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Acts 2
International Children’s Bible
Acts 2
International Children’s Bible
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a noise came from heaven. It sounded like a strong wind blowing. This noise filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw something that looked like flames of fire. The flames were separated and stood over each person there. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages. The Holy Spirit was giving them the power to speak these languages.
5 There were some religious Jews staying in Jerusalem who were from every country in the world. 6 When they heard this noise, a crowd came together. They were all surprised, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were completely amazed at this. They said, “Look! Aren’t all these men that we hear speaking from Galilee?[a] 8 But each of us hears them in his own language. How is this possible? We are from different places: 9 Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the areas of Libya near Cyrene, Rome 11 (both Jews and those who had become Jews), Crete and Arabia. But we hear these men telling in our own languages about the great things God has done!” 12 They were all amazed and confused. They asked each other, “What does this mean?”
13 But others were making fun of them, saying, “They have had too much wine.”
Peter Speaks to the People
14 But Peter stood up with the 11 apostles. In a loud voice he spoke to the crowd: “My fellow Jews, and all of you who are in Jerusalem, listen to me. Pay attention to what I have to say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you think; it is only nine o’clock in the morning! 16 But Joel the prophet wrote about what is happening here today:
17 ‘God says: In the last days
I will give my Spirit freely to all kinds of people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams.
Your young men will see visions.
18 At that time I will give my Spirit
even to my servants, both men and women.
And they will prophesy.
19 I will show miracles
in the sky and on the earth:
blood, fire and thick smoke.
20 The sun will become dark.
The moon will become red as blood.
And then the great and glorious day of the Lord will come.
21 Then anyone who asks the Lord for help
will be saved.’ Joel 2:28-32
22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a very special man. God clearly showed this to you by the miracles, wonders, and signs God did through him. You all know this, because it happened right here among you. 23 Jesus was given to you, and you killed him. With the help of evil men you nailed him to a cross. But God knew all this would happen. This was God’s plan which he had made long ago. 24 God raised Jesus from death. God set him free from the pain of death. Death could not hold him. 25 For David said this about him:
‘I keep the Lord before me always.
Because he is close by my side,
I will not be hurt.
26 So I am glad, and I rejoice.
Even my body has hope.
27 This is because you will not leave me in the grave.
You will not let your Holy One rot.
28 You will teach me God’s way to live.
Being with you will fill me with joy.’ Psalm 16:8-11
29 “Brothers, I can tell you truly about David, our ancestor. He died and was buried. His grave is still here with us today. 30 David was a prophet and knew what God had said. God had promised David that he would make a person from David’s family a king just as he was.[b] 31 David knew this before it happened. That is why he said:
‘He was not left in the grave.
His body did not rot.’
David was talking about the Christ rising from death. 32 So Jesus is the One who God raised from death! And we are all witnesses to this. 33 Jesus was lifted up to heaven and is now at God’s right side. The Father has given the Holy Spirit to Jesus as he promised. So now Jesus has poured out that Spirit. This is what you see and hear. 34 David was not the one who was lifted up to heaven. But he said:
‘The Lord said to my Lord:
Sit by me at my right side,
35 until I put your enemies under your control.’[c] Psalm 110:1
36 “So, all the people of Israel should know this truly: God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ. He is the man you nailed to the cross!”
37 When the people heard this, they were sick at heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do?”
38 Peter said to them, “Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is for you. It is also for your children and for all who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself.”
40 Peter warned them with many other words. He begged them, “Save yourselves from the evil of today’s people!” 41 Then those people who accepted what Peter said were baptized. About 3,000 people were added to the number of believers that day. 42 They spent their time learning the apostles’ teaching. And they continued to share, to break bread,[d] and to pray together.
The Believers Share
43 The apostles were doing many miracles and signs. And everyone felt great respect for God. 44 All the believers stayed together. They shared everything. 45 They sold their land and the things they owned. Then they divided the money and gave it to those people who needed it. 46 The believers met together in the Temple every day. They all had the same purpose. They broke bread in their homes, happy to share their food with joyful hearts. 47 They praised God, and all the people liked them. More and more people were being saved every day; the Lord was adding those people to the group of believers.
Footnotes
- 2:7 from Galilee The people thought men from Galilee could speak only their own language.
- 2:30 God . . . was. See 2 Samuel 7:13; Psalm 132:11.
- 2:35 until . . . control Literally, “until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
- 2:42 break bread This may mean a meal as in verse 46, or the Lord’s Supper, the special meal Jesus told his followers to eat to remember him (Luke 22:14–20).
Acts 2
New International Version
Acts 2
New International Version
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
2 When the day of Pentecost(A) came, they were all together(B) in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.(C) 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit(D) and began to speak in other tongues[a](E) as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing(F) Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed,(G) they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?(H) 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,(I) Pontus(J) and Asia,[b](K) 10 Phrygia(L) and Pamphylia,(M) Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;(N) visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”(O)
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!(P) 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.(Q)
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,(R)
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.(S)
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,(T)
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood(U)
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord(V) will be saved.’[c](W)
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth(X) was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,(Y) which God did among you through him,(Z) as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;(AA) and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.(AB) 24 But God raised him from the dead,(AC) freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.(AD) 25 David said about him:
“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.(AE)
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’[e](AF)
29 “Fellow Israelites,(AG) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch(AH) David died and was buried,(AI) and his tomb is here(AJ) to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.(AK) 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.(AL) 32 God has raised this Jesus to life,(AM) and we are all witnesses(AN) of it. 33 Exalted(AO) to the right hand of God,(AP) he has received from the Father(AQ) the promised Holy Spirit(AR) and has poured out(AS) what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’[f](AT)
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord(AU) and Messiah.”(AV)
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”(AW)
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,(AX) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.(AY) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(AZ) 39 The promise is for you and your children(BA) and for all who are far off(BB)—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”(BC) 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number(BD) that day.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching(BE) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread(BF) and to prayer.(BG) 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.(BH) 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.(BI) 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.(BJ) 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.(BK) They broke bread(BL) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.(BM) And the Lord added to their number(BN) daily those who were being saved.
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The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.