.

* * * * *

The Passover was finished for another year, and the farmers of
Palestine had work to do. The warm spring weather spread over the
land, and the wheat was growing in the fields and on the hillsides.
Farmers reaped their crops, and gathered in the grain, and got ready
for another feast at Jerusalem. For when the wheat was gathered, it
was time to go and give thanks to God for the harvest, at the Feast of
Pentecost.

The disciples waited while the weeks of spring went by. Every day they
went to the Temple and praised God for his goodness, because they knew
that Christ had come.

Seven weeks passed by. The hot sun ripened the crops, and the farmers
cut their grain. The Day of Pentecost came around, and the streets of
Jerusalem were thronged again. There were men there from near and far,
from every country of which anyone had ever heard. The harvest was
over, and the feast was on!

That morning the disciples were all together when they heard the
sound. It was a sound like the rushing wind, bringing messages from
God. They saw a vision too, and what they saw seemed like tongues of
fire, coming down to each one of them so that all could speak what
God wanted them to say.

The disciples went out and began to speak. Everyone who heard them
understood what they were saying.

Excitement went through the city.

"This is strange!" the people said. "We have come from near and far.
We speak many different languages. Yet when these men tell us about
the wonderful things that God has done, we understand what they are
telling us. What is it that has happened?"

Peter stood up beside the other disciples, and boldly raised his
voice:

"Listen to me, everyone who is here at Jerusalem! You have read in the
Scriptures how God said that he would send his Holy Spirit to his
people. That is what has happened! The time has come to preach to you!
Therefore, listen to my words.

"God sent Jesus of Nazareth to you, and he did many wonderful things
among you, which you saw for yourselves. God let you take him and put
him to death with your own wicked hands. But it was not possible for
him to be held forever by death. God has raised him up from the dead,
and we have seen it! He is King; and he has given us the power to tell
you about him, and you can hear what we are telling you. Let everybody
know this for a fact: this very Jesus whom you crucified is Lord and
Christ!"

And when the people