Pentecost Festival 50 Days after the Crucifixion
1On the Jewish festival day of Pentecost, [1] the disciples and those with them were having a meeting inside a house. 2Suddenly, they heard a loud noise above them in the sky. It sounded like a violent blast of wind. [2] The noise filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Then they saw what appeared to be flames in the shape of tongues. The flames split apart until every person in the room had a flame hovering on them. 4The Holy Spirit filled every person there. And the people started to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability.5Devoted Jews from all over the world were staying in Jerusalem at the time of this festival. [3] 6When they heard the noise, they came to see what was going on. What they discovered made no sense to them. They were hearing their own languages coming out of the mouths of the people from inside the house. 7Astonished, they asked, “Aren’t these people from Galilee? 8Why are we hearing them talking to us in our native languages? 9Look at how many languages we represent. In this crowd are Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, Judeans, and Cappadocians. There are people from Pontus, Asia, [4] 10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and parts of Libya near Cyrene, along with visitors from Rome. 11There are Jews and converts to the Jewish faith. And there are Cretans and Arabians. Yet we all hear these people talking to us in our native languages as they tell us about the miracles God has done.”
12The people witnessing this were astonished and confused. They kept asking each other, “What’s going on here?”
13Others in the crowd, however, made fun of the people who were talking in the foreign languages. They said, “Well, they’ve had their limit of wine for the day.”
Pastor Peter at the Pulpit
14Peter stood with the other 11 apostles and addressed the crowd. Speaking loudly, he said, “I’ve got something you locals need to hear. I’m talking to you people who live in Jerusalem and in the surrounding area of Judea. 15You’re accusing these people of being drunk, but you’re wrong. Come on, it’s only nine in the morning. So you know better than that. 16What you’re seeing is the prophet Joel’s prediction [5] coming true.17“‘Here’s what will happen in the end,’ [6] God says.
‘I’m going to throw open the floodgates of heaven
and let the Holy Spirit pour out on all people.
Your sons and daughters are going to prophesy.
Your young men are going to see visions.
And your old men are going to dream vivid dreams.
18Even my slaves [7]—men and women alike—
are going to get drenched in my Spirit.
They, too, will prophesy.
19I’m going to show the world remarkable sights in the sky.
I will show them signs on the ground too—
signs written in blood, fire, and smoke.
20The sun will go dark, the moon blood red.
This is what will happen before the great and glorious Day of the Lord. [8]
21On that day, anyone who asks the Lord for help will be saved.’ 22“Gentlemen of Israel, listen up. God himself endorsed Jesus of Nazareth. God proved it by performing miracles, wonders, and other signs through Jesus. You saw it for yourselves. 23God knew what was going to happen. He planned it. The arrest. Turning him [9] over to people outside our faith, who don’t follow our laws. Execution by crucifixion. 24But it was God, too, who released him from the pain of death and who brought him back to life. Death couldn’t hold on to him.
25King David wrote about this man: [10]
“‘The way I see it, the Lord is always with me.
We’re shoulder to shoulder, walking together.
Nothing’s going to rattle me.
Everything inside my skin is living it—I’m living in a life of hope.
27You’re not going to dump my soul into Hades. [11]
You’re not going to let the One you love rot in the tomb.
28You have shown me the path I need to follow in this life. And you walk it with me, which is why I’m so happy.’ 29“Gentlemen, David wasn’t talking about himself. Our ancestral father is dead and buried. His tomb is right here in town. 30David was a prophet. He knew God had promised him that one of his descendants would become King of the Jews. 31Looking far into the future, David was able to see the resurrection of Christ. David saw that Christ had not been abandoned in Hades. And he saw that the body of Christ was not left to rot in the tomb. 32Jesus was raised from the dead. We know it because we saw him after he died. 33Right now he is sitting beside God. And just as God had promised, he gave Jesus the Holy Spirit to pass on to us. You’re seeing and hearing the evidence of that Spirit now. 34David never levitated into the sky, to the heavens. Yet listen to what he said. [12]
“‘The Lord said to me, [13] “Sit here beside me in the place of honor.
37When the people heard that, they were devastated. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what can we possibly do about this?”
38Peter said, “All of you should reject your sinful way of living. [14] And you should get baptized, invoking the authority that comes with the name of Jesus Christ. If you do this, you can find forgiveness for the sins you’ve committed and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This is God’s promise to you and to your children and to people near and far. It’s for everyone, the great crowd God invites.” [15]
40Peter talked for a long time. He warned the people and he pleaded with them. He said, “This is an evil generation. Break away from its sinful culture and practices.”
