Life of A gate Keeper (THE MATTER OF THE HEATH)

Psalm 24:4–6 NKJV

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah

Hebrews 1:9–10 NKJV

9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” 10 And: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

Read Psalm 139....

1. (3) The question asked – whom does God receive?

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?

a. Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? In light of God’s sovereign ownership of the earth and all who live upon it, David wondered exactly who had the right to stand before God. This wasn’t about mountain climbing or hill ascending ability, but about the right to come before God.

.. let us come boldly to the

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

b. Who may stand in His holy place? David here clarified his previous question. David asked, “Who has the right to stand before God at His holy temple, in the holy place?”

Their is a place in GOD ..

i. This is a question that used to concern mankind much more than it does in our present day. ”

The answer to the question: the moral character of the one whom God receives. HOLY !!!

Hebrews 12:14–15 NKJV

14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.

a. He who has clean hands and a pure heart: This speaks of a man or woman who is pure in both their actions (hands) and intentions (heart). This one can ascend the hill of the LORD and stand in His holy place.

a. Clean hands

b. Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol:

c. Nor sworn deceitfully: The words we speak are a good indication of the state of our heart, the inner man or woman (Matthew 12:34). One who makes deceptive promises finds no welcome from God.

Matthew 12:34 NKJV

34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

i. David understood all this under the general principles of the Old Covenant, in which God promised to bless and receive obedient Israel, and also promised to curse and afflict a disobedient Israel (Deuteronomy 27-28).

ii. Outside the terms of the Old Covenant that God made with Israel, these answers of David may cause one to despair. It’s easy to look at this list and see that my hands are not always clean; my heart is not always pure. Idolatry can be both subtle and stubborn in my heart. I also find it too easy to make promises with at least a tinge of deceit.

iii. Fortunately, God established a better covenant, a new covenant through the person and work of Jesus. Under the new covenant, we see that Jesus is the one who has clean hands and a pure heart, perfectly so. Jesus has never lifted up his soul to an idol, and has never sworn deceitfully. In His righteousness, given to all who believe (Romans 3:22), we can ascend His holy hill and stand in His holy place.

iv. “Our Lord Jesus Christ could ascend into the hill of the Lord because his hands were clean and his heart was pure, and if we by faith in him are conformed to his image we shall enter too.” (Spurgeon)

v. Nevertheless, David’s principle is also accurate under the New Covenant in this sense: the conduct of one’s life is a reflection of his fellowship with God. As John wrote: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (1 John 1:6).

We might say that under the Old Covenant a righteous walk was the precondition for fellowship with God; under the New Covenant a righteous walk is the result of fellowship with God, founded on faith. Yet under both covenants, God cares very much about the moral conduct of mankind, especially those who identify themselves as His people.

3. (5) The promise of blessing to the righteous man.

He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

a. He shall receive blessing from the LORD: God knows and cares about the moral behavior of men and women. He rewards those who honor Him with their lives.

i. This blessing may be understood sometimes in rewards that God grants to the obedient; other times it may be understood as the natural result of living according to God’s wise order.

ii. “It is here very observable, that the character of a right and acceptable worshipper of God is not taken from his nation and relation to Abraham, or from all those costly and laborious rites and ceremonies of the law, in which the generality of the Israelites pleased themselves, but in moral and spiritual duties, which most of them grossly neglected.” (Poole)

iii. He shall receive blessing: “Perhaps alluding to Obed-edom, at whose house the ark had been lodged, and on whom God had poured out especial blessings.” (Clarke)

b. And righteousness from the God of his salvation: David here spoke in the idiom of the Old Covenant, where right standing with God might be assumed from the life of the obedient. At the same time, David wrote of a received righteousness that came from the God of his salvation.

i. We might say that the obedient life spoken of in Psalm 24:4 is the product of the received righteousness obtained by faith, the righteousness from the God of his salvation.

ii. Even with the important distinctions between the Old and New Covenants, it is a mistake to say that salvation was by works under the Old Covenant. One might say that in some sense blessing was by works of obedience, but righteousness was always and is always from the God of his salvation.

iii. Under the Old Covenant, that faith was often expressed by the trust in the work of sacrifice, looking forward to the ultimate, perfect sacrifice promised by God and fulfilled in the work of Jesus at the cross.

4. (6) A description of the blessed and righteous ones.

This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah

a. This is Jacob: This was David’s way of identifying God’s covenant people. The blessed and righteous ones have entered into covenant with God.

b. The generation of those who seek Him: The blessed and righteous ones do more than enter into covenant with God; they also pursue Him with a continual seeking. This is something each generation must do afresh.

i. “Heaven is a generation of finders, of possessors, of enjoyers, seekers of God. But here we are a generation of seekers.” (Sibbes, cited in Spurgeon)

c. Who seek Your face: The idea is intensified by repetition, by description (to seek Your face is even closer than seeking Him), and by the use of a contemplative pause (Selah).

Gehazi &Elisha

2 Kings 5:1–26 NKJV

1 Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” 4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5 Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. 7 And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.” 8 So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ 12 Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.” 16 But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17 So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. 18 Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.” 19 Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance. 20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?” 22 And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’ ” 23 So Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him. 24 When he came to the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed. 25 Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.” 26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?

HEART OF GEHAZI

Gehazi can also be called a greedy spirit. Gehazi was a greedy servant of a powerful prophet Elisha. It is believed that the day he was caught, was not the only day he took something that was not meant for him, he had been doing it, till his cup was finally full. And he was caught and cursed. Further, greed can be said to be an inordinate, insatiable longing for material gain, food, money, status, power, etc. When a person is greedy, it means that he/she can’t be satisfied or contented with what he/ she has. And this will lead to devious acts. A greedy man cannot be satisfied with what God has given him, he cannot be satisfied even with God because he will always go extra mile to get what he wants no matter what. Spirit of Gehazi (Greed) is a killer and it corrupts. It makes a person not to be spiritually connected. There are examples in the Bible where people manifested such spirit and they paid dearly for it.

SCRIPTURES: 2 Kings 5:20-27, 2Samuel 11:2-27, Joshua 7:1-26, Proverbs 1:18-19, Proverbs 15:27, 1Timothy 3:3,8, Isaiah 56:11, Acts 5:1-10, 1Kings 21:1-29, Hebrews 13:5.

SIGNS OF A GREEDY MAN/ SPIRIT OF GEHAZI

When you begin to follow God for earthly gains.When you start looking for miracles ie miracle alerts.Feelings that God is not enough.When you put your business first other than God (Matthew 6:33).Feelings that God is partial in giving.When you start acquiring unnecessary property.When you start demanding more than you need or want.When you help people and expect something in return.When you love conditionally

His point was that the miracles of God cannot be bought.

The power of God in our lives is not meant for personal enrichment, and God’s servants should not be doing ministry for the sake of earthly rewards.

Every one of us should remember that it is not money that cares for our needs—it is God (Hebrews 13:5).

What are these wrong things in Gehazi?

1.Gehazi was a shepherd without a shepherd’s heart. He has no compassion, which every minister should have for the people God has sent them to. We see this in the way he acted towards the Shunnamite woman who was in pain following the death of her only son and ran to meet Elisha with the problem believing him to come and raise him back to life. He wanted to push the woman away when she caught the feet of Elisha, but Elisha intervened and stopped him. This was unbecoming of a minister. Or would you say he was protecting him? Could this kind of attitude be the reason why he couldn’t raise the son when he was given the rod by Elisha to go and pray for him or this was not the right way to handle raising the boy back to life? (2 Kings 4: 24-31).

Compassion is a divine force that ignites miracles. Many times, we read in the Bible that Jesus had compassion on the people before performing the miracles he did for them (Matthew 9:36, 14:14, 20:34; Luke 7:13; Mark 1:41, 6:34). Ministers must not be callous; we must be compassionate. We must ensure that those around us walk in compassion towards people without losing their spiritual sensitivity or walking in the flesh. Jesus had to rebuke the disciples for a similar act of preventing children from coming to Jesus and attempting to call down fire (Luke 9:54). Ministers who have altar ushers/personal assistants who look like bodyguards or like stern looking security personnel should keep a balance between compassion and their personal security.

Don’t lose your compassion like Jonah lost it through racism. He could not care if God destroyed the people of Nineveh. He preferred to be thrown from the ship into the sea to die than repent as he fled from the presence of the Lord to Tarshish, but the LORD caused him to be swallowed by a fish. Not until he was in the belly of the fish for three days and nights, did he repent. And after being vomited upon dry land in Nineveh, he reluctantly went to preach to them. Without compassion, Jonah had no feeling for the people of Nineveh and was bitter that God forgave them and did not destroy the nation. He did not see the repentance of 120,000 people as a national revival to celebrate.

Every minister must ask the LORD to baptize him with the spirit of compassion for the people He has been sent to. Compassion draws the anointing; compassion releases the anointing. Without compassion, you cannot be a good shepherd.

2. Gehazi showed a wrong motive for service. Why did I say this? The Bible says from the abundant of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). His statement concerning pursuit of material things in ministry revealed the state of his heart. You can be following a man but have a wrong motive. You can be following him because of what you will benefit from him and not really because of your desire to serve.

There is an amazing commentary in 2 Chronicles 25:2, “And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart” (New King James Version). Did you see that? That scripture is talking about King Amaziah who did what was right, but not with the right heart i-e he was not wholeheartedly devoted to God.

What is your motive in your service as a minister, head of a ministry, a steward in church, staff in your company? God does not look at your eyes; he looks at your heart (1 Samuel 16:7). He is interested in your motive more than your actions. He tests the heart and mind i-e He knows our thoughts and feelings (Psalm 7:9). You will have no reward if you have a wrong motive for your good works.

In John 12:1-8, we see an account that supports this point on wrong motive. Judas objected to an expensive ointment being used to anoint Jesus as against selling it and giving the money to the poor. That seemed to be a noble proposal but the Bible says his suggestion was not because he cared for the poor; it was because he was a thief and he used to pilfer from what was in the purse in his custody, he used to embezzle the money in his custody.

This appeared to be the last straw that broke the camel’s back for Judah!  Going by Matthew’s account of the incident in Matthew 26:6-16, Judas, immediately after this unfortunate comment, which he made and Jesus overruled him, could not control his indignation about what he and other disciples had considered a waste of resources. Judas went to the chief priests to ask what they would give him if he delivered Jesus to them.

Examine your motive. Get rid of all wrong motives in your heart. Get rid of everything including projects, programmes, services, you are doing out of selfish ambition and not out of vision. You want to make a statement with your project, your programme, etc. What statement? Who are you trying to impress? Quit selfish ambition right now and begin to do the real, authentic ministry heaven has entrusted unto you.

3. Gehazi was a disloyal subordinate. Are you loyal to your boss? Why must Gehazi want what his boss had rejected and go about it in a way that embarrassed him? (2 Kings 5:20-22). Did he think he knew better than his boss? This is disloyalty (Matthew 24:45, 1Corinthians 4:2). “The trustworthy person will get a rich reward, but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble” (Proverbs 28:20 New Living Translation).

4. Gehazi had no fear of God. Do you have the fear of God? (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10, Ecclesiastes 8:12). The fear of God keeps us away from evil (Proverbs 16.6). Why did Gehazi have to bring God’s name into his ungodly transaction? The Bible says do not call, use or repeat the name of the Lord in vain. But to express his strong determination to pursue something evil, he said as the Lord lives (2 Kings 5: 20). Compare this to the use of the name of the Lord by Elisha in verse 16 of the same chapter to affirm that he would not collect anything from Naaman. Be careful not to use the name of the Lord frivolously; hallow His name.

5. He was aggressive and desperate about material things. Gehazi pursued Naaman to collect ungodly reward (2Kings 5:21). He took from Naaman. He didn’t understand why Elisha should spare Naaman and not collect the gift he had offered him (2 Kings 5:20b). Are you a giver or a taker? Do you always look for things to take from people rather than to give? The Bible says it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35) There is he that scatters yet increases and there is he that withholds and tends towards poverty (Proverbs 11:24).

Beware of covetousness. Why must you want what belongs to another? Be contented. Contentment has nothing to do with what you have or you don’t have. You can have much and not be contented and you may not have much and still be contented. Contentment is a discipline (Proverbs 28:16; Luke 12:15; Hebrews 13:5).

6. Gehazi was a liar and a deceitful person. A Gehazi can use anybody’s name and say anything to get what he wants. Gehazi lied to both Naaman and Elisha (2 Kings 5:22-25). Even after Elisha was aware of what Gehazi had done, he was still pretending and lying that he didn’t go anywhere (verse 25).

Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (New King James Version). God hates a lying tongue (Proverbs 6:16-17). He says, “He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence” (Psalm 101:7 New King James Version).

Repent of lying; it is the nature of the devil (John 8:44). Don’t lie to anyone in order to get undue advantage. Don’t be a name-dropper. Don’t mislead people. Live a life of honesty. If you are dishonest, you will always live in the fear of being found out. Deal with pretence in your life; be real. Don’t be a hypocrite (Matthew 23:13-15; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:46-47).

Gehazi, in his scheme, stored his sinful gain away in the house before going to stand before his master. Don’t do your work either spiritual or secular deceitfully (Jeremiah 48:10). Do your work as unto the LORD because you will give account to him and not your boss or employer alone. Be a straightforward person.

7. Gehazi did not stay in his place of service. A Gehazi is always distracted by material gain and other things. He is therefore not well focused (2 Kings 5:25). Gehazi was supposed to be standing before Elisha like Elisha stood before Elijah pouring water on his hands, rather Gehazi was running after Naaman. No wonder he collected his leprosy and not the anointing.

Are you always running after wealthy people in the name of ministering to them? There is a big danger in this kind of ministry. Are you always at your duty post? Are you standing before the person God has called you to serve or you are going here and there? You cannot be well focused doing that. You are either here or there to be able to make impact in life. Don’t be like the man in the story in 1Kings 20:39-42 who allowed the person kept in his custody to escape while he was busy here and there. “Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who wanders from his place” (Proverbs 27:8 New King James Version).

8. Gehazi caused unnecessary problem for himself and his family. He activated generational curse. In 2 Kings 5:27, Gehazi was inflicted with avoidable leprosy, and he bequeathed it to his descendants forever. He became a door opener for evil to enter into his family. What an inheritance!

Achan was another man who brought calamity upon his entire family (Joshua 7:22-26). Don’t be an Achan or a Gehazi; be an Obed-edom who opened himself and the household for God’s blessing and not trouble (2 Samuel 6:11-12).

In Numbers 25:6-13 God cut a covenant of peace with Phinehas and his descendants because of Phinehas’ zeal for the LORD. Cornelius and his household were saved because his act of giving alms cried as a memorial unto the LORD and God opened the door of salvation to them.

There are other examples of fathers who sowed bad seeds for their families or descendants to reap. Repent of anything that can add you to the list of such persons. Stop every generational curse in your family or lineage and start a generational blessing today.

Conclusion: There is a measure of Gehazi in each person, which God wants us to deal with as leaders and followers. Humility will deal with it, but pride will ignore it. Don’t live in denial. May you be wise and do what is right. Before God’s judgment, comes His warning. Gehazi witnessed a miracle, an undeniable display of God’s power that involved the redemption of a man’s health, life, and soul. But all he could think about was money. Naaman needed to see the grace of God in the free and abundant blessing he received; Gehazi destroyed grace by demanding payment.

When you get at the GATE !!! they will ask you in who send you. HEARTH.

JONAH ‘s HEARTH

Jonah 1:1–4 NKJV

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 4 But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.

Jonah 2:1–9 KJV 1900

1 Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly, 2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; Out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; And the floods compassed me about: All thy billows and thy waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; Yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: The depth closed me round about, The weeds were wrapped about my head. 6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; The earth with her bars was about me for ever: Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. 7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: And my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. 8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

Jonah 4:1–11 NKJV

1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” 4 Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5 So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. 6 And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” 10 But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?

Acts 2:1–47 NKJV

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” 13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’ 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ 29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, 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, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 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. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.