2:46Acts 2:46

After the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost the three thousand added by repentance and faith met every day united in worship in the temple and shared meals from home to home with gladness and sincere oneness of heart in praise to God.RH Apr 30, 1908+4 They were of one mind and heart and purpose, having put away differences and striving for supremacy, with Christ filling their thoughts and the advance of His kingdom as their aim.9T 196.5+2 They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and prayers, holding all things in common to supply every need, while wonders and signs were done and the Lord added daily those being saved.RH Apr 30, 1908 Their tender self-denying love and Christlike character gave a small poor community powerful public witness to the risen Saviour, bringing favor with the people while troubling evildoers and stirring hatred and persecution from the wicked.Ms 12, 1902, par. 24–27+3 The fruits that followed the Spirit's descent are the pattern for God's people today, who must study this history and pass through a similar experience of unity, daily conversion, and missionary zeal.Lt 170, 1907, par. 9+2

The verse belongs to the full Pentecost account in Acts 2:1-47, which records the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit and proclaiming the risen Savior to the assembled multitudes.Ms 74, 1911, par. 1+1 It describes the Christian church in its infancy after Christ had ascended to heaven and after the wonderful outpouring of the Holy Spirit, formed when people repented and received the Spirit after the apostles testified to Jesus' resurrection.Lt 115, 1903, par. 10–12+1 The apostles' work thus gathered converted people into the church, and many of those added after His resurrection had experiences and convictions that began with Jesus' trial.SG1 56.2+1

Before the Spirit came the disciples obeyed Christ and returned to Jerusalem, where they spent ten days praying for the fulfillment of God's promise, searching their hearts deeply, putting away all differences that had existed among them, and drawing close together in Christian fellowship.Lt 115, 1903, par. 10–12 They also remembered with sadness how they had grieved Christ by slowness of comprehension.Lt 115, 1903, par. 10–12 Then, filled with the Spirit, with about three thousand souls added the same day through Peter's preaching, the believers lived in daily unity in the temple and in house-to-house fellowship, eating together with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people while the Lord added to the church daily those being saved.RH Apr 30, 1908+1 Their daily united life is proof that Christ had been received and inaugurated in heaven and had sent the Holy Spirit.RH Apr 30, 1908

That gathering and breaking of bread from house to house took place every day, so their sharing of bread was not limited to the first day of the week.Lt 123, 1894, par. 10–11

Continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house means worshiping together every day in the temple and sharing meals in homes with gladness and singleness of heart.Ms 130, 1906, par. 31–33+3 This daily fellowship was joyful and sincere, marked by praise to God as the kind of life that comes from people filled with the Holy Spirit.Ms 130, 1906, par. 31–33+2 After the apostles testified to the risen Jesus and people repented and received the Holy Spirit, this glad, sincere, united community praised God and was well regarded by the people.Ms 45, 1895, par. 28–30 After the Spirit fell the believers shared one mind and heart, living in harmony in one place as at Pentecost.9T 196.5+2 They were no longer independent or divided, having put aside differences and all desire for supremacy, with Christ filling their thoughts and the advancement of His kingdom as their aim.AA 45.2+2 Their shared life reflected the unity shown at Pentecost, and their unity and Christlike character showed they had been with Jesus.9T 196.5+1

They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and prayers, holding all things common and supplying every need.RH Apr 30, 1908 Many wonders and signs were done by the apostles, while the believers praised God and had favor with all the people and the Lord added daily those being saved.RH Apr 30, 1908 Their close communion was tender, thoughtful, self-denying, and willing to make any sacrifice for the truth, showing generous care for one another.Ms 12, 1902, par. 24–27+2 In both words and deeds they revealed the love Christ had commanded, and by holy words and actions they strove to awaken that love in other hearts.Ms 12, 1902, par. 24–27+1 Their unity and care for one another expressed that commanded love and helped kindle it in others.AA 547.3–4+1

That loving fellowship and devotion accompanied the Spirit's work in the church, and the Spirit worked mightily through believers united in purpose.9T 196.5+1 With one desire for the salvation of souls they went forth to proclaim a risen Saviour.Ms 12, 1902, par. 24–27 Their common life expressed gladness, brotherly love, and a wholehearted desire to reflect Christ and enlarge His kingdom.AA 45.2+1 This love is to be cherished by believers in willing obedience to the new commandment to love one another, united so closely to Christ that His requirements can be fulfilled and the power of a Saviour who justifies by His righteousness magnified.Ms 12, 1902, par. 24–27

The daily meeting in the temple and sharing of meals in homes with gladness and sincere unity belonged to a church marked by generous care for one another, powerful witness to the resurrection of Jesus, and the grace of God.ST Jan 18, 1883+1 After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the believers lived in loving unity, praised God, and found favor with the people, so that the Lord added daily those being saved.ST Jan 18, 1883+1 Their joyful fellowship and godly lives gave a small, poor and unhonored community a powerful public witness, yet their character and teaching troubled evildoers and brought hatred and persecution from the wicked.ST Jan 18, 1883+1

Believers joined in purpose, with their energies under the control of the Spirit, possess a strength they cannot attain separately, and God can work through them to convert sinners.RH Jun 30, 1903+1 When believers unite their hearts with Christ and bring their lives into harmony with His work, the same Spirit that was poured out at Pentecost will empower their efforts to win souls, as sinners were then converted and many added to the church.RH Jun 30, 1903 The fruits that followed the descent of the Spirit stand as the pattern for the missionary spirit to be expected when the Spirit moves among God's people.Lt 9a, 1893, par. 21–22

Gathering together in unity with gladness and rejoicing comes as the result of presenting truth in the simplicity of true godliness.Lt 80, 1911, par. 10–11 That presentation is accompanied by healing of the sick, the spirit of intercession, urgent appeals, subdued and broken hearts, confession of sin, genuine conversions, and doors thrown open on every side for proclamation of truth.Lt 80, 1911, par. 10–11 Such a work is the same in character as that done in 1843 and 1844.Lt 80, 1911, par. 10–11 The united, continuing worship and fellowship of Acts 2 is the pattern for representing the gospel effectively in an important center of influence.RH Jul 28, 1903+1 It supports establishing a visible, organized witness that makes the nation's capital a center of public witness to the gospel.RH Jul 28, 1903+1

The united worship and fellowship are the model for church gatherings to speak of Christ, praise God, and share testimony in a spirit of love.Ms 155, 1904, par. 71–72+2 Speech in such gatherings is to be free of grumbling, faultfinding, fretting and unkindness, since speech given by God is a gift for glorifying Him, and when so used His salvation is revealed.Ms 155, 1904, par. 71–72 This includes gathering early every morning to seek the Lord with singing and prayer and short Bible study, with earnest prayers offered and testimonies borne, eating with gladness and singleness of heart.RH May 25, 1905 Among such a united company the sweet Spirit of God comes in and makes the workers willing and ready to do all that it is possible for them to do, and this fellowship includes drawing people together and praying with them.RH May 25, 1905+1

The second chapter of Acts is to be read and received and presented to others, and to be studied for guidance in carrying God's work forward.Lt 32a, 1910, par. 7+1 The whole book of Acts is a lesson calling for deeper piety and the sincere meekness of the Great Teacher, for humbled hearts and for daily conversion.Lt 32a, 1910, par. 7 The work is to advance in unity, with laborers who accept personal responsibility, seek God's direction, and counsel and pray together rather than submit to arbitrary human rule.RH Oct 21, 1909 God's people today are to study this history of the early church during and immediately after Pentecost because they must pass through similar experiences.Lt 170, 1907, par. 9 The presence of primitive Christianity in believers' hearts brings new life and power.5T 580.2