Chapter 2

At length, on the day of the Harvest Festival, they had all met in one place;

when suddenly there came from the sky a sound as of a strong rushing blast of wind. This filled the whole house where they were sitting;

and they saw tongues of what looked like fire distributing themselves over the assembly, and on the head of each person a tongue alighted.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages according as the Spirit gave them words to utter.

Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every part of the world.

So when this noise was heard, they came crowding together, and were amazed because everyone heard his own language spoken.

They were beside themselves with wonder, and exclaimed, 'Are not all these speakers Galilaeans?

How then does each of us hear his own native language spoken by them?

Some of us are Parthians, Medes, Elamites. Some are inhabitants of Mesopotamia, of Judaea or Cappadocia, of Pontus or the Asian Province, of Phrygia or Pamphylia,

of Egypt or of the parts of Africa towards Cyrene. Others are visitors from Rome--being either Jews or converts from heathenism--and others are Cretans or Arabians.

Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our own language about the wonderful things which God has done.'

They were all astounded and bewildered, and asked one another, 'What can this mean?'

But others, scornfully jeering, said, 'They are brim-full of sweet wine.'

Peter however, together with the Eleven, stood up and addressed them in a loud voice. 'Men of Judaea, and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem,' he said, 'be in no uncertainty about this matter but pay attention to what I say.

For this is not intoxication, as you suppose, it being only the third hour of the day.

But that which was predicted through the Prophet Joel has happened:

'And it shall come to pass in the last days, God says, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall have dreams;

and even upon My bondservants, both men and women, at that time, I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

I will display marvels in the sky above, and signs on the earth below, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke.

The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, to usher in the day of the Lord-- that great and illustrious day;

and every one who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

'Listen, Israelites, to what I say. Jesus, the Nazarene, a man accredited to you from God by miracles and marvels and signs which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know, Him--

delivered up through God's settled purpose and foreknowledge--you by the hands of Gentiles have nailed to a cross and have put to death.

But God has raised Him to life, having terminated the throes of death, for in fact it was not possible for Him to be held fast by death.

For David says in reference to Him, ''I constantly fixed my eyes upon the Lord, because He is at my right hand in order that I may continue unshaken.

For this reason my heart is glad and my tongue exults. My body also shall rest in hope.

For Thou wilt not leave me in the Unseen World forsaken, nor give up Thy holy One to undergo decay.

Thou hast made known to me the ways of Life: Thou wilt fill me with gladness in Thy presence.'

'As to the patriarch David, I need hardly remind you, brethren, that he died and was buried, and that we still have his tomb among us.

Being a Prophet, however, and knowing that God had solemnly sworn to him to seat a descendant of his upon his throne,

with prophetic foresight he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, to the effect that He was not left forsaken in the Unseen World, nor did His body undergo decay.

This Jesus, God has raised to life-- a fact to which all of us testify.

'Being therefore lifted high by the mighty hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out this which you see and hear.

For David did not ascend into Heaven, but he says himself, ''The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand

until I make thy foes a footstool under thy feet.'

'Therefore let the whole House of Israel know beyond all doubt that God has made Him both LORD and CHRIST--this Jesus whom you crucified.'

Stung to the heart by these words, they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, 'Brethren, what are we to do?'

'Repent,' replied Peter, 'and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, with a view to the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For to you belongs the promise, and to your children, and to all who are far off, whoever the Lord our God may call.'

And with many more appeals he solemnly warned and entreated them, saying, 'Escape from this crooked generation.'

Those, therefore, who joyfully welcomed his Message were baptized; and on that one day about three thousand persons were added to them;

and they were constant in listening to the teaching of the Apostles and in their attendance at the Communion, that is, the Breaking of the Bread, and at prayer.

Fear came upon every one, and many marvels and signs were done by the Apostles.

And all the believers kept together, and had everything in common.

They sold their lands and other property, and distributed the proceeds among all, according to every one's necessities.

And, day by day, attending constantly in the Temple with one accord, and breaking bread in private houses, they took their meals with great happiness and single-heartedness,

praising God and being regarded with favour by all the people. Also, day by day, the Lord added to their number those whom He was saving.