¹⁸ For Christ also ^(A)suffered^{[a] (B)}once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, ^(C)that he might bring us to God, being put to death ^(D)in the flesh but made alive ^(E)in the spirit, ¹⁹ in which^[b] he went and ^(F)proclaimed^[c] to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ because^[d] they formerly did not obey, ^(G)when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, ^(H)while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, ^(I)eight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, ^(J)now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but ^(K)as an appeal to God for a good conscience, ^(L)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and ^(M)is at the right hand of God, ^(N)with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Abraham and the Covenant of Circumcision

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty;^[a] walk before me, and be ^(A)blameless, ² that I may make my covenant between me and you, and ^(B)may multiply you greatly.” ³ Then Abram ^(C)fell on his face. And God said to him, ⁴ “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be ^(D)the father of a multitude of nations. ⁵ No longer shall your name be called Abram,^[b] but ^(E)your name shall be Abraham,^{[c] (F)}for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. ⁶ I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make ^(G)you into nations, and ^(H)kings shall come from you. ⁷ And I will ^(I)establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, ^(J)to be God to you and to your offspring after you. ⁸ And ^(K)I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and ^(L)I will be their God.”

⁹ And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. ¹⁰ This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. ¹¹ You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a ^(M)sign of the covenant between me and you. ¹² He who is ^(N)eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or ^(O)bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, ¹³ both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴ Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

³⁶ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that ^(A)God has made him ^(B)both Lord and Christ, this Jesus ^(C)whom you crucified.”

³⁷ Now when ^(D)they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, ^(E)what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, ^(F)“Repent and ^(G)be baptized every one of you ^(H)in the name of Jesus Christ ^(I)for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive ^(J)the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For ^(K)the promise is for you and ^(L)for your children and for all ^(M)who are far off, everyone ^(N)whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ^(O)“Save yourselves from this ^(P)crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and ^(Q)there were added that day about three thousand souls.