Acts 13:16-41

The Voice

Paul: Israelites and other God-fearing people, please hear me. ¹⁷ The God of the Israelites chose our ancestors and helped them become a large population while they were living in Egypt many years ago. He displayed His great power by leading them out of that powerful nation. ¹⁸ For about 40 years, He endured their constant complaining in the wilderness. ¹⁹ He opened up some land for them in Canaan by destroying the seven nations living there, and that land became their inheritance for about 450 years. ²⁰ They had tribal leaders^[a] through the time of the prophet Samuel. ²¹ Then they asked for a king, and God gave them one—Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin—who reigned for 40 years. ²² After God moved Saul aside, He made David king in his place. God had this to say about David: “I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after My own heart. He’s the kind of king who will rule in ways that please Me.”^{[b] 23} God has selected one of David’s descendants as the long-promised Liberator of Israel. I am speaking of Jesus.

²⁴ Before Jesus arrived on the scene, His cousin John was hard at work, proclaiming to all the people of Israel a ceremonial washing through baptism^[c] and pointing to a new direction in thought and life. ²⁵ John’s ministry climaxed when he said, “Who do you assume me to be? I am not the One you’re looking for. No, but One is coming after me, One whose sandal thong I am unworthy to untie.”^{[d] 26} My brothers, fellow descendants of our common father Abraham, and others here who fear God, we are the ones to whom God has sent this message of salvation.

²⁷ But you know the people of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus. They didn’t understand the words of the prophets that are read in the synagogues on Sabbath after Sabbath. As a result, they fulfilled the ancient prophecies by condemning Jesus. ²⁸ Even though they could find no offense punishable by death, still they asked Pilate to execute Jesus. ²⁹ When they carried out everything that had been foretold by the prophets, they took His body down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. ³⁰ But that was not the end: God raised Him from the dead, ³¹ and over a period of many days, He appeared to those who had been His companions from the beginning of their journey in Galilee until its end in Jerusalem. They are now witnesses to everyone. ³² We are here to bring you the good news of God’s promise to our ancestors, ³³ which He has now fulfilled for our children by raising Jesus. Consider the promises fulfilled in Jesus. The psalmist says, “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.”^[e]

³⁴ Elsewhere God promises that Jesus will rise and never return to death and corruption again: “I will make You the holy and faithful promises I made to David.”^{[f] 35} Similarly, another psalm says, “You will not abandon Me to experience death and the grave or leave Me to rot alone.”^{[g] 36} We all know David died and was reduced to dust after he served God’s purpose in his generation; ³⁷ these words obviously apply not to David but to the One God raised from death before suffering decay. ³⁸ So you must realize, my brothers, that through this resurrected man forgiveness of sins is assured to you. ³⁹ Through Jesus, everyone who believes is set free from all sins—sins which the law of Moses could not release you from. ⁴⁰ In light of all this, be careful that you do not fulfill these words of the prophet Habakkuk: