Psalm 103

Of David.

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.

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

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”^(C)

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^(D) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(E) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{(F) 39} The promise is for you and your children^(G) and for all who are far off^(H)—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”^{(I) 41} Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(J) that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^(K) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(L) and to prayer.^{(M) 43} Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^{(N) 44} All the believers were together and had everything in common.^{(O) 45} They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^{(P) 46} Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(Q) They broke bread^(R) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.^(S) And the Lord added to their number^(T) daily those who were being saved.

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners^(A)

¹³ Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him,^(B) and he began to teach them. ¹⁴ As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”^(C) Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

¹⁵ While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees^(D) saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”^(E)

¹⁷ On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”^(F)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting^(A)

¹⁸ Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.^(B) Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

¹⁹ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. ²⁰ But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them,^(C) and on that day they will fast.

²¹ “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. ²² And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”