Peter Addresses the Crowd

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!^{(A) 16} No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth^(I) was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,^(J) which God did among you through him,^(K) as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;^(L) and you, with the help of wicked men,^[b] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.^{(M) 24} But God raised him from the dead,^(N) freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.^{(O) 25} David said about him:

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites,^(R) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch^(S) David died and was buried,^(T) and his tomb is here^(U) to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^{(V) 31} Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^{(W) 32} God has raised this Jesus to life,^(X) and we are all witnesses^(Y) of it. ³³ Exalted^(Z) to the right hand of God,^(AA) he has received from the Father^(AB) the promised Holy Spirit^(AC) and has poured out^(AD) what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord^(AF) and Messiah.”^(AG)

¹² When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,^(A) the God of our fathers,^(B) has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over^(C) to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate,^(D) though he had decided to let him go.^{(E) 14} You disowned the Holy^(F) and Righteous One^(G) and asked that a murderer be released to you.^{(H) 15} You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.^(I) We are witnesses^(J) of this. ¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus,^(K) this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

¹⁷ “Now, fellow Israelites,^(L) I know that you acted in ignorance,^(M) as did your leaders.^{(N) 18} But this is how God fulfilled^(O) what he had foretold^(P) through all the prophets,^(Q) saying that his Messiah would suffer.^{(R) 19} Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,^(S) that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Messiah,^(T) who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. ²¹ Heaven must receive him^(U) until the time comes for God to restore everything,^(V) as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.^{(W) 22} For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.^{(X) 23} Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’^[a](Y)

²⁴ “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets^(Z) who have spoken have foretold these days. ²⁵ And you are heirs^(AA) of the prophets and of the covenant^(AB) God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’^{[b](AC) 26} When God raised up^(AD) his servant, he sent him first^(AE) to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(A) said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!^{(B) 9} If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame^(C) and are being asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,^(D) whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead,^(E) that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹ Jesus is

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”^(G)

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism^{(A) 35} but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.^{(B) 36} You know the message^(C) God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news^(D) of peace^(E) through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.^{(F) 37} You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— ³⁸ how God anointed^(G) Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing^(H) all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.^(I)

³⁹ “We are witnesses^(J) of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross,^{(K) 40} but God raised him from the dead^(L) on the third day and caused him to be seen. ⁴¹ He was not seen by all the people,^(M) but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate^(N) and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people^(O) and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.^{(P) 43} All the prophets testify about him^(Q) that everyone^(R) who believes^(S) in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”^(T)

¹⁷ The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;^{(A) 18} for about forty years he endured their conduct^[a](B) in the wilderness;^{(C) 19} and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan,^(D) giving their land to his people^(E) as their inheritance.^{(F) 20} All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges^(G) until the time of Samuel the prophet.^{(H) 21} Then the people asked for a king,^(I) and he gave them Saul^(J) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,^(K) who ruled forty years. ²² After removing Saul,^(L) he made David their king.^(M) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;^(N) he will do everything I want him to do.’^(O)

²³ “From this man’s descendants^(P) God has brought to Israel the Savior^(Q) Jesus,^(R) as he promised.^{(S) 24} Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.^{(T) 25} As John was completing his work,^(U) he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for.^(V) But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’^(W)

²⁶ “Fellow children of Abraham^(X) and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation^(Y) has been sent. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus,^(Z) yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets^(AA) that are read every Sabbath. ²⁸ Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.^{(AB) 29} When they had carried out all that was written about him,^(AC) they took him down from the cross^(AD) and laid him in a tomb.^{(AE) 30} But God raised him from the dead,^{(AF) 31} and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.^(AG) They are now his witnesses^(AH) to our people.

³² “We tell you the good news:^(AI) What God promised our ancestors^{(AJ) 33} he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.^(AK) As it is written in the second Psalm:

³⁴ God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

³⁵ So it is also stated elsewhere:

³⁶ “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep;^(AO) he was buried with his ancestors^(AP) and his body decayed. ³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead^(AQ) did not see decay.

³⁸ “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.^{(AR) 39} Through him everyone who believes^(AS) is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.^{(AT) 40} Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

² “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you^(A) today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,^{(B) 3} and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs^(C) and controversies.^(D) Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,^(E) from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known me for a long time^(F) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect^(G) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.^{(H) 6} And now it is because of my hope^(I) in what God has promised our ancestors^(J) that I am on trial today. ⁷ This is the promise our twelve tribes^(K) are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night.^(L) King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.^{(M) 8} Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?^(N)

⁹ “I too was convinced^(O) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose^(P) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^{(Q) 10} And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people^(R) in prison,^(S) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^{(T) 11} Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,^(U) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

¹² “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³ About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice^(V) saying to me in Aramaic,^[a](W) ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵ “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ¹⁶ ‘Now get up and stand on your feet.^(X) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.^{(Y) 17} I will rescue you^(Z) from your own people and from the Gentiles.^(AA) I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes^(AB) and turn them from darkness to light,^(AC) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins^(AD) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(AE)

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient^(AF) to the vision from heaven. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus,^(AG) then to those in Jerusalem^(AH) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(AI) I preached that they should repent^(AJ) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^{(AK) 21} That is why some Jews seized me^(AL) in the temple courts and tried to kill me.^{(AM) 22} But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen^(AN)— ²³ that the Messiah would suffer^(AO) and, as the first to rise from the dead,^(AP) would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”^(AQ)