Acts 2:12-30

¹²They were all amazed and confused. “What does this mean?” they asked each other.

¹³But others jeered and said, “They've been drinking too much wine!”

¹⁴Then Peter stood up with the eleven disciples and spoke in a loud voice: “Fellow Jews and everyone living here in Jerusalem: pay attention to me and I'll explain all this to you!

¹⁵These men aren't drunk as you presume. It's only nine in the morning!

¹⁶What's happening is what was predicted by the prophet Joel:

¹⁷God says, ‘In the last days I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.

¹⁸I will pour out my Spirit on my servants, both male and female, and they will prophesy.

¹⁹I will also give you miraculous signs in the heavens above and on the earth below—blood, fire, and swirling smoke!

²⁰The sun will become dark, and the moon will become red like blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord.

²¹But whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

²²People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man confirmed by God to you by the powerful miracles and signs that God performed through him, right here among you—as you well know.

²³God, knowing beforehand what would happen, followed his plan and resolved to hand him over to you. By means of the hands of wicked men, you killed him by nailing him to a cross.

²⁴But God raised him back to life, freeing him from the burden of death, because death did not have the power to keep him a prisoner.

²⁵David says of him, ‘I saw the Lord always in front of me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

²⁶That's why I'm so happy! That's why my words are full of joy! That's why my body lives in hope!

²⁷For you will not abandon me in the grave, nor will you allow your Holy One to experience decay.

²⁸You have revealed to me the ways of life. You will fill me with joy with your presence.’

²⁹My brothers and sisters, let me tell you plainly that our ancestor David died and was buried, and his tomb is here with us to this day.

³⁰But he was a prophet, and knew that God had promised on oath to place one of his descendants on his throne.