Peter Addresses the Crowd

Peter stands with the Eleven, speaks to the crowd, rejects the charge of drunkenness, and identifies the event with the prophet Joel’s words about the last days, the outpouring of the Spirit, signs in heaven and on earth, and the call on the Lord’s name.

T¹⁴hen Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words. ¹⁵These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day! ¹⁶No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ¹⁷‘In the last days, God says, ¹⁸Even on My menservants and maidservants ¹⁹I will show wonders in the heavens above ²⁰The sun will be turned to darkness, ²¹And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

Peter turns to Jesus of Nazareth, describing him as attested by God through miracles, delivered by God’s plan and foreknowledge, killed by lawless hands, and raised by God because death could not hold him.

²²Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. ²³He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. ²⁴But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.

Peter cites David to speak of one not abandoned to death or decay. He distinguishes David’s own burial from the promise to his descendant, then says David foresaw the resurrection of the Christ and that the apostles are witnesses to Jesus’ raising.

²⁵David says about Him: ²⁶Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; ²⁷because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, ²⁸You have made known to me the paths of life; ²⁹Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne. ³¹Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay. ³²God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.

Peter says Jesus has been exalted to God’s right hand, has received the promised Holy Spirit from the Father, and has poured out what the crowd now sees and hears. He closes by declaring that God has made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ.

³³Exalted, then, 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. ³⁴For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ³⁵until I make Your enemies ³⁶Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”