Pentecost
Pentecost was the Feast of Weeks, one of the three pilgrim festivals, which is why Jerusalem was full of Jews from across the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia. The disciples are together when a sound like a rushing wind fills the house and what look like tongues of fire rest on each of them.
The crowd's bewilderment is specific: each hears the message in the language of the place they came from, and Luke lists fifteen of them. Some conclude the speakers are drunk.
Peter — the man who three months earlier denied knowing Jesus to a servant girl — stands up and preaches. He notes it is only nine in the morning, quotes Joel on the Spirit poured out on all flesh, and puts the crucifixion and resurrection to the crowd directly. About three thousand are baptised, and the chapter closes with a description of the new community holding things in common.
Where in scripture
[28] “It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. [29] And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit. [30] I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke. [31] The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. [32] It will happen that whoever will call on Yahweh’s name shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the remnant, those whom Yahweh calls.
Joel 2:28–32
[1] Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. [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. [3] Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. [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. [5] Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. [6] When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. [7] They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? …
Acts 2:1–13 — opening verses
[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. [15] For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day. [16] But 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. [18] Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy. [19] I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke. …
Acts 2:14–41 — opening verses
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
