Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech: Acts | Page 2

among us-- 001:022 beginning from His baptism by John down to the day on which He was taken up again from us into Heaven--one should be appointed to become a witness with us as to His resurrection." 001:023 So two names were proposed, Joseph called Bar-sabbas-- and surnamed Justus--and Matthias. 001:024 And the brethren prayed, saying, "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all, show clearly which of these two Thou hast chosen 001:025 to occupy the place in this ministry and Apostleship from which Judas through transgression fell, in order to go to his own place." 001:026 Then they drew lots between them. The lot fell on Matthias, and a place among the eleven Apostles was voted to him. 002:001 At length, on the day of the Harvest Festival, they had all met in one place; 002:002 when suddenly there came from the sky a sound as of a strong rushing blast of wind. This filled the whole house where they were sitting; 002:003 and they saw tongues of what looked like fire distributing themselves over the assembly, and on the head of each person a tongue alighted. 002:004 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages according as the Spirit gave them words to utter. 002:005 Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every part of the world. 002:006 So when this noise was heard, they came crowding together, and were amazed because everyone heard his own language spoken. 002:007 They were beside themselves with wonder, and exclaimed, "Are not all these speakers Galilaeans? 002:008 How then does each of us hear his own native language spoken by them? 002:009 Some of us are Parthians, Medes, Elamites. Some are inhabitants of Mesopotamia, of Judaea or Cappadocia, of Pontus or the Asian Province, of Phrygia or Pamphylia, 002:010 of Egypt or of the parts of Africa towards Cyrene. Others are visitors from Rome--being either Jews or converts from heathenism--and others are Cretans or Arabians. 002:011 Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our own language about the wonderful things which God has done." 002:012 They were all astounded and bewildered, and asked one another, "What can this mean?" 002:013 But others, scornfully jeering, said, "They are brim-full of sweet wine." 002:014 Peter however, together with the Eleven, stood up and addressed them in a loud voice. "Men of Judaea, and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem," he said, "be in no uncertainty about this matter but pay attention to what I say. 002:015 For this is not intoxication, as you suppose, it being only the third hour of the day. 002:016 But that which was predicted through the Prophet Joel has happened: 002:017 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, God says, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall have dreams; 002:018 and even upon My bondservants, both men and women, at that time, I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 002:019 I will display marvels in the sky above, and signs on the earth below, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke. 002:020 The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, to usher in the day of the Lord--that great and illustrious day; 002:021 and every one who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' 002:022 "Listen, Israelites, to what I say. Jesus, the Nazarene, a man accredited to you from God by miracles and marvels and signs which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know, Him-- 002:023 delivered up through God's settled purpose and foreknowledge-- you by the hands of Gentiles have nailed to a cross and have put to death. 002:024 But God has raised Him to life, having terminated the throes of death, for in fact it was not possible for Him to be held fast by death. 002:025 For David says in reference to Him, "`I constantly fixed my eyes upon the Lord, because He is at my right hand in order that I may continue unshaken. 002:026 For this reason my heart is glad and my tongue exults. My body also shall rest in hope. 002:027 For Thou wilt not leave me in the Unseen World forsaken, nor give up Thy holy One to undergo decay. 002:028 Thou hast made known to me the ways of Life: Thou wilt fill me with gladness in Thy presence.' 002:029 "As to the patriarch David, I need hardly remind you, brethren, that he died and was buried, and that we still have his tomb among us. 002:030 Being a Prophet, however, and knowing that God had