Pentecost: Not just for Jews

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Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. [kjv]

και εν τω συμπληρουσθαι την ημεραν της πεντηκοστης ησαν παντες ομου επι το αυτο [gnt]

The KJV (King James Version) translation of this verse is the source of some jokes that they were all in one Honda Accord (a model of car).

The follow-on remark is that even King David had his "Triumph" (a model of car).

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. [kjv]

Does that mean, that when they had to face the music, it was instrumental that they were in one A chord? That is, A, C#, E.

Was this a tune-up by the Holy Spirit for the main concert to follow?

[minor keys]

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. [kjv]

και εν τω συμπληρουσθαι την ημεραν της πεντηκοστης ησαν παντες ομου επι το αυτο [gnt]

The word "Pentecost" comes from the Greek and means "fifty" as in 50. Fifty days from the discovery of the empty tomb. The word and idea, however, goes back before then.
"Pentecost" is known in England as "Whitsun" for "White Sunday" and in Eastern Orthodox traditions as "Trinity Sunday". In addition to Acts 2, Pentecost is mentioned by Paul in several places.

During this Feast of Weeks time, it was customary to do a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Thus, in Acts 2, there are men of many nationalities mentioned. They are probably "pilgrims" (strangers from out of town) making a trip to Jerusalem.

The English word "pilgrim" and comes from the Middle English word "pilegrim" ≈ "pilgrim" which comes, through French, from the Latin word "peregrinus" ≈ "foreigner" from "peregre" ≈ "abroad" as in "beyond the surrounding land".

In many cases, the KJV appears to be influenced by the Latin word for "stranger" or "foreigner". A "pilgrimage" is, thus, a journey made to a place where one would be a "stranger" or "foreigner".

1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; [kjv]

αγαπητοι παρακαλω ως παροικους και παρεπιδημους απεχεσθαι των σαρκικων επιθυμιων αιτινες στρατευονται κατα της ψυχης [gnt]

… advenas … peregrinos … [v]

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Acts 2:1

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KJV: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Greek: και εν τω συμπληρουσθαι την ημεραν της πεντηκοστης ησαν απαντες ομοθυμαδον παντες ομου επι το αυτο

Latin: et cum conplerentur dies pentecostes erant omnes pariter in eodem loco

Acts 20:16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. [kjv]

κεκρικει γαρ ο παυλος παραπλευσαι την εφεσον οπως μη γενηται αυτω χρονοτριβησαι εν τη ασια εσπευδεν γαρ ει δυνατον ειη αυτω την ημεραν της πεντηκοστης γενεσθαι εις ιεροσολυμα [gnt]

Acts 20:16

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KJV: For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

Greek: εκρινεν κεκρικει γαρ ο παυλος παραπλευσαι την εφεσον οπως μη γενηται αυτω χρονοτριβησαι εν τη ασια εσπευδεν γαρ ει δυνατον ην ειη αυτω την ημεραν της πεντηκοστης γενεσθαι εις ιεροσολυμα

1 Corinthians 16:8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. [kjv]

In England, going back to before the Middle Ages, "Pentecost" was, and still is, known as "Whitsun" for "White Sunday" when those to be baptized would wear white.

Tyndale: whit sontyde.
Wycliffe: Wituntide.

1 Corinthians 16:8

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KJV: But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

Greek: επιμενω δε εν εφεσω εως της πεντηκοστης

Latin: permanebo autem Ephesi usque ad pentecosten

Wycliffe: But Y schal dwelle at Efesi, `til to Witsuntide.

Tyndale: I will tary at Ephesus untyll whit sontyde.

Gothic: wisuththan in aifaison und paintekusten.

Luther: Ich werde aber zu Ephesus bleiben bis Pfingsten.

Slavonic: Пребуду же во Ефесе до Пентикостии:

Russian: В Ефесе же я пробуду до Пятидесятницы,

Spanish: Pero me quedaré enÉfeso hasta Pentecostés;

Portuguese: Entretanto, ficarei em Éfeso até ao Pentecostes,

In Eastern Orthodox churches (Greek, Russian, etc.) Pentecost is known as "Trinity Sunday".

Since Pentecost is 50 days after Easter, and the date of Easter varies according to certain rules, Pentecost has the same relative variable date.
Easter is the first Sunday after the full moon date that falls on or after March 21 of each year. The actual counting of the 50 days (e.g., zero-based, one-based, etc.) is close but not exact, depending on how the counting is done.

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The Hebrew Feast of Weeks, near the beginning of the harvest season, corresponds to Pentecost.

It is referred to as the Hebrew word "שבועות" (shavout) ≈ "Shavuot" and is celebrated 50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread (High Sabbath, corresponding with the crucifixion). Other names for the "Feast of weeks" are the following.

Exodus 23:16: Feast of Harvest
Numbers 28:26: Day of First Fruits
Exodus 34:22: First fruits of the wheat harvest
Leviticus 23:16: mention of the fifty days
2 Maccabees 12:32 (Apocrypha)
Tobit 2:1 (Apocrypha)

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Tobit 2:1 Now when I was come home again, and my wife Anna was restored unto me, with my son Tobias, in the feast of Pentecost, which is the holy feast of the seven weeks, there was a good dinner prepared me, in the which I sat down to eat.

Tobit 2:1 Οτε δὲ κατῆλθον εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου καὶ ἀπεδόθη μοι ῎Αννα ἡ γυνή μου, καὶ Τωβίας ὁ υἱός μου, ἐν τῇ πεντηκοστῇ ἑορτῇ, ἥ ἐστιν ἁγία ἑπτὰ ἑβδομάδων, ἐγενήθη ἄριστον καλόν μοι, καὶ ἀνέπεσα τοῦ φαγεῖν.

[wedding prayer]

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Pentecost, as the "Feast of Weeks", is mentioned in 2 Maccabees 12:32.

2 Maccabees 12:32 And after the feast, called Pentecost, they went forth against Gorgias the governor of Idumea,

2 Maccabees 12:32 Μετὰ δὲ τὴν λεγομένην Πεντηκοστη ἐν ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ Γοργίαν τὸν τῆσ Ἰδουμαίασ στρατηγόν.

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