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Peter's Message at Pentecost
Peter stands with the eleven and tells the people in Jerusalem to listen carefully. He explains what they are witnessing by quoting Scripture, then by speaking about Jesus’ death, resurrection, exaltation, and identity.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the passage
Peter addresses men of Judea and all who dwell at Jerusalem. He rejects the claim that the disciples are drunk, quotes Joel about God pouring out his Spirit, and then argues from David’s words that Jesus was raised by God, exalted, and has poured out what the crowd now sees and hears.
Acts 2:14–36Main takeaway
Peter explains that the crowd’s experience is connected to Jesus, whom God raised up, exalted, and made both Lord and Christ.
Explore the teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Peter calls the crowd to listenPeter stands with the eleven and speaks directly to the people in Jerusalem. He first answers their wrong idea, saying it is only the third hour of the day, so they are not drunk.
Explanation
Peter stands with the eleven and speaks directly to the people in Jerusalem. He first answers their wrong idea, saying it is only the third hour of the day, so they are not drunk. Instead, he says this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel, so the event must be understood by those words.
02Joel’s words describe God pouring out his SpiritPeter quotes Joel about the last days, when God says he will pour out his Spirit on all flesh.
Explanation
Peter quotes Joel about the last days, when God says he will pour out his Spirit on all flesh. The words name sons and daughters, young and old, servants and handmaidens. The quotation also includes wonders and signs, and it ends with a promise that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
03Jesus was crucified, and God raised himPeter then speaks about Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God through mighty works, wonders, and signs done by God through him.
Explanation
Peter then speaks about Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God through mighty works, wonders, and signs done by God through him. Jesus was crucified and killed by lawless men, yet Peter says this happened in God’s determined counsel and foreknowledge. Even so, God raised Jesus up, because death could not hold him.
04David’s words are applied to the resurrection of the ChristPeter quotes David’s words about not being left in Hades and not seeing decay. He then says David died and was buried, so David was speaking beforehand about the resurrection of the Christ.
Explanation
Peter quotes David’s words about not being left in Hades and not seeing decay. He then says David died and was buried, so David was speaking beforehand about the resurrection of the Christ. Peter adds, “This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses,” and says Jesus has poured out what the crowd now sees and hears.
05Peter ends with a certain conclusion about JesusPeter gives another saying of David: “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit by my right hand” until your enemies are made a footstool for your feet.
Explanation
Peter gives another saying of David: “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit by my right hand” until your enemies are made a footstool for your feet. Since David did not ascend into the heavens, Peter presses his conclusion on all the house of Israel: God has made this Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Why does Peter begin by denying that the disciples are drunk?
02What details in Joel’s quotation show the wide reach of God’s Spirit?
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Acts 2:14–36
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.
16But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.
18Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22“Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,
23him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;
24whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.
25For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
26Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope,
27because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
28You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29“Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,
31he foreseeing this, spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades, and his flesh didn’t see decay.
32This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
33Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you now see and hear.
34For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand
35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’
36“Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”