¹⁷ Jesse said to his son David, “Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers; ¹⁸ also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See how your brothers fare, and bring some token from them.”^(A)

¹⁹ Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. ²⁰ David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. ²¹ Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. ²² David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers. ²³ As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.^(B)

²⁴ All the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from him and were very much afraid. ²⁵ The Israelites said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. The king will greatly enrich the man who kills him and will give him his daughter and make his family free in Israel.”^{(C) 26} David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”^{(D) 27} The people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”^(E)

²⁸ His eldest brother Eliab heard him talking to the men, and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David. He said, “Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down just to see the battle.”^{(F) 29} David said, “What have I done now? It was only a question.”^{(G) 30} He turned away from him toward another and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before.^(H)

Gentiles Hear the Good News

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality,^{(A) 35} but in every people anyone who fears him and practices righteousness^[a] is acceptable to him.^{(B) 36} You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.^{(C) 37} That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.^{(D) 39} We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,^{(E) 40} but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear,^{(F) 41} not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.^{(G) 42} He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.^{(H) 43} All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”^(I)

Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.^{(J) 45} The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the gentiles,^{(K) 46} for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”^{(L) 48} So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.^(M)

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

1 The beginning of the good news^[a] of Jesus Christ.^[b](A)

² As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,^[c]

⁴ so John the baptizer appeared^[e] in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^{(D) 5} And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.^{(E) 7} He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.^{(F) 8} I have baptized you with^[f] water, but he will baptize you with^[g] the Holy Spirit.”^(G)

The Baptism of Jesus

⁹ In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.^{(H) 10} And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him.^{(I) 11} And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved;^[h] with you I am well pleased.”^(J)

The Testing of Jesus

¹² And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³ He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him.