The First Lesson: Acts 2:1–21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one

place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush

of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were

sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a

tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the

Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit

gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation

under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd

gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking

in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they

asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is

it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?

Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea

and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and

the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,

both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs--in our own languages

we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." All were

amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this

mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new

wine." But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and

addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let

this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are

not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the

morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out

my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall

prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men

shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in

those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the

earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be

turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of

the Lord's great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the

name of the Lord shall be saved.'

Psalm 104:25-35, 37b   

    24 O LORD, how manifold are your works!

       In wisdom you have made them all;

       the earth is full of your creatures.

    25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide,

       creeping things innumerable are there,

       living things both small and great.

    26 There go the ships,

       and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

    27 These all look to you

       to give them their food in due season;

    28 when you give to them, they gather it up;

       when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

    29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;

       when you take away their breath, they die

       and return to their dust.

    30 When you send forth your spirit, they are created;

       and you renew the face of the ground.

    31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;

       may the LORD rejoice in his works --

    32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,

       who touches the mountains and they smoke.

    33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;

       I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

    34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,

       for I rejoice in the LORD.    Praise the LORD!

The Second Lesson: Romans 8:22–27

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains

until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have

the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for

adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were

saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what

is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it

with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for

we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit

intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches

the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the

Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Gospel: John 15:26–27; 16:4b-15  

Jesus said, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the

Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will

testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have

been with me from the beginning. "I did not say these things t

o you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am

going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are

you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow

has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your

advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will

not come to you;  but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes,

he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness,

because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about

judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them

now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all

the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak

whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are

to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine

and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this

reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.