< Acts 2 >
1 On the day when [the Jews were celebrating the] Pentecost [festival], the [believers] were all together in one place [in Jerusalem].
2 Suddenly [they heard] a noise [coming] from the sky [that sounded] like a strong wind. Everyone in the entire house where they were sitting heard the noise.
3 Then they saw [what looked] like flames of fire. These flames separated [from one another], and [one of them] came down on [the head of] each of the believers.
4 Then all of the believers were (completely controlled/empowered) by the Holy Spirit {the Holy Spirit (completely controlled/empowered) all of the believers}, and he enabled them to begin speaking other languages [MTY] [that they had not learned].
5 At that time [many] Jews were staying in Jerusalem [to celebrate the Pentecost festival. They were people who] always tried to obey [the Jewish] laws. [They had come] from many different [HYP] countries.
6 When they heard that [loud] noise [like a wind], a crowd came together [to the place where the believers were]. The crowd (was amazed/did not know what to think), because each of them was hearing [one of] the believers speaking in that person’s own language.
7 They were completely amazed, and they said [to each other], “All these men who are speaking have [RHQ] [always] resided in Galilee [district, so they would not know our languages].
8 ([We(inc) do not understand] how these men can speak our own native languages!/How can these men speak our own native languages?) [RHQ] [But] all of us hear them [doing that]
9 [Some of us are from the regions of] Parthia and Media and Elam, and [others of us] reside [in the regions of] Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia.
10 There are some from Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the regions in Libya [that are] near Cyrene [city]. [There are others of us] who are [here] visiting [Jerusalem] from Rome.
11 [They include native] Jews as well as non-Jews who have accepted what we Jews believe. And others of us are from Crete [Island] and from [the region of] Arabia. [So how is it that these people] are speaking our languages [MTY], telling us [about] (the great/the mighty things) [that] God has done?”
12 All [those people] were amazed, and did not know what to think [about what was happening]. So they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 But [some] of them (made fun of/laughed at) [those who believed in Jesus]. They said, “[These people are talking like this because] they are drunk!”
14 So Peter stood up with the [other] eleven [apostles] and spoke loudly to the [crowd of] people, saying, “[My] fellow Jews and you [others] who are staying in Jerusalem, listen to me, all of you, and I will explain to you what is happening!
15 [Some of] you think that [we(exc) are drunk], but we are not drunk. It is [only] nine o’clock in the morning, [and people here never get drunk this early] in the day!
16 Instead, [what has happened to us is] the [miraculous] thing that the prophet Joel wrote about [long ago]. [Joel wrote]: God says,
17 ‘During the last/final days [before I judge all people], I will give my Spirit abundantly/generously to people [SYN] everywhere. [As a result], your sons and daughters will tell [people] messages from me, the young men among you will see visions [from me], and the old men among you will have dreams [that I will give them].
18 During those days I will abundantly/generously give my Spirit [even] to men and women believers [who are] my slaves/servants, so they can tell [people] messages from me.
19 I will cause amazing things to happen in the sky, and I will do miracles on the earth that will show [that I am powerful]. [Here] on the earth [CHI] I [will cause wars with] blood, fire and thick/dark smoke [everywhere].
20 [In the sky] the sun will [appear] dark [to people] and the moon [will appear] red [to them. Those things will happen] before the important and splendid/amazing day [MTY] [when I], the Lord [God, will come to judge everyone].
21 [Before that time], all those who ask [me] [MTY] [to save them from the guilt of their sins] will be saved {[I], the Lord, will save all those who ask [me] [MTY] [to save them from the guilt of their sins].}’”
22 [Peter continued], “[My fellow] Israelites, listen to me! [When] Jesus from Nazareth [town lived] among you, God proved to you [that he had sent him] by enabling him to do many amazing miracles. You yourselves know [that this is true].
23 [Even though you knew that], you turned this man [Jesus] over to his enemies. [However], God had already planned for that, and he knew all about it. Then you urged men [SYN] who do not obey [God’s] law to kill Jesus. They did that by nailing him to a cross.
24 He suffered terribly [when he died, but God caused him to become alive again]. God did not let him continue to be dead, because it was not possible for him [PRS] to remain dead.”
25 “[Long ago King] David wrote [what] the Messiah [said], “knew [that] you, Lord [God, would always] be near me. You are right beside [MTY] me, so I will not be afraid of [those who want to harm me].
26 Because of that I [SYN] joyfully praise [you, O God]. And I am completely confident that [you(sg) will] ([cause my body] to become alive [again]/[raise me from the dead]).
27 You will not allow my spirit to remain in the place where the dead are. You will not [even] let my body decay, [because] I am devoted to you and always obey [you]. (Hadēs )
28 You have told me [that you will cause my body] to become alive [again]. You will make me very happy [because] you will be with me [forever].”
29 [Peter] continued, “My fellow Jews, I can tell you confidently that [our royal] ancestor, [King] David, died, and that his [body] was buried {that [people] buried his [body]}. And the place [where they] buried his body is [still] here today.
30 So [we(inc) know that David was not speaking those words about himself. But] because he was a prophet, [he spoke about the Messiah]. David knew that God had strongly promised him that he would cause one of his descendants to become king [MTY] like David was king. (OR, to [be the Messiah who would] rule [God’s people] like David had ruled [them].)
31 David knew beforehand [what God would do], so he [was able to] say that God would cause the Messiah to live again [after he died]. He said that God would not let the Messiah remain in the place of the dead, nor let his body decay.” (Hadēs )
32 “[After] this [man] Jesus [had died], God caused him to become alive [again]. All of us(exc), [his followers], have seen [and tell people] that Jesus has become alive again.
33 God has greatly honored Jesus [by causing him to rule] right beside him [MTY] [in heaven]. Jesus has received the Holy Spirit from [God] his Father, [just like] God promised. [So] Jesus has generously/abundantly given us the Holy Spirit, [and he has shown that by] what you are seeing and hearing.
34 [We(inc) know that David was not speaking about himself] because David did not go up into heaven [as Jesus did]. [Besides that], David himself said [this about the Messiah]: The Lord [God] said to my Lord [the Messiah], ‘Reign here beside me,
35 while I completely defeat [MTY] your enemies.’”
36 [Peter concluded], “So I [want you and] all [other] Israelites [MTY] to acknowledge that God has caused this Jesus to be both [our] Lord/Ruler and the Messiah. [But God considers that] you are the ones who nailed Jesus to a cross.”
37 When the people heard what [Peter said], they felt very guilty [IDM]. So they asked him and the other apostles, “Fellow-countrymen, what should we [(exc)] do [so that God will forgive us]?”
38 Peter [answered] them, “Each of you should turn away from your sinful behavior. Then [we(exc)] will baptize you, if [you now believe] in Jesus Christ. Then [God] will give you the Holy Spirit.
39 [God] has promised [to do that] [MTY] for you and your descendants, and for all [others who believe in him], even those who [live] far away [from here]. The Lord our God [will give his Spirit] to everyone whom he invites [to become his people]!”
40 Peter spoke much more [and] spoke strongly/forcefully to them. He pleaded with them, “[Ask God] to save you [so that he will not punish you when he punishes] these evil people [who have rejected Jesus]!”
41 So the people who believed Peter’s message were baptized. There were about 3,000 [SYN] [who] joined the group [of believers] that day.
42 They continually obeyed what the apostles taught, and they very frequently met together [with the other believers]. And they continually ate [together and celebrated the Lord’s Supper], and continually prayed [together].
43 All the people [SYN] [who were in Jerusalem] were greatly revering [God because] the apostles were frequently doing many kinds of miraculous things.
44 All of those who believed [in Jesus] were united [and regularly met] together. They were also sharing everything that they had with one another.
45 [From time to time some of] them sold [some of] their land and [some of the other] things that they owned, and they would give [some of] the money [from what they sold] to others [among them], according to what they needed.
46 Every day they continued meeting together in the temple [area]. And every day they gladly and generously shared their food [SYN] [with each other], as they ate together [and celebrated the Lord’s Supper] in their houses.
47 [As they did so], they were praising God, and all the [other] people [in Jerusalem] were [thinking] favorably about them. [As those things were happening], every day the Lord [Jesus] increased the number of people who were being saved {whom he was saving} [from the guilt of their sins].
