God raised Him up, releasing Him and bringing an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in death’s power.
2:25 For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord constantly before me; For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken [from my state of security].
2:26 ‘Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue exulted exceedingly; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope [that is, will encamp in anticipation of the resurrection];
2:27 ‘For You will not forsake me and abandon my soul to Hades (the realm of the dead), Nor let Your Holy One undergo decay [after death].
2:28 ‘You have made known to me the ways of life; You will fill me [infusing my soul] with joy with Your presence.’
2:29 “Brothers, I may confidently and freely say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
2:30 And so, being a prophet and knowing fully that God had sworn to him with an oath that He would seat one of his descendants on his throne,
2:31 he foresaw and spoke [prophetically] of the resurrection of the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), that He was not abandoned [in death] to Hades (the realm of the dead), nor did His body undergo decay.
2:32 God raised this Jesus [bodily from the dead], and of that [fact] we are all witnesses.
2:33 Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this [blessing] which you both see and hear.
2:34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, yet he himself says, ‘The Lord [the Father] said to my Lord [the Son], “Sit at My right hand,
2:35 Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’
2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel recognize beyond all doubt that God has made Him both Lord and Christ (Messiah, Anointed)—this Jesus whom you crucified.”
2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?”
2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
2:39 For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.”
2:40 And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, “Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!”
2:41 So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about 3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers].
2:42 They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers.
2:43 A sense of awe was felt by everyone, and many wonders and signs (attesting miracles) were taking place through the apostles.
2:44 And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole].
2:45 And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need.
2:46 Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts,
2:47 praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.
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