Part 723 (1/2)

The disciples receive the Holy Ghost. Peter's sermon to the people. The piety of the first converts.

2:1. And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place:

2:2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming: and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

2:3. And there appeared to them parted tongues, as it were of fire: and it sat upon every one of them.

2:4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost: and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.

2:5. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

2:6. And when this was noised abroad, the mult.i.tude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue.

2:7. And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these that speak Galilean?

2:8. And how have we heard, every man our own tongue wherein we were born?

2:9. Parthians and Medes and Elamites and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

2:10. Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome,

2:11. Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of G.o.d.

2:12. And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: What meaneth this?

2:13. But others mocking, said: These men are full of new wine.

2:14. But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you and with your ears receive my words.

2:15. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day:

2:16. But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel:

2:17. And it shall come to pa.s.s, in the last days, (saith the Lord), 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.

2:18. And upon my servants indeed and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my spirit: and they shall prophesy.

2:19. And I will shew wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood and fire, and vapour of smoke.

2:20. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord to come.

2:21. And it shalt come to pa.s.s, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

2:22. Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of G.o.d among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which G.o.d did by him, in the midst of you, as you also know:

2:23. This same being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of G.o.d, you by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain.

By the determinate, etc... G.o.d delivered up his Son; and his Son delivered up himself, for the love of us, and for the sake of our salvation; and so Christ's being delivered up was holy, and was G.o.d's own determination. But they who betrayed and crucified him, did wickedly, following therein their own malice and the instigation of the devil; not the will and determination of G.o.d, who was by no means the author of their wickedness; though he permitted it; because he could, and did draw out of it so great a good, viz., the salvation of man.

2:24. Whom G.o.d hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of h.e.l.l, as it was impossible that he should be holden by it.