Acts 2

₁All the believers were together on the day of Pentecost. ₂They all heard something that came from heaven. It was like a strong wind that was blowing. They could hear it everywhere in the house. ₃Then they saw something which looked like tongues of fire, and a tongue of fire came onto every believer. ₄The Holy_Spirit came into all of them and they started to speak in other languages which the Holy Spirit helped them to do. ₅There were Jews from other parts of the world who worshipped God and who stayed in Jerusalem. ₆When they heard the sound of this strong wind, a lot of them came together at the house. They were all surprised because they heard the believers speaking in their languages and languages from other lands of the world. ₇They were amazed and said: ‘All these people who are talking in different languages come from Galilee. ₈We don't know what is happening, but we can all hear them speak in the language of our own home land. ₉We are Jews who come from different lands, from Parthia, Media and Elam. Some of the other Jews come from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, ₁₀Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, ₁₁Crete and Arabia. Some of us were born as Jews and some of us started to believe later in the God of the Jews. But we all hear them speaking in our own languages, telling us about the wonderful things that God has done.’

₁₂They were all amazed and confused. They asked each other: ‘What is happening?’

₁₃But some people mocked the believers and said: ‘They are drunk.’

₁₄Then Peter stood up with the other 11 apostles. He talked loudly so that all the people could hear him and he said: ‘Jewish friends and everyone who lives in Jerusalem, you must understand what is happening here and you must listen carefully to what I am telling you. ₁₅These people are not drunk. It is only the 3rd hour (9 o'clock in the morning). ₁₆What you see here are the things that the prophet Joel said. ₁₇He wrote:

₂₂Peter said: ‘People of Israel, you must listen carefully. You know that God sent Jesus of Nazareth to do great things and miracles and signs. God showed the people that it was He who sent Jesus to you. ₂₃Long ago God knew and He decided that He would give Jesus to you, and you gave Him to bad people who crucified and killed Him. ₂₄But God raised Jesus and freed Him from the power of death. He made Jesus live again. Death could not hold Him. ₂₅King David said things about himself and also about Jesus. David said:

₂₉Then Peter said: ‘Friends, you all know that our forefather David died and he was buried and that his tomb is here with us. ₃₀But David was a prophet and he knew that God had promised him that one of his descendants would one day be King and sit on his throne.

₃₁David saw what would happen later and he said that Christ would live again. David said God would not let his body die and stay in the grave. ₃₂God has raised Jesus and made Him live again. We have all seen Him and we are witnesses.

₃₃God took Jesus up into heaven and He said Jesus could sit next to Him, at the most important place. Then the Father gave Him the Holy_Spirit to give to us, as the Father had promised. This is what you see and hear now.

₃₄David did not go to heaven as Jesus did, so he was not talking about himself when he said:

₃₆All the people of Israel must know and it is sure: You have crucified Jesus, but God said that this Jesus would be the Lord and the Christ.’

₃₇When the people heard these words, they were sad and upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles: ‘Friends, what must we do?’ ₃₈Peter told them: ‘You must turn your lives to God and live as He wants. You must all be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins and God will give you the Holy_Spirit. ₃₉God has promised this to you and to your children and to all the people who are not Jews. Yes, God has promised this to all the people that the Lord our God will call to come to Him.’

₄₀Peter also told them a lot of other things and he warned the people and told them to listen carefully. He said: ‘You must ask God to save you. You must not be like the people of the world. You must not sin.’

₄₁A lot of people listened to Peter and accepted his words and they were baptised. There were about 3 000 people who started to believe on that day.

₄₂The believers did everything that the apostles taught them and they came together and prayed. ₄₃The Jews saw the miracles and signs that the apostles did and they were amazed. They knew that it was God who gave power to the apostles to do it. ₄₄All the believers were together and they gave their money and food to other believers. They did not keep it to themselves. ₄₅They sold their farms and homes and gave the money to people who were poor. ₄₆They went to the temple every day and they did not eat alone. They ate together in each other's homes and they were all very happy. ₄₇They praised God and all the people in Jerusalem liked them. The Lord saved more people every day and the group of believers became bigger every day.