Study Desk

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost^(a) came, they were all together^(b) in one place.

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.^(c)

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit^(d) and began to speak in other tongues^[a](e) as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing^(f) Jews from every nation under heaven.

When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.

Utterly amazed,^(g) they asked: "Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans?^(h)

Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,⁽ⁱ⁾ Pontus^(j) and Asia,^[b](k)

Phrygia^(l) and Pamphylia,^(m) Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;⁽ⁿ⁾ visitors from Rome

(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"

Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."^(o)