Day of Pentecost

Illustration of Day of Pentecost
A sound like rushing wind. Tongues of fire resting on each person. 120 believers suddenly speaking in languages they had never learned. The Holy Spirit had come.

The Day of Pentecost occurred fifty days after Jesus' resurrection as the disciples waited in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit. A sound like rushing wind filled the house, tongues of fire rested on each person, and the apostles began speaking in languages understood by Jews gathered from many nations for the festival. Peter then preached a sermon explaining the event as fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, leading to the baptism of about three thousand new believers. This outpouring marks the birth of the Christian church in Acts 2, empowers witness to all nations, and reverses the language division at Babel by uniting people through the Spirit.

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Details

Category
Spiritual
Testament
New Testament
Performed by
Holy Spirit

Key Chapters

Acts 2 The Day of Pentecost 6 min read The descent of the Spirit at Pentecost shows how God empowers ordinary believers...

Key Passages

Spirit Descends

Acts 2:1-8

The descent of the Spirit at Pentecost shows how God empowers ordinary believers to share His love across every language and culture.

A1nd when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 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 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 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 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

Peter's Sermon

Acts 2:14-21

This passage shows how the Holy Spirit fulfills God's promises, empowering ordinary believers to proclaim salvation to everyone.

B14ut 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 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 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 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Explore Related

Characters 4

Peter Peter, originally a fisherman named Simon, was called by Jesus along the Sea of Galilee to become one ofโ€ฆ John (Apostle) John the Apostle, son of Zebedee and brother of James, was among Jesus' innermost circle of disciples andโ€ฆ James (Son of Zebedee) James, son of Zebedee, was one of the first apostles called by Jesus while fishing on the Sea of Galilee,โ€ฆ Mary (Mother of Jesus) Mary, a young virgin from Nazareth, was chosen by God to conceive and bear his Son Jesus through the powerโ€ฆ

Places 1

Jerusalem Jerusalem stands as the ancient capital of Israel and holds profound religious importance as a holy cityโ€ฆ

Themes 3

Holy Spirit From hovering over creation to filling the upper room at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is God's personalโ€ฆ Faith Without faith it is impossible to please God. From Abraham leaving everything for an unknown land to aโ€ฆ Spiritual Warfare We wrestle not against flesh and blood. The Bible reveals an invisible conflict between light and darknessโ€ฆ

Did You Know?

1

The Holy Spirit came on the same feast day that Moses received the Law on Sinai.

2

The 'tongues of fire' echoed the fire on Sinai. God was writing His law on hearts, not stone.

3

About 3,000 were saved at Pentecost. The same number that died at the golden calf incident.