Acts 2
1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.
On the day when [the Jews were celebrating the] Pentecost [festival], the [believers] were all together in one place [in Jerusalem].
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.
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 Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.
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 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
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 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.
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 this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.
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 all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans?
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 How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?
([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 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,
[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 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
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 Cretans and Arabians—we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!”
[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 They were all amazed and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
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 Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”
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 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.
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 For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.
[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 But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
Instead, [what has happened to us is] the [miraculous] thing that the prophet Joel wrote about [long ago]. [Joel wrote]: God says,
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.
‘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 Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
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 show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
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 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
[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 It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
[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 “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,
[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 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;
[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 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.
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 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.
“[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 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope,
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 because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay. (Hadēs g86)
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 g86)
28 You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
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 “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.
[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 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,
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 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. (Hadēs g86)
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 g86)
32 This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
“[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 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.
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 For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand
[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 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’
while I completely defeat [MTY] your enemies.’”
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 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 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?”
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 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.
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 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.”
[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 With many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
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 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.
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 continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
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 Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
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 who believed were together, and had all things in common.
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 They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.
[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 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,
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 praising God and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.
[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].
