Acts chapter 2
On the Jewish feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit arrives like fire. Peter boldly preaches faith in Jesus Christ and tells the crowd to accept Jesus Christ.
THE ARRIVAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
VERSE 1. Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Acts of the Apostles and from the entire Bible.
the day of Pentecost had come. They were observant Jewish people. They had gathered together in sacred assembly:
Leviticus 23:21. You shall make proclamation on the same day that there shall be a holy convocation to you. You shall do no regular work. This is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
they were all with one accord. They were unified. They were not bickering. They were not fighting each other. They were not embroiled in political struggles.
In our day, many Christians lament that they do not feel the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Maybe the reason is that we Christians are so disunified. We bicker and fight. We embroil ourselves in political struggles against each other. We act as if there is a civil war within Christianity.
VERSE 2. Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
the rushing of a mighty wind. The Holy Spirit is like a mighty wind. Is the wind of the Holy Spirit in your life?
VERSE 3. Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.
Tongues like fire. When the Holy Spirit is in your life, you will have FIRE. Are you on fire for the LORD God? If not, how can you get on fire? Read more »
VERSE 4. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
speak with other languages. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you might be able to speak in languages that you do not know. Can you speak in tongues?
Luke 3:16. John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,
VERSE 5. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.
VERSE 6. When this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.
VERSE 7. They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans?
VERSE 8. How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?
VERSE 9. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,
VERSE 10. Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
VERSE 11. Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!”
VERSE 12. They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
VERSE 13. Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”
PETER BOLDLY PREACHES FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
VERSE 14. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
listen to my words. Peter saw an opportunity to evangelize. He took a chance and spoke about Jesus Christ with non-Christians.
We believers are called to speak about Jesus Christ with non-Christians. That is called the ministry of Evangelism.
VERSE 15. For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.
VERSE 16. But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
VERSE 17. ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.
Your old men will dream dreams. In ancient times, the LORD God sometimes made his guidance known to people in their dreams. Even today, this is still possible for the all-powerful LORD God. Read more »
VERSE 18. Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
Joel 2:29. And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit.
VERSE 19. I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
Joel 2:30. I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.
VERSE 20. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
Joel 2:31. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.
VERSE 21. It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Acts of the Apostles and from the entire Bible.
This verse is referred to in a famous book on continuous prayer called The Way of a Pilgrim.
Joel 2:32. It will happen that whoever will call on the LORD’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the remnant, those whom the LORD calls.
whoever will call on the name of the Lord. The Lord Jesus used the word “whoever.” He has no restrictions on who can be saved.
will be saved. Simply by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus, we can be saved. That is so simple!
VERSE 22. “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,
VERSE 23. him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;
VERSE 24. whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.
VERSE 25. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
VERSE 26. Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;
VERSE 27. because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
VERSE 28. You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
VERSE 29. “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
VERSE 30. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,
VERSE 31. he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades, and his flesh didn’t see decay.
VERSE 32. This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
VERSE 33. Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear.
right hand. The Bible often mentions “the right hand” of God. That is a position of power and honor. We believe it refers to Jesus Christ. More verses about the right hand.
VERSE 34. For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand
right hand. The Bible often mentions “the right hand” of God. That is a position of power and honor. We believe it refers to Jesus Christ. More verses about the right hand.
VERSE 35. until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’
VERSE 36. “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
PETER TELLS THEM TO ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST
VERSE 37. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
VERSE 38. Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ … Holy Spirit. Where is the Holy Trinity defined or alluded to in the New Testament? Here are the verses we found.
Peter said to them. Peter did not stop too soon. He said the most important part of evangelism. He told them what they should do in order to become a Christian.
For most of us, this last bit is the hardest part of evangelism. Yet without it, the non-Christian will not know what to do.
VERSE 39. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
VERSE 40. With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
VERSE 41. Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.
THE BELIEVERS FORM A COMMUNITY
VERSE 42. They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
VERSE 43. Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
VERSE 44. All who believed were together, and had all things in common.
had all things in common. The first Christians were socialists.
The Bible calls us to support the people who teach us in the faith. Read more »
VERSE 45. They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.
The Bible calls us to support the people who teach us in the faith. Read more »
VERSE 46. Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
VERSE 47. praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.
ACTS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.