SCRIPTURE: Acts 2:1-17, The Voice Translation – as a first person, present tense, account
When the holy day of Pentecost came [50 days after the festival of Passover], they were gathered together in one place.
2 [Picture yourself among the disciples]:
A sound, roars from the sky without warning, the roar of a violent wind, and the whole house where you are gathered reverberates with the sound.
3 Then a flame appears, dividing into smaller flames and spreading from one person to the next.
4 All the people present are filled with the Holy Spirit and begin speaking in languages they’ve never spoken, as the Spirit empowers them.
5 Because of the holy festival, there are devout Jews staying as pilgrims in Jerusalem from every nation under the sun. 6 They hear the sound, and a crowd gathers.
They are amazed because each of them can hear the group speaking in their native languages.
People say: 7 Just a minute. Aren’t all of these people Galileans? 8 How in the world do we all hear our native languages being spoken?
9 Look—there are [travelers from countries to the east of the Roman Empire, and from Mesopatamia (now Iraq) as well as Judea. There are pilgrims from Asia Minor (now Turkey)
and from Egypt and northern Africa. There are visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts, and people from the island of Crete and Arab countries.]
EVERYONE TOGETHER: We’re each, in our own languages, hearing these people talk about God’s powerful deeds.
12 Their amazement becomes confusion as they wonder,
What does this mean?
13 It doesn’t mean anything. They’re all drunk on some fresh wine!
14 As the twelve stood together, Peter shouted to the crowd, [People] of Judea and all who are staying here in Jerusalem, listen. I want you to understand:
15 these people aren’t drunk as you may think. Look, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning!
16 No, this isn’t drunkenness; this is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel: …
EVERYONE TOGETHER:
17 Hear what [the Creator] says!
In the last days, I will offer My Spirit to humanity as a libation.
Your children will boldly speak truth.
Young warriors will see visions, and elders will dream dreams.
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