Day of Pentecost

Illustration of Day of Pentecost

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 Passages

Spirit Descends

Acts 2:1-8

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

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.

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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.