⁴ On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait^(A) for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.^{(B) 5} For John baptized with^[a] water,^(C) but in a few days you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.”^(D)

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore^(E) the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.^{(F) 8} But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;^(G) and you will be my witnesses^(H) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,^(I) and to the ends of the earth.”^(J)

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,^(A) the new creation^(B) has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!^{(C) 18} All this is from God,^(D) who reconciled us to himself through Christ^(E) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.^(F) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,^(G) as though God were making his appeal through us.^(H) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.^{(I) 21} God made him who had no sin^(J) to be sin^[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.^(K)

¹¹ Here is a trustworthy saying:^(A)