Acts 2:14-21 Meaning: Peter's Defense and the Promise of the Spirit
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.
16But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.
18Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of 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:
18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words.
15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day;
16but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of 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:
18Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
19And I will show wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath; Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:
20The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable day:
21And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14and Peter having stood up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and declared to them, `Men, Jews! and all those dwelling in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and harken to my sayings,
15for these are not drunken, as ye take it up, for it is the third hour of the day.
16`But this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of 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;
18and also upon My men-servants, and upon My maid-servants, in those days, I will pour out of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy;
19and I will give wonders in the heaven above, and signs upon the earth beneath--blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke,
20the sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the day of the Lord--the great and illustrious;
21and it shall be, every one--whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, he shall be saved.
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke forth to them, Men of Judaea, and all ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give heed to my words:
15for these are not full of wine, as ye suppose, for it is the third hour of the day;
16but this is that which was spoken through the prophet Joel,
17And it shall be in the last days, saith God, [that] I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream with dreams;
18yea, even upon my bondmen and upon my bondwomen in those days will I pour out of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19And I will give wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20the sun shall be changed to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and gloriously appearing day of [the] Lord come.
21And it shall be that whosoever shall call upon the name of [the] Lord shall be saved.
Meaning in one sentence
Peter denies the disciples are drunk, quotes Joel about the Spirit poured out on all people, and promises salvation to all who call on the Lord.
Context
The Holy Spirit has just descended on the disciples at Pentecost. They are speaking in languages they never learned, telling of God's mighty works. A crowd gathers, amazed and confused. Some mock, saying the disciples are drunk. At that moment Peter stands with the eleven apostles. He raises his voice to address both the locals and the pilgrims visiting Jerusalem. He first answers the mockers by pointing out it is only nine in the morning, the hour of prayer, far too early for wine. Then he quotes the prophet Joel to explain what is really happening. God is pouring out His Spirit on all people, just as He promised for the last days. The passage ends with an open invitation: whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Key Words
Peter 'spoke forth' (apephthegxato), a Greek word for dignified, inspired speech. It is the opposite of the slurred babbling of a drunkard. His words carry weight and authority. The central verb of the prophecy is ekcheo, 'I will pour out.' It means to pour generously, to flood. God does not trickle His Spirit; He pours so much that nothing is left in the jar. The invitation uses epikaleomai, 'call upon.' This is not a quiet whisper but a cry for help, a personal appeal to the Lord as your only hope. And the promise is sothesetai, 'will be saved.' That word means rescued from peril and made whole. Together these words show the gospel in motion: God pours out His Spirit, we cry out to Him, and He saves us completely.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this passage in different ways. Some understand the 'wonders' in heaven and signs on earth as literal events that accompanied the first Pentecost or will accompany Christ's return. Others see them as symbolic images of the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, using prophetic language borrowed from the Old Testament. The phrase 'last days' is taken by many to mean the entire age from Christ's first coming to his second; others see it as the final years before the end of the world. All traditions agree that the promise of the Spirit is for everyone regardless of age, gender, or social standing. The inclusive language of 'sons and daughters,' 'young and old,' 'servants and handmaidens' has been a source of hope for Christians across the centuries, pointing to a community where the Spirit breaks down all barriers.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to think 'the last days' means only the final years before the world ends. In fact, Peter uses the phrase to describe the entire messianic age that began with Jesus' resurrection and continues until his return. For the early church, the last days started at Pentecost and include our own time. The prophecy belongs to us now, not just to some distant future.
Living This Out
This passage asks you to believe that God's Spirit is not reserved for a select few. If you feel too young, too old, too unimportant, or too far from God, the promise is for you. You are invited to call on the name of the Lord Jesus, right where you are today, and know that He will save you. This week, you might face a moment when others misunderstand your faith. Like Peter, you can respond not with anger but with a clear word rooted in Scripture. And if you have never cried out to Jesus for rescue, you can start now. The same Spirit who filled the disciples is ready to fill you.
Main takeaway: God pours out His Spirit on every kind of person, and salvation is for everyone who calls on Jesus as Lord.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Peter told the crowd that God wants to give His Holy Spirit to everyone, not just some people. You can talk to God and He will save you. That means you can be with God forever.
For ages 9, 12
When the disciples started speaking in other languages, some people thought they were drunk. But Peter explained that God was pouring out His Spirit just like the prophet Joel said. This shows that God's Spirit is for all people young and old, men and women. And the best news is that anyone who calls on Jesus for help will be saved. You can be part of God's big family.
Questions People Ask
What is the 'third hour of the day' in Acts 2:15?
The third hour was about nine o'clock in the morning, the time of the morning prayer and sacrifice in the Temple. Jewish custom on festival days was to fast until at least that hour, so the disciples could not have been drunk. Peter uses this simple fact to show the accusation is nonsense.
What does it mean to 'call on the name of the Lord'?
It means to cry out to Jesus as Lord, trusting Him for salvation. In the Old Testament, calling on the name of the Lord was an act of worship and dependence. In Acts, it becomes a personal appeal to the risen Jesus, acknowledging that He alone can save. It includes prayer, faith, and a life that honors Him.
Did the prophecy from Joel come true only on the day of Pentecost?
Joel's prophecy began to be fulfilled at Pentecost, but it continues throughout the entire age of the church. Peter calls this 'the last days,' meaning the whole period from Christ's first coming to His return. The Spirit is still being poured out on people of every age, gender, and background.
Who are included in 'all flesh' in verse 17?
'All flesh' means all people without distinction. In Joel's original context it pointed to the whole nation of Israel. Peter, speaking after the resurrection and just before the gospel goes to the Gentiles, extends the promise to everyone. No one is excluded based on age, sex, social class, or nationality.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study