The Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Genesis 11:1–9; Leviticus 23:15–22)
2 UST Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from the sky that sounded like a wind blowing loudly. Everyone in the entire house where they were sitting heard the noise. BSB BSB: Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 UST Then they saw what looked like burning flames. These flames separated from one another and came to rest on each of the believers. BSB BSB: They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 UST Then the Holy Spirit empowered all of the believers. They began to speak in languages they had never learned. The Spirit was making it possible for them to do that fluently. BSB BSB: And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 UST At that time many Jews were staying in Jerusalem{ to celebrate the Pentecost festival}. They were Jewish people who sincerely worshiped God. They had come from many different countries around the world. BSB BSB: Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.
7 UST They were all completely amazed, and they said to each other,“Listen, all these people who are speaking have come from Galilee.{ So they cannot possibly know our languages!} BSB BSB: Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
8 UST But all of us hear them speaking our own native languages! BSB BSB: How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language?
9 UST Some of us are people from the regions of Parthia and Media and Elam. Others of us are from the regions of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia. BSB BSB: Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 UST There are some people here from the regions of Phrygia and Pamphylia, from the country of Egypt, and from the regions in Libya that are near the city of Cyrene. There are others of us who are here visiting Jerusalem from Rome. BSB BSB: Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome,
12 UST The people wondered{ about what was happening} and did not know what to think{ about it}. So they asked one another,“What is happening here?” BSB BSB: Astounded and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 UST But some of them made fun of what they saw. They said,“{ These people are talking like this because} they have drunk too much wine!” BSB BSB: 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 UST In response, Peter stood up with all the other Representatives and spoke loudly to the crowd of people. He said,“You Jewish people and all of you others who live here in Jerusalem, listen to me and I will explain to you what is happening! BSB BSB: 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 UST Some of you think that we are drunk, but we are not drunk. It is only nine o’ clock in the morning{, and people here never get drunk at this time of the day}! BSB BSB: These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!
17 UST ‘During the last days,’ God says,‘I will give my Holy Spirit to all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will tell people my messages. I will give visions to the young men, and I will give inspired dreams to the old men. BSB BSB: ‘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 UST During those days I will give my Holy Spirit to my servants, both men and women, so they can tell people my messages. BSB BSB: Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
19 UST I will cause things to happen in the sky that will make people marvel. I will cause things to happen on the earth that will show that great events are going to take place. Here on the earth there will be blood, fire, and smoke everywhere. BSB BSB: I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 UST In the sky the sun will appear dark to people and the moon will appear red to them. Those things will happen before the momentous time when I, the Lord God, come to judge everyone. BSB BSB: 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 UST But even though I am coming to judge and punish sin, I will save all those who repent and ask me to forgive their sins.’” BSB BSB: And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
24 UST Jesus died, but God caused him to become alive again and no longer dead, because it was not possible for him to stay dead. BSB BSB: But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.
25 UST Long ago King David wrote what the Messiah said:‘I knew that you, Lord God, would always be there to protect me. You are right beside me, so I will not be afraid of those who want to harm me. BSB BSB: David says about Him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
26 UST Because of that, I am happy, and I joyfully praise you, O God. And I am completely confident{ that you will cause me to become alive again after I die}. BSB BSB: Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell in hope,
27 UST I am confident because I know that you will not make me remain in the place where the dead are. You will not even let my body waste away, because you have chosen me for a special purpose. BSB BSB: because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
28 UST You have shown me how to live again. You will make me very happy because you will be with me{ forever}.’” BSB BSB: You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’
29 UST { Peter continued,}“You who are Jews like me, I can tell you confidently that our ancient ruler, King David, died and that his subjects buried him. In fact, his body is still here now at the place where they buried him. BSB BSB: 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 UST So we know that King David was not talking about himself in this psalm. Instead, he was a prophet, and he knew that God promised to him that one of his descendants would become king after him. BSB BSB: 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.
31 UST A long time ago, David knew what God would do. He said that God would cause Jesus the Messiah to live again after he died. God would not allow him to remain in a grave. God would not even let him be dead long enough for his body to begin to decompose. BSB BSB: Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay.
32 UST After this man Jesus had died, God made him alive again. All of us who are standing here before you can testify to this.{ We all saw him alive after he had died.} BSB BSB: God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
33 UST So we are not babbling drunkenly. Instead, this is what has happened. God has greatly honored Jesus by causing Jesus to rule where God himself is, in heaven. Jesus has received the Holy Spirit from God his Father, just as God promised. And now Jesus has generously given us the Holy Spirit, and God has confirmed that gift by doing this miracle that you are witnessing. BSB BSB: 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 UST We know that David was not speaking about himself, because David did not go up into heaven{ as Jesus did}. Besides that, David himself said this about the Messiah:‘The Lord God said to my Lord the Messiah,“I will honor you by giving you a position next to me BSB BSB: For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand
35 UST while I completely defeat your enemies.”’” BSB BSB: until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’
36 UST { Peter ended by saying,}“So I want every Israelite to know definitely that God has made Jesus both Lord and Messiah, this same Jesus whom you had nailed to a cross and killed.” BSB BSB: Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”
Three Thousand Believe 37 UST When the people heard what Peter said, they knew they had done wrong. The people asked him and the other Representatives,“Can you men tell us what God wants us to do?” BSB BSB: When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 UST Peter answered them,“Each of you should turn away from your sinful behavior. If you now believe in what Jesus, the Messiah, has done for you, we will baptize you, showing that God has forgiven your sins, and he will give you his Holy Spirit. BSB BSB: 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 UST You will receive the Holy Spirit because God has promised to give him to you and to your children and to all others whom the God we worship leads to have faith in Jesus. That includes all those who live far away from here.” BSB BSB: 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 UST Peter said many more things and spoke strongly to them. He told them,“Ask God to save you so that he will not punish you when he punishes these evil people{ who have rejected Jesus}!” BSB BSB: With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.”
41 UST So the people who believed Peter’ s message received baptism. There were about 3, 000 of them who joined the group of believers that day. BSB BSB: Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.
The Fellowship of Believers (Acts 4:32–37)
43 UST Throughout Jerusalem people came to have a great awe for God, because the Representatives were doing many kinds of miraculous deeds. BSB BSB: A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.
44 UST All of those who believed in Jesus met regularly together. They also kept sharing what they had with one another. BSB BSB: All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 UST From time to time some of them sold some of their land and some of the other things that they owned. They did this so that they could give some of the money they made to other believers. They gave those believers as much as they needed. BSB BSB: Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.
46 UST Every day they kept gathering to worship together in the temple courtyard, and then they would have meals together in their homes. They ate together happily and with genuine affection. BSB BSB: With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,
47 UST As they did so, they kept praising God, and the other people who lived in Jerusalem greatly respected them.{ As those things were happening,} every day the Lord Jesus saved more people and those people joined with the other believers. BSB BSB: praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.