In the Old Testament, Pentecost was a harvest festival celebrated fifty days after the Passover festival (Leviticus 23:15-21). On the first Pentecost following Jesus’ death and resurrection, the believers gathered in Jerusalem.

‘On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability… When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their languages being spoken by the believers. They were completely amazed.

“How can this be?” they exclaimed.’

Visitors from other nations heard “the wonders of God” in their language. Then, after Peter addressed the crowd, many people believed the message that Jesus was crucified and raised to life to offer forgiveness.

Peter’s message heard at Pentecost continues to be shared around the world, and people are still responding in faith. Let’s pray for the Spirit to empower us, just as the early believers in Jesus were at Pentecost, to share God’s love. And let’s pray for the message to be heard in every language spoken around the world.

You can read the story for yourself in Acts, chapter 2, which is in the Bible.