Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. f 2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind g came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. h 3 And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled i with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different * languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech. j

5 There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation k under heaven. 6 When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were astounded and amazed, saying, l “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? m 8 How is it that each of us can hear in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and * Asia, n 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and * proselytes, o 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking the magnificent acts of God in our own languages.” 12 They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What could this be?” 13 But some sneered and said, “They’re full of new wine!” p

Peter’s Sermon

14 But Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Men of Judah and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this q to you and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning. r 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 And it will be in the last days, says God,

that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;

then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams. s

18 I will even pour out My Spirit

on My male and female * slaves in those days,

and they will prophesy. t

19 I will display wonders in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below:

blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.

20 The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood u

before the great and remarkable Day of the Lord v comes.

21 Then everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved. w x

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the * Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, just as you yourselves know. y 23 Though He was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used z lawless people a to nail Him to a cross and kill Him. b 24 God raised Him up, ending the pains of death, c because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. 25 For David says of Him:

I saw the Lord ever before me;

because He is at my right hand,

I will not be shaken.

26 Therefore my heart was glad,

and my tongue rejoiced.

Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,

27 because You will not leave me in * Hades

or allow Your Holy One to see decay. d

28 You have revealed the paths of life to me;

You will fill me with gladness

in Your presence. e f

29 “* Brothers, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. g 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants h i on his throne. j 31 Seeing this in advance, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the * Messiah:

He k was not left in Hades,

and His flesh did not experience decay. l m

32 “God has resurrected n this Jesus. We are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand of God o and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, p He has poured out q what you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:

The Lord declared to my Lord,

‘Sit at My right hand

35 until I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ r s

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!” t

Forgiveness through the Messiah

37 When they heard this, they came under deep conviction u and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?” v

38 “Repent,” w Peter said to them, “and be baptized, x each of you, in the name y of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, z a as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 And with many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt b generation!” c

A Generous and Growing Church

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, d to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. e

43 Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. f 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. g 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need. h 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the * temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, i 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them j those who were being saved. k

Healing of a Lame Man

3 Now Peter and John were going up together to the * temple complex at the hour of prayer l at three in the afternoon. m 2 And a man who was lame from birth was carried there and placed every day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so he could beg from those entering the temple complex. n 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple complex, he asked for help. 4 Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, “Look at us.” 5 So he turned to them, o expecting to get something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ the * Nazarene, get up and walk!” p 7 Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong. 8 So he jumped up, stood, and started to walk, and he entered the temple complex with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. q 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple complex. So they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him. r

Preaching in Solomon’s Colonnade

11 While he s was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, greatly amazed, ran toward them in what is called Solomon’s Colonnade. t 12 When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Or why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk by our own power or godliness? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, u has glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of * Pilate, v when he had decided to release Him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One w and asked to have a murderer given to you. x 15 You killed the source y of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this. z 16 By faith in His name, His name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Him has given him this perfect health in front of all of you.

17 “And now, * brothers, I know that you did it in ignorance, just as your leaders also did. a 18 But what God predicted through the mouth of all the prophets—that His * Messiah would suffer—He has fulfilled b in this way. 19 Therefore repent c and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, d that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, e 20 and that He may send Jesus, who has been appointed f for you as the Messiah. 21 Heaven must welcome g Him until the times of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about by the mouth of His holy prophets from the beginning. h 22 Moses said: i

The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He will say to you. 23 And everyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from the people. j k

24 “In addition, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, have also announced these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, And all the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring. l m 26 God raised up His Servant n and sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.” o

Peter and John Arrested

4 Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple police, and the * Sadducees confronted them, p 2 because they were provoked that they were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus as the example. q r 3 So they seized them and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about 5,000.

Peter and John Face the Jewish Leadership

5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and * scribes assembled in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family. s t 7 After they had Peter and John stand before them, they asked the question: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”

8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders: u v 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man—by what means he was healed— 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the * Nazarene—whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing here before you healthy. w 11 This Jesus is

the stone rejected by you builders,

which has become the cornerstone. x y z

12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.” a

The Name Forbidden

13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus. b 14 And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in response. 15 After they had ordered them to leave the * Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign, evident to all who live in Jerusalem, has been done through them, and we cannot deny it! c 17 However, so this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” 18 So they called for them and ordered them not to preach or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; d 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” e

21 After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them, because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done; f 22 for this sign of healing had been performed on a man over 40 years old.

Prayer for Boldness

23 After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the * chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, “Master, You are the One who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them. g 25 You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David Your servant: h

Why did the Gentiles rage

and the peoples plot futile things?

26 The kings of the earth took their stand

and the rulers assembled together

against the Lord and against His * Messiah. i j

27 “For, in fact, in this city both * Herod and Pontius * Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people k of Israel, assembled together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, l 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your * slaves may speak Your message with complete boldness, m 30 while You stretch out Your hand for healing, signs, and wonders n to be performed through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness. o

Believers Sharing

32 Now the large group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common. p 33 And the apostles were giving testimony with great power to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. q 34 For there was not a needy person among them, because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, r 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed for each person’s basic needs. s t

36 Joseph, a Levite and a Cypriot by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas, which is translated Son of Encouragement, u 37 sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. v

Lying to the Holy Spirit

5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. 2 However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. w

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart x to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds from the field? 4 Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God!” 5 When he heard these words, Ananias dropped dead, and a great fear came on all who heard. y 6 The young men got up, wrapped his body, carried him out, and buried him. z

7 There was an interval of about three hours; then his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 “Tell me,” Peter asked her, “did you sell the field for this price?”

“Yes,” she said, “for that price.”

9 Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” a

10 Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband. 11 Then great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard these things.

Apostolic Signs and Wonders

12 Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. b By common consent they would all meet in Solomon’s Colonnade. c 13 None of the rest dared to join them, but the people praised them highly. d 14 Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow e might fall on some of them. 16 In addition, a large group came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by * unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

In and Out of Prison

17 Then the high priest took action. He and all his colleagues, those who belonged to the party of the * Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. f 18 So they arrested g the apostles and put them in the city jail. h 19 But an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said, i 20 “Go and stand in the * temple complex, and tell the people all about this life.” j 21 In obedience to this, they entered the temple complex at daybreak and began to teach.

The Apostles on Trial Again

When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the * Sanhedrin—the full Senate of the sons of Israel—and sent orders to the jail to have them brought. k 22 But when the temple police got there, they did not find them in the jail, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing in front of the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” 24 As l the commander of the temple police and the * chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, as to what could come of this.

25 Someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple complex and teaching the people.” 26 Then the commander went with the temple police and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them. m 27 After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked, 28 “Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach in this name? n And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to bring this man’s blood on us!” o

29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, p whom you had murdered by hanging Him on a tree. q 31 God exalted this man to His right hand as ruler and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. r 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit s whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Gamaliel’s Advice

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. t 34 A * Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men u to be taken outside for a little while. v 35 He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you’re going to do to these men. 36 Not long ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about 400 men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his partisans were dispersed and came to nothing. w 37 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. x That man also perished, and all his partisans were scattered. 38 And now, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of men, it will be overthrown; y 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” So they were persuaded by him. z 40 After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. a 41 Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonored on behalf of the Name. b c 42 Every day in the temple complex, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the * Messiah.