The Early Church

Then they drew lots to decide between the two, and the lot fell to Mattityahu. So he was added to the eleven emissaries.

The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place.

Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them.

They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

Now there were staying in Yerushalayim religious Jews from every nation under heaven.

When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered; they were confused, because each one heard the believers speaking in his own language.

Totally amazed, they asked, “How is this possible? Aren’t all these people who are speaking from the Galil?

How is it that we hear them speaking in our native languages?

We are Parthians, Medes, Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Y’hudah, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,

Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome;

Jews by birth and proselytes; Jews from Crete and from Arabia. . . ! How is it that we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great things God has done?”

Amazed and confused, they all went on asking each other, “What can this mean?”

But others made fun of them and said, “They’ve just had too much wine!”

Then Kefa stood up with the Eleven and raised his voice to address them: “You Judeans, and all of you staying here in Yerushalayim! Let me tell you what this means! Listen carefully to me!

“These people ar en’t drunk, as you suppose — it’s only nine in the morning.

No, this is what was spoken about through the prophet Yo’el:

‘Adonai says: “In the Last Days, I will pour out from my Spirit upon everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my slaves, both men and women, will I pour out from my Spirit in those days; and they will prophesy.

I will perform miracles in the sky above and signs on the earth below — blood, fire and thick smoke.

The sun will become dark and the moon blood before the great and fearful Day of Adonai comes.

And then, whoever calls on the name of Adonai will be saved.”’

“Men of Isra’el! Listen to this! Yeshua from Natzeret was a man demonstrated to you to have been from God by the powerful works, miracles and signs that God performed through him in your presence. You yourselves know this.

This man was arrested in accordance with God’s predetermined plan and foreknowledge; and, through the agency of persons not bound by the Torah, you nailed him up on a stake and killed him!

“But God has raised him up and freed him from the suffering of death; it was impossible that death could keep its hold on him.