Acts 2
1 And in the day of the Pentecost being fulfilled, they were all with one accord at the same place,
On the day when [the Jews were celebrating the] Pentecost [festival], the [believers] were all together in one place [in Jerusalem].
2 and there came suddenly out of the heaven a sound as of a bearing violent breath, 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 and there appeared to them divided tongues, as it were of fire; it sat also upon each one 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 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, according as the Spirit was giving them to declare.
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 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation of those under the heaven,
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 and the rumour of this having come, the multitude came together, and was confounded, because they were each one hearing them speaking in his proper dialect,
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 and they were all amazed, and did wonder, saying one unto another, 'Lo, are not all these who are speaking 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 and how do we hear, each in our proper dialect, in which we were born?
([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, and Medes, and Elamites, and those dwelling in Mesopotamia, in Judea also, and Cappadocia, Pontus, and 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 also, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya, that [are] along Cyrene, and the strangers of 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 Cretes and Arabians, we did hear them speaking in our tongues the great things 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 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one unto another, 'What would this wish to be?'
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 and others mocking said, — 'They are full of sweet 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 and Peter having stood up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and declared to them, 'Men, Jews! and all those dwelling in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and harken to my sayings,
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 are not drunken, as ye take it up, for it is 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 that which hath 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 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall 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 and also upon My men-servants, and upon My maid-servants, in those days, I will pour out of My Spirit, and they shall 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 and I will give wonders in the heaven above, and signs upon the earth beneath — blood, and fire, and vapour 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 shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the day of the Lord — the great and illustrious;
[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 and it shall be, every one — whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, he shall 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, Israelites! hear these words, Jesus the Nazarene, a man approved of God among you by mighty works, and wonders, and signs, that God did through him in the midst of you, according as also ye yourselves have known;
[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 this one, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, being given out, having taken by lawless hands, having crucified — ye did slay;
[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 did raise up, having loosed the pains of the death, because it was not possible for him to 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 saith in regard to him: I foresaw the Lord always before me — because He is on my right hand — that I may 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 because of this was my heart cheered, and my tongue was glad, and yet — my flesh also shall rest on 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 Thou wilt not leave my soul to hades, nor wilt Thou give Thy Kind One to see corruption; (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 Thou didst make known to me ways of life, Thou shalt fill me with joy with Thy countenance.
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 'Men, brethren! it is permitted to speak with freedom unto you concerning the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is among us unto 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 a prophet, therefore, being, and knowing that with an oath God did swear to him, out of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, to raise up the Christ, to sit upon 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 having foreseen, he did speak concerning the rising again of the Christ, that his soul was not left to hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. (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 did God raise up, of which we are all 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 at the right hand then of God having been exalted — also the promise of the Holy Spirit having received from the Father — he was shedding forth this, which now ye 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 did not go up to the heavens, and he saith himself: The Lord saith to my lord, Sit thou at 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 till I make thy foes thy footstool;
while I completely defeat [MTY] your enemies.’”
36 assuredly, therefore, let all the house of Israel know, that both Lord and Christ did God make him — this Jesus whom ye did crucify.'
[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 And having heard, they were pricked to the heart; they say also to Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, 'What shall we do, men, brethren?'
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 and Peter said unto them, 'Reform, and be baptized each of you on the name of Jesus Christ, to remission of sins, and ye shall 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 to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all those afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call.'
[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 Also with many more other words he was testifying and exhorting, saying, 'Be saved from this perverse 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, indeed, who did gladly receive his word were baptized, and there were added on that day, as it were, 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 and they were continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles, and the fellowship, and the breaking of the bread, and the prayers.
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 And fear came on every soul, many wonders also and signs were being 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 and all those believing were at the same place, and had all things 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 and the possessions and the goods they were selling, and were parting them to all, according as any one 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 Daily also continuing with one accord in the temple, breaking also at every house bread, they were partaking of food in gladness and simplicity 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 favour with all the people, and the Lord was adding those being saved every day to the assembly.
[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].
