Pentecost
The Holy Spirit comes
Two things you can tap
- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- The believers: Jesus's followers, perhaps about 120 of them (1:15). They included the apostles (the twelve Jesus chose and sent), Mary the mother of Jesus, his brothers, and other women (1:14).
- Peter: One of Jesus's closest followers. Seven weeks earlier, he said three times that he didn't know Jesus.
- The Holy Spirit: God's Spirit. Jesus promised to send him.
- The crowd: Jewish people and converts to Judaism from many countries. Some lived in Jerusalem. Some were visiting for a festival. They spoke many different languages.
Setting
- A house in Jerusalem. Then the streets outside, full of visitors.
When
- About 2,000 years ago, 50 days after Jesus rose from the dead.
Before the Story
Jesus rose from the dead. For 40 days, he showed his followers he was alive (1:3).
Jesus made a promise. He told them to wait in Jerusalem (1:4). He said, "in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (1:5).
Then Jesus went back to heaven. His followers watched as a cloud hid him from sight (1:9).
So they waited, and they prayed. They stayed together in Jerusalem, praying (1:14).
Here's what you know that the believers don't: The promise is about to come true, and it will be loud.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wind and fire | 2:1-4 | The Holy Spirit comes on the believers |
| 2. Every language | 2:5-11 | A crowd hears them in their own languages |
| 3. "What does this mean?" | 2:12-13 | Some are amazed. Some make fun of them |
| 4. Peter stands up | 2:14-21 | Peter explains what is happening |
| 5. Peter talks about Jesus | 2:22-36 | Peter says God raised Jesus from the dead |
| 6. "What shall we do?" | 2:37-41 | About 3,000 people are baptized |
| 7. A new family | 2:42-47 | The believers pray, eat, and share together |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 7Wind and Fire
The day of Pentecost came. The believers were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It sounded like a strong, rushing wind. It filled the whole house.
They saw what looked like flames of fire. The flames split apart and rested on each one of them.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in other languages. The Spirit gave them the words.
Scene 2 of 7Every Language
Many Jewish people from other countries were in Jerusalem. They were people who loved God, from every nation.
They heard the sound, and a crowd came together. They were confused. Each person heard the believers speaking in his own language.
They were amazed. "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?" they asked (2:7). Galilee was an area in the north of Israel. Jesus and most of his followers came from there.
They also asked, "How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language?" (2:8).
The crowd came from many lands. Today we call many of these places Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Libya, and Italy. Some came from the island of Crete, and some from Arabia (parts of Jordan and Saudi Arabia today). Some lived in Judea, the area around Jerusalem. Some were born Jewish. Others had chosen to become Jewish.
They said, "we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" (2:11). Here "tongues" means languages.
Scene 3 of 7"What Does This Mean?"
Everyone was amazed and confused. They asked each other, "What does this mean?" (2:12).
But some people made fun of them. They said the believers were drunk.
Scene 4 of 7Peter Stands Up
Then Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles. He raised his voice and spoke to the crowd.
Peter spoke boldly to a large crowd. Only seven weeks before, he had said, "I do not know Him" (Luke 22:57).
Peter said, "These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!" (2:15). That means it was only nine in the morning.
Peter said this was what God had promised long ago, through the prophet Joel.
God had said, "I will pour out My Spirit on all people" (2:17). Sons and daughters, young and old, would speak God's message. Even servants, men and women, would receive the Spirit and speak God's message.
The words from Joel end with this promise: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (2:21).
Scene 5 of 7Peter Talks About Jesus
Then Peter told them about Jesus from Nazareth. God showed who Jesus was by doing miracles through him. The crowd knew about them.
Peter said Jesus was handed over by God's plan. God knew it would happen. Peter told the crowd they had put Jesus to death. They used lawless men to nail him to the cross. "Lawless" here means people who did not know God's law. This probably means the Roman soldiers.
"But God raised Him from the dead" (2:24). Death could not hold him.
Peter quoted King David, who wrote psalms (songs and prayers in the Bible) long ago. David wrote that God would not leave his Holy One in the grave. Peter said David was talking about Jesus.
"God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses" (2:32). A witness is someone who saw it happen.
Peter said Jesus was now at God's right hand. That means the place of highest honor and power. Jesus had received the Holy Spirit from the Father. Now Jesus had poured out the Spirit, and that was what they were seeing and hearing.
Peter finished, "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!" (2:36). "Christ" means the same as "Messiah." It means the King God promised to send.
Scene 6 of 7"What Shall We Do?"
The people's hearts were hurting when they heard this. They asked, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (2:37).
Peter answered, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (2:38).
Repent means turn back to God. To be baptized means to be washed with water in the name of Jesus. In Baptism, God is the one who acts.
Peter said, "This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off" (2:39). God calls people to himself.
Those who accepted Peter's message were baptized. About 3,000 people joined the believers that day.
Scene 7 of 7A New Family
The new believers kept learning from the apostles. They spent time together. They broke bread together and prayed together.
Everyone was filled with awe. Awe is a feeling of deep wonder and respect. God did many amazing things through the apostles.
The believers shared everything they had. They sold their belongings and gave to anyone who was in need.
Every day they met at the temple. They ate in each other's homes with glad and honest hearts.
They praised God, and people liked them. And every day, the Lord added more people who were being saved.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "A sound like a mighty rushing wind" (2:2) | The Greek word Luke uses for wind is close to the word for "spirit." God breathed life into the first person (Genesis 2:7). Later Jesus breathed on his followers and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22). |
| "Tongues like flames of fire" (2:3) | Here "tongues" means shapes like flames. Fire often shows that God is present, like the burning bush (Exodus 3:2). |
| "Each one heard them speaking his own language" (2:6) | God did not make everyone learn one language. He spoke to each person in their own. |
| "I will pour out My Spirit on all people" (2:17) | The Spirit is for all kinds of people: young and old, men and women, even servants. |
| "Repent and be baptized" (2:38) | Turn back to God and be washed in Jesus's name. Baptism is God's work, not ours. In it, God forgives and gives his Spirit. |
| "This promise belongs to you and your children" (2:39) | The promise is also for children. This is one reason Lutherans and many other Christians baptize babies. Baptism is God's gift, and even babies can receive a gift. Some Christians read this verse differently and baptize people when they are old enough to say what they believe. |
| "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching" (2:42) | "Devoted" means they kept doing these things again and again. They learned, shared life, broke bread, and prayed. Many Christians hear the Lord's Supper in "the breaking of bread" (see Luke 24:35). Churches still gather around these same gifts. |
Back Then
Pentecost was a Jewish harvest festival. Its Hebrew name is Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22). It came 50 days after Passover (Leviticus 23:16). "Pentecost" comes from the Greek word for "fiftieth." Jewish people from many countries traveled to Jerusalem for it. Jewish people still celebrate Shavuot today. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
People from Galilee had an accent. When Peter was near Jesus's trial, people said, "your accent gives you away" (Matthew 26:73).
Jewish people had spread to many countries. Many had lived far from Jerusalem for hundreds of years. They spoke the languages of the places where they lived. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
Literal Reader Alert
Was there real fire? Luke calls them "tongues like flames of fire" (2:3). He is describing something hard to describe. The Bible does not say more.
Do you have to speak in other languages to have the Holy Spirit? Christians answer this in different ways. Many Pentecostal and charismatic Christians speak in tongues, and they see it as a sign of the Spirit. Paul thanked God for this gift (1 Corinthians 14:18). Lutherans teach that every baptized believer has the Holy Spirit, with or without this gift. Peter promised the gift of the Spirit to everyone who is baptized (2:38). He did not say they would all speak other languages. Paul asked, "Do all speak in tongues?" (1 Corinthians 12:30). He also wrote, "There are different gifts, but the same Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:4). No Christian is second-class. No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3).
Is Peter blaming all Jewish people for Jesus's death? No. Peter was Jewish. So were Jesus, all the apostles, and the whole crowd. Peter did say "you crucified" (2:36). He spoke like the prophets of Israel, calling his own people to turn back to God. He was not speaking about Jewish people of every time and place. He also said Jesus was handed over by God's plan, and put to death "by the hands of the lawless" (2:23). This probably means the Roman soldiers. Peter's goal was not blame. It was forgiveness. About 3,000 people were forgiven and baptized that day. Christians confess that Jesus died because of everyone's sins, including our own. For centuries, many Christians, including Martin Luther, used verses like this to blame all Jewish people. This led to hatred and violence. It was wrong, and the ELCA has said so. Read our note on this.
Did the believers have to give away everything? The Bible says they chose to share with anyone in need (2:45; see 5:4). It describes what they did out of love. It does not give a rule for how much to give.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The crowd | Confused | Each one heard his own language (2:6) |
| The crowd | Amazed | Galileans were speaking many languages (2:7) |
| Some people | Mocking | They thought the believers were drunk (2:13) |
| Peter | Bold | He stood up and spoke to the crowd (2:14) |
| The crowd | Deeply sorry ("cut to the heart") | They heard that the Jesus they crucified is Lord and Christ (2:36-37) |
| The believers | Glad | They shared meals and praised God (2:46-47) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Which part of Pentecost do you need today? Tap one.
"Each one heard"
God did not make everyone learn one language first. He spoke to each person in their own. God speaks to you too, just as you are.
Peter, who failed
Seven weeks earlier, Peter said he didn't know Jesus. Now God used him to tell thousands. Failing is not the end of your story.
"What does this mean?"
Questions are a good place to start. The crowd's question led them to good news.
A new family
The first Christians ate together, prayed together, and shared with anyone in need. You were not meant to follow Jesus alone.
You Might Have Heard
"Pentecost is about getting a special spiritual feeling or power."
What's true: The Holy Spirit came with power. It was loud and amazing.
What the story is mainly about: The Spirit pointed people to Jesus. Peter's whole message was about Jesus. People were baptized and forgiven. Then they lived ordinary days together: learning, eating, praying, and sharing.
Where Jesus is: Jesus promised, "I will send Him to you" (John 16:7). Peter says Jesus himself poured out the Spirit (2:33). Jesus said the Spirit "will testify about Me" (John 15:26).
Good News
The Spirit did not come only to impressive people. He came to a room of ordinary people, including Peter, who had failed Jesus badly.
God did not ask anyone to climb up to him. He poured out his Spirit, like water. First Peter's words pointed the crowd to Jesus. Then Peter promised forgiveness and the gift of the Spirit in Baptism (2:38).
The promise is for you, and for your children, and for people who feel far away.
Big Idea
God poured out his Spirit on ordinary people, spoke to each one in their own language, and made them one family in Jesus.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
In the Small Catechism, Luther explains the Holy Spirit. He wrote that we cannot believe in Jesus by our own understanding or strength. Instead, the Holy Spirit calls us through the gospel, the good news about Jesus.
Luther's co-worker Philip Melanchthon wrote the Augsburg Confession (1530). Article 5 says God gives the Holy Spirit through the Word and the sacraments. Through them, the Spirit creates faith in people who hear the gospel, where and when God chooses.
Luther also wrote a Pentecost hymn in 1524, "Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord." The first verse was an older German song, based on a Latin prayer that begins, "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful." Luther added two more verses. Many Lutheran churches still sing it.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. It reads Acts 2:1-21 every year on the Day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Easter. It is usually the first reading, and sometimes the second. Many churches use the color red that day, for fire. Acts 2:42-47 is read on the Fourth Sunday of Easter in Year A.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
How did that feel?