NLT Illustrated Study Bible - Book of Acts - Flipbook - Page 10
A cts 1 : 2 5
1966
these men you have chosen 25 as an b apostle
to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has
deserted us and gone where he belongs.”
26 Then they cast lots, and Matthias was se
lected to become an apostle with the other
eleven.
The Holy Spirit Comes
On the day of Pentecost* all the believ
ers were meeting together in one place.
2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven
like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and
it filled the house where they were sitting.
3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues
of fire appeared and settled on each of them.
4 And everyone present was filled with the
Holy Spirit and began speaking in other
c languages,* as the Holy Spirit gave them
this ability.
5 At that time there were devout Jews from
every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they
2
heard the loud noise, everyone came run
ning, and they were bewildered to hear their
own languages being spoken by the believers.
7 They were completely amazed. “How
can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people
are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them
speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here
we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people
from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia,
Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pam
phylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around
Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and
converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs.
And we all hear these people speaking in our
own d languages about the wonderful things
God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed
and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they
asked each other.
13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them,
saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
1:25
b apostole- (0651)
Acts
2:42
1:26
Prov 16:33
2:1
Lev 23:1521
Deut 16:911
2:2
Acts 4:31
2:4
Mark 16:17
Acts 4:31; 10:4446;
19:6
1 Cor 12:10; 13:1
c glo-ssa (1100)
Acts
2:11
2:9
Acts 16:6; 19:10
1 Pet 1:1
2:10
Matt 27:32
Acts 13:13; 16:6
2:11
d glo-ssa (1100)
Acts
10:46
2:13
1 Cor 14:23
Eph 5:18
2 :1 The Festival of Pentecost came 50 days after Passover (when Jesus was crucified). 2:4 Or in other tongues.
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Gulf
Roman Empire
Parthian Empire
T
0
EGYP
PAMPHYLIA
d i t e CRETE
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Jerusalem
CYRENE
JUDEA
LIBYA
ABIA
MES
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CAPPADOCIA
PH
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NATIONS AT PENTECOST (Acts 2:911)
When the Holy Spirit filled the believers, people from all over the Roman and
Parthian empires were in Jerusalem for the celebration of Pentecost. Some of
those who witnessed the believers “speaking in other languages” (2:4) were
converted, and many of them eventually returned to their homelands, taking
with them the message of Christ.
2:14 Jews observed three great annual
pilgrimage festivals, when many would
go to the Temple in Jerusalem—
Unleavened Bread (which includes Pass
over), Pentecost (Harvest), and Shelters
(see “Israel’s Festivals,” Lev 23:144). On
Pentecost, when the Jewish people were
gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the
harvest of God’s blessings, and when
the disciples were united and expectant
as they gathered for prayer, the Holy
Spirit came and filled the gathered
believers.
2:4 everyone present was filled with
the Holy Spirit: This event marks the
coming of the Holy Spirit to fill Jesus’
disciples, as he had promised, so that
they could be powerful witnesses (1:45,
8). The Spirit’s wisdom, energy, and
power were the driving force behind the
church’s work and witness (e.g., 2:1441,
43; 4:31; 9:17, 20; 13:912; see also
Eph 5:18). • began speaking in other
languages: The Holy Spirit gave extraor
dinary communication that made it pos
sible for people from other countries to
hear in their own languages about what
God had done (Acts 2:611). This passage
is one of several references to speaking
in “other languages” or “tongues” (see
also 10:4448; 19:6; 1 Cor 14:228, 39).
Here, this supernatural gift reveals the
energizing presence of God’s Spirit and
inaugurates the proclamation of the
Good News to people of every nation.
2:511 Because Pentecost was a pil
grimage festival (see note on 2:14),
Jews from every nation were present
in Jerusalem at that time and were
thus able to hear the Good News being
proclaimed in their own languages.
The Good News is for all people
(2:3839).
2:911 Parthians came from the region
stretching from the Tigris River eastward
to India. Medes (now called Kurds) were
from Media, east of Mesopotamia and
north of the Persian Gulf. Elamites were
from Elam (now in Iran), north of the
Persian Gulf and just east of the Tigris
River. Mesopotamia lay between the
Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Judea was
well known as the Jewish homeland.
Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia were
Roman provinces in Asia Minor (now in
Turkey; see 1 Pet 1:1); Paul later taught
and preached in some of these areas (see
Acts 16:6; 19:10, 26). Phrygia and Pamphylia were districts of Asia Minor later
visited by Paul (13:13; 18:23). Egypt had
a large Jewish population, particularly in
the city of Alexandria (see 18:24). North
Africa was also represented by Libya and
Cyrene. Rome was the imperial capital
and the home of thousands of Jews. The
Cretans came from the island of Crete,
located south-southeast of Greece, and
the Arabs from the area south and east
of Jerusalem. • The inclusion of all of
these nations suggests how the Good
News was going to go out to the ends of
the earth (1:8).
2:11 converts to Judaism: See note on
13:43.
