Bible Study Acts 2
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Acts 2 · WEB

Pentecost and the Birth of the Church

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Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.
4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.
6When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.
7They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Behold, aren't all these who speak Galileans?
8How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?
9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,
10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!"
12They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?"
13Others, mocking, said, "They are filled with new wine."
14But 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.
15For these aren't drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.
16But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
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.
18Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
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,
23him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;
24whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.
25For 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.
26Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;
27because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
28You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.'
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.
30Therefore, 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,
31he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades, nor did his flesh see decay.
32This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
33Being 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.
34For David didn't ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit by my right hand,
35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'
36"Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."
37Now 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?"
38Peter 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.
39For 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."
40With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation!"
41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.
42They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
43Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44All who believed were together, and had all things in common.
45They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.
46Day 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,
47praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.
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Summary

On the feast of Pentecost the Holy Spirit comes with the sound of wind and tongues of fire, and the 120 disciples begin praising God in languages they have never learned, drawing a crowd from across the Roman world. Peter, who weeks earlier denied Jesus, stands and preaches the first Christian sermon — explaining that Joel's prophecy has been fulfilled, that David foresaw Jesus' resurrection, and that the same Jesus they crucified has been made Lord and Christ. Three thousand are cut to the heart, repent, and are baptized, and the new community devotes itself to apostolic teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer, with daily additions of those being saved.

Themes

  • The promised outpouring of the Spirit
  • Reversal of Babel — every language hearing God's mighty works
  • Jesus crucified, raised, and exalted as Lord
  • Repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Spirit
  • A new community marked by teaching, fellowship, generosity, and worship

Key verses

  • Acts 2:21 — “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
  • Acts 2:36 — “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
  • Acts 2:4 — “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.”
  • Acts 2:42 — “They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.”

Context & background

Pentecost (Greek for "fiftieth") fell fifty days after Passover, c. AD 30, in Jerusalem (modern Israel). It was the Feast of Weeks (*Shavuot*), one of three pilgrim feasts at which Jewish men were expected to come to Jerusalem; by the first century it celebrated both the harvest and the giving of the Law at Sinai — making this the perfect day for a new covenant outpouring of the Spirit on the heart. The visitors listed (vv. 9-11) span the diaspora from Parthia (modern Iran) and Mesopotamia (Iraq) through Asia Minor (Turkey), Egypt and Libya (north Africa), and as far west as Rome — a preview of the gospel's worldwide spread. The "third hour" (v. 15) is about 9 a.m., far too early for drunkenness. Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32 and Psalms 16 and 110, treating the Old Testament as one continuous testimony to Jesus. Davidic kingship and the Holy Spirit converge here: David's tomb (v. 29) was on Mount Zion, well known to his hearers — making the resurrection contrast undeniable.

Cross-references

  • Exodus 19 — God's descent on Sinai in fire, wind, and voice — the OT shadow of Pentecost.
  • Genesis 11:1-9 — Babel scatters humanity by confusing languages; Pentecost gathers them by transcending languages.
  • Joel 2:28-32 — Quoted in vv. 17-21, the prophetic anchor of Peter's sermon.
  • Psalm 110:1 — Quoted in vv. 34-35, the most-cited OT verse in the NT, on Jesus' enthronement.
  • Psalm 16:8-11 — Quoted in vv. 25-28, applied to Jesus' resurrection.

Check your reading

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  1. Observe

    What outward signs accompanied the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:2-3)?

  2. Observe

    Approximately how many people were baptized and added to the church on the day of Pentecost after Peter's sermon?

  3. Interpret

    Why does Peter quote the prophet Joel at the opening of his Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:16-21)?

  4. Interpret

    What does Peter argue in Acts 2:29-35 by pointing to David's tomb still being present in Jerusalem?

  5. Apply

    Acts 2:42 describes four practices to which the early believers "continued steadfastly." Which list is correct?

  6. Apply

    The crowd at Pentecost was "cut to the heart" and asked what to do (Acts 2:37). What does Peter call them to do, and what does he promise as a result?

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