A Dramatic Reading on Acts 2:1-21

Holy Spirit Joel (prophet) Pentecost Peter
Dove stained glass window
By Ervina Boeve

The Reading

1st Narrator When the day of Pentecost came, 
they were all together in one place. 

Suddenly a sound 
like the blowing of a violent wind 
came from heaven 
and filled the whole house 
where they were sitting. 
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire 
that separated and came to rest 
on each of them. 
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit 
and began to speak in other tongues 
as the Spirit enabled them.
 
2nd Narrator   Now there were staying in Jerusalem 
God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 
When they heard this sound, 
a crowd came together in bewilderment, 
because each one heard them speaking 
in his own language. 

Utterly amazed, they asked:
1st Voice Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
2nd Voice Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?
3rd Voice Parthians,
4th Voice Medes,
5th Voice Elamites;
6th Voice residents of Mesopotamia,
7th Voice Judea,
8th Voice and Cappadocia;
9th Voice Pontus
10th Voice and Asia,
11th Voice Phrygia
12th Voice and Pamphylia,
13th Voice Egypt
14th Voice and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;
15th Voice visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism);
16th Voice Cretans
17th Voice and Arabs—
18th Voice we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!
 
2nd Narrator Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another,
All What does this mean?
 
1st Narrator Some, however, made fun of them and said, 
"They have had too much wine."
 
2nd Narrator Then Peter stood up with the eleven, 
raised his voice, 
and addressed the crowd:
Peter Fellow Jews and all of you who are in Jerusalem, 
let me explain this to you; 
listen carefully to what I say. 
These men are not drunk, as you suppose. 
It's only nine in the morning! 
No, this is what was spoken by God 
through the prophet Joel:
Joel

In the last days, God says, 
I will pour out my Spirit on all people. 
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, 
your young men will see visions, 
your old men will dream dreams. 
Even on my servants, both men and women, 
I will pour out my Spirit in those days, 
and they will prophesy. 

I will show wonders in the heaven above 
and signs on the earth below, 
blood and fire and billows of smoke. 
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood 
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
 

 

 

Additional Resources

Director's Notes
  1. The reader must understand the material. This includes not only the words, but also the ideas. Before reading each reader should ask:
    a. Where are we?
    b. Who is speaking?
    c. Why is he/she speaking?
    d. What is he/she really saying?
  2. Animation is absolutely necessary. Remember this is an excited crowd. This does not necessarily mean that rate of speech is increased but that the emotional overtones of this dynamic event are relayed.
  3. 3. Watch punctuation carefully.
    a. A period receives the longest pause, a comma less, a semicolon a bit more, etc.
    b. Punctuation clarifies meaning and provides variety in the rate of reading.
    "Parthians,
    Medes,
    Elamites;
    residents of Mesopotamia,
    Judea,
    and Cappadocia";
  4. If a choir is being used, divide material among an interesting variety of voices—alto, bass, tenor, soprano, bass, alto, etc. If a speaking choir is being formed, think of selecting voices of different pitch, volume (heavy, light), quality (mellow, strident).
  5. 5. Remember the group is to function as one reader. Do not allow any reader to break the continuity of the narrative by vocally putting the final period on the selection until the very end.