The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
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And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force - no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building.
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And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks,
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And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.
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And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world.
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And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck.
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Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 They couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, "Aren't these all Galileans?
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And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 How come we're hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?
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And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
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Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
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Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 both Jews and proselytes; Even Cretans and Arabs! "They're speaking our languages, describing God's mighty works!"
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Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 Their heads were spinning; they couldn't make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: "What's going on here?"
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And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others joked, "They're drunk on cheap wine."
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Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 That's when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: "Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight.
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But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't had time to get drunk - it's only nine o'clock in the morning.
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For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
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But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 "In the Last Days," God says, "I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters; Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams.
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And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 When the time comes, I'll pour out my Spirit On those who serve me, men and women both, and they'll prophesy.
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And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 I'll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
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And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 the sun turning black and the moon blood-red, Before the Day of the Lord arrives, the Day tremendous and marvelous;
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The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And whoever calls out for help to me, God, will be saved."
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And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
22 "Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you - the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge -
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Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him.
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Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him.
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Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 David said it all: I saw God before me for all time. Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side.
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For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I've pitched my tent in the land of hope.
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Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27 I know you'll never dump me in Hades; I'll never even smell the stench of death.
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Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28 You've got my feet on the life-path, with your face shining sun-joy all around.
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Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29 "Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried - his tomb is in plain sight today.
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Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom,
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Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah - 'no trip to Hades, no stench of death.'
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He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it.
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This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear.
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Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34 For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say, God said to my Master, "Sit at my right hand
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For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet."
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Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36 "All Israel, then, know this: There's no longer room for doubt - God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross."
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Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?"
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Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away - whomever, in fact, our Master God invites."
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For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, "Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!"
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And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up.
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Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.
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And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 Everyone around was in awe - all those wonders and signs done through the apostles!
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And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common.
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And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met.
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And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful,
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And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.
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Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The King James Version is in the public domain.