The Message

<div class="version vid97 iso6393eng" data-vid="97" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkACT">
        <div class="chapter ch2" data-usfm="ACT.2">
            <div class="label">2</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">A Sound Like a Strong Wind</span></div><div class="m"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1 v2 v3 v4" data-usfm="ACT.2.1+ACT.2.2+ACT.2.3+ACT.2.4"><span class="label">1-4</span><span class="content">When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force&#8212;no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v1 v2 v3 v4" data-usfm="ACT.2.1+ACT.2.2+ACT.2.3+ACT.2.4"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="ACT.2.5+ACT.2.6+ACT.2.7+ACT.2.8+ACT.2.9+ACT.2.10+ACT.2.11"><span class="label">5-11</span><span class="content">There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were blown away. They couldn&#8217;t for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, &#8220;Aren&#8217;t these all Galileans? How come we&#8217;re hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="ACT.2.5+ACT.2.6+ACT.2.7+ACT.2.8+ACT.2.9+ACT.2.10+ACT.2.11"><span class="content">Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="ACT.2.5+ACT.2.6+ACT.2.7+ACT.2.8+ACT.2.9+ACT.2.10+ACT.2.11"><span class="content">Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="ACT.2.5+ACT.2.6+ACT.2.7+ACT.2.8+ACT.2.9+ACT.2.10+ACT.2.11"><span class="content">Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="ACT.2.5+ACT.2.6+ACT.2.7+ACT.2.8+ACT.2.9+ACT.2.10+ACT.2.11"><span class="content">Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="ACT.2.5+ACT.2.6+ACT.2.7+ACT.2.8+ACT.2.9+ACT.2.10+ACT.2.11"><span class="content">Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="ACT.2.5+ACT.2.6+ACT.2.7+ACT.2.8+ACT.2.9+ACT.2.10+ACT.2.11"><span class="content">Even Cretans and Arabs!</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"><span class="verse v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="ACT.2.5+ACT.2.6+ACT.2.7+ACT.2.8+ACT.2.9+ACT.2.10+ACT.2.11"><span class="content">&#8220;They&#8217;re speaking our languages, describing God&#8217;s mighty works!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v5 v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="ACT.2.5+ACT.2.6+ACT.2.7+ACT.2.8+ACT.2.9+ACT.2.10+ACT.2.11"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="ACT.2.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">Their heads were spinning; they couldn&#8217;t make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: &#8220;What&#8217;s going on here?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="ACT.2.12"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="ACT.2.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">Others joked, &#8220;They&#8217;re drunk on cheap wine.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Peter Speaks Up</span></div><div class="m"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="ACT.2.13"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="label">14-21</span><span class="content">That&#8217;s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: &#8220;Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren&#8217;t drunk as some of you suspect. They haven&#8217;t had time to get drunk&#8212;it&#8217;s only nine o&#8217;clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">&#8220;In the Last Days,&#8221; God says,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">&#8220;I will pour out my Spirit</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">on every kind of people:</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">Your sons will prophesy,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">also your daughters;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">Your young men will see visions,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">your old men dream dreams.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">When the time comes,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">I&#8217;ll pour out my Spirit</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">On those who serve me, men and women both,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">and they&#8217;ll prophesy.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">I&#8217;ll set wonders in the sky above</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">and signs on the earth below,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">Blood and fire and billowing smoke,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">Before the Day of the Lord arrives,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">the Day tremendous and marvelous;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">And whoever calls out for help</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">to me, God, will be saved.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v14 v15 v16 v17 v18 v19 v20 v21" data-usfm="ACT.2.14+ACT.2.15+ACT.2.16+ACT.2.17+ACT.2.18+ACT.2.19+ACT.2.20+ACT.2.21"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="label">22-28</span><span class="content">&#8220;Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you&#8212;the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge&#8212;this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. David said it all:</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="content">I saw God before me for all time.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="content">Nothing can shake me; he&#8217;s right by my side.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="content">I&#8217;m glad from the inside out, ecstatic;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="content">I&#8217;ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="content">I know you&#8217;ll never dump me in Hades;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="content">I&#8217;ll never even smell the stench of death.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="content">You&#8217;ve got my feet on the life-path,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="content">with your face shining sun-joy all around.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="ACT.2.22+ACT.2.23+ACT.2.24+ACT.2.25+ACT.2.26+ACT.2.27+ACT.2.28"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v29 v30 v31 v32 v33 v34 v35 v36" data-usfm="ACT.2.29+ACT.2.30+ACT.2.31+ACT.2.32+ACT.2.33+ACT.2.34+ACT.2.35+ACT.2.36"><span class="label">29-36</span><span class="content">&#8220;Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried&#8212;his tomb is in plain sight today. But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah&#8212;&#8216;no trip to Hades, no stench of death.&#8217; This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear. For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say,</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v29 v30 v31 v32 v33 v34 v35 v36" data-usfm="ACT.2.29+ACT.2.30+ACT.2.31+ACT.2.32+ACT.2.33+ACT.2.34+ACT.2.35+ACT.2.36"><span class="content">God said to my Master, &#8220;Sit at my right hand</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v29 v30 v31 v32 v33 v34 v35 v36" data-usfm="ACT.2.29+ACT.2.30+ACT.2.31+ACT.2.32+ACT.2.33+ACT.2.34+ACT.2.35+ACT.2.36"><span class="content">Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"><span class="verse v29 v30 v31 v32 v33 v34 v35 v36" data-usfm="ACT.2.29+ACT.2.30+ACT.2.31+ACT.2.32+ACT.2.33+ACT.2.34+ACT.2.35+ACT.2.36"><span class="content">&#8220;All Israel, then, know this: There&#8217;s no longer room for doubt&#8212;God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v29 v30 v31 v32 v33 v34 v35 v36" data-usfm="ACT.2.29+ACT.2.30+ACT.2.31+ACT.2.32+ACT.2.33+ACT.2.34+ACT.2.35+ACT.2.36"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v37" data-usfm="ACT.2.37"><span class="label">37</span><span class="content">Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, &#8220;Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v37" data-usfm="ACT.2.37"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v38 v39" data-usfm="ACT.2.38+ACT.2.39"><span class="label">38-39</span><span class="content">Peter said, &#8220;Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away&#8212;whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v38 v39" data-usfm="ACT.2.38+ACT.2.39"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v40" data-usfm="ACT.2.40"><span class="label">40</span><span class="content">He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, &#8220;Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v40" data-usfm="ACT.2.40"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v41 v42" data-usfm="ACT.2.41+ACT.2.42"><span class="label">41-42</span><span class="content">That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.</span></span></div><div class="pc"><span class="verse v41 v42" data-usfm="ACT.2.41+ACT.2.42"><span class="content">* * *</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v41 v42" data-usfm="ACT.2.41+ACT.2.42"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v43 v44 v45" data-usfm="ACT.2.43+ACT.2.44+ACT.2.45"><span class="label">43-45</span><span class="content">Everyone around was in awe&#8212;all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person&#8217;s need was met.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v43 v44 v45" data-usfm="ACT.2.43+ACT.2.44+ACT.2.45"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v46 v47" data-usfm="ACT.2.46+ACT.2.47"><span class="label">46-47</span><span class="content">They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.</span></span></div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>

When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.
There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were blown away. They couldn’t for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, “Aren’t these all Galileans? How come we’re hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?

Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;
Even Cretans and Arabs!

“They’re speaking our languages, describing God’s mighty works!”
Their heads were spinning; they couldn’t make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: “What’s going on here?”
Others joked, “They’re drunk on cheap wine.”

That’s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: “Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren’t drunk as some of you suspect. They haven’t had time to get drunk—it’s only nine o’clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:

“In the Last Days,” God says,
“I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I’ll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they’ll prophesy.
I’ll set wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below,
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
the Day tremendous and marvelous;
And whoever calls out for help
to me, God, will be saved.”

“Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge—this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. David said it all:

I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side.
I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.
I know you’ll never dump me in Hades;
I’ll never even smell the stench of death.
You’ve got my feet on the life-path,
with your face shining sun-joy all around.

“Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried—his tomb is in plain sight today. But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah—‘no trip to Hades, no stench of death.’ This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear. For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say,

God said to my Master, “Sit at my right hand
Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet.”

“All Israel, then, know this: There’s no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross.”
Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?”
Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”
He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”
That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.
* * *
Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.
They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

Listen to Acts 2