Acts 2:33 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

NIV: Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

NASB: Therefore, since He has been exalted at the right hand of God, and has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear.

CSB: Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear.

NLT: Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.

KJV: Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

NKJV: Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Peter is explaining to a crowd in Jerusalem how Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the prophecy David gave in Psalm 16:8–11 and how Jesus' followers have just received the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of Joel 2:28.

Unlike David, who died and is still in a grave in Jerusalem (Acts 2:29), Jesus died and rose again, as David foresaw in Psalm 16:10. Jesus affirmed to the Sanhedrin during His late-night trial that He would be seated "at the right hand of the power of God" (Luke 22:69) and Stephen will later see Him there as he dies (Acts 7:55–56).

To be "exalted" is to be lifted up by another. Jesus did not place Himself at God's right hand. Paul explains that He didn't try to take God's position or glory. He humbled Himself to the point of death in the most humiliating, dishonoring way. It was God who exalted Jesus (Philippians 2:5–11).

The wording about the promise of the Holy Spirit is a bit awkward. Jesus did not receive the Holy Spirit; He received a promise from God the Father that the Holy Spirit would come upon Jesus' followers. In John 14:16, Jesus says, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever." Jesus' 120 followers in Jerusalem have just received the Holy Spirit this morning (Acts 2:1–4).

The Holy Spirit was poured out on Jesus' followers and then poured out of them in the ability to speak in different languages. The crowd that Peter is speaking to is comprised of men from regions such as Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Egypt, Libya, Rome, the island of Crete, and Arabia. They are amazed to hear a group of Galileans speaking in their home dialects. Some derisively declared they were drunk (Acts 2:4–13). Peter explains that it is the Spirit that is pouring out and filling them, not wine.

Acts 2:14–36 transcribes the first sermon ever given by a Christian. The Holy Spirit that Jesus promised (John 14:16–17) has come upon 120 of His followers in Jerusalem (Acts 1:15; 2:1–4). They immediately start speaking in different languages, shocking a crowd of Jews and proselytes who are in town to celebrate Pentecost (Acts 2:5–11). Some of the crowd dismiss the speech as nonsense; others are very interested (Acts 2:12–13). Peter, combining his natural enthusiasm as spokesman for the group with wisdom from the Spirit, responds by obeying Jesus and being His witness (Acts 1:8).

Acts 2 describes the beginning of the church in three episodes. First, the Holy Spirit comes upon the Jesus-followers in Jerusalem, equipping them with the ability to teach the gospel in different languages (Acts 2:1–13). Second, Peter gives a public declaration using Old Testament prophecy to show Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah (Acts 2:14–36). Third, people believe. They repent, trust Jesus will forgive their sins, and agree to be baptized as a public sign that they are now Jesus-followers (Acts 2:37–47). That quickly, the church is born.

Acts 2 describes the creation of Jesus' church. Forty days after Jesus' resurrection He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9). One hundred and twenty disciples obeyed His command to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4, 2–15). In Acts 2, they receive the Holy Spirit and share the gospel with a crowd of people who have come to celebrate Pentecost. Three thousand believe, and the church comes to life. In the following chapters, Jesus-followers fulfill Jesus' promise that they will be His witnesses ''in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth'' (Acts 1:8).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.