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]. 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].
Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven. 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. They were completely astonished, saying, “Look! Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect? [Among us there are] Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and people of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia [Minor], Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabs—we all hear them speaking in our [native] tongues about the mighty works of God!” And they were beside themselves with amazement and were greatly perplexed, saying one to another, “What could this mean?” But others were laughing and joking and ridiculing them, saying, “They are full of sweet wine and are drunk!”
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. These people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is [only] the third hour of the day (9:00 a.m.); but this is [the beginning of] what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
‘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;
EVEN ON MY BOND-SERVANTS, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,
I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR OUT MY SPIRIT
And they shall prophesy.
‘AND I WILL BRING ABOUT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE
AND SIGNS (attesting miracles) ON THE EARTH BELOW,
BLOOD AND FIRE AND SMOKING VAPOR.
‘THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS
AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD COMES.
‘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).’ [Joel 2:28-32]
“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— 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. 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. 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].
‘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];
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].
‘YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;
YOU WILL FILL ME [infusing my soul] WITH JOY WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’ [Ps 16:8-11]
“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. 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 Sam 7:12-16; Ps 132:11] 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. [Ps 16:10]
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