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?”^(A)

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^(B) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(C) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{(D) 39} The promise is for you and your children^(E) and for all who are far off^(F)—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.”^{(G) 41} Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(H) that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^(I) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(J) and to prayer.^{(K) 43} Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^{(L) 44} All the believers were together and had everything in common.^{(M) 45} They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^{(N) 46} Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(O) They broke bread^(P) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.^(Q) And the Lord added to their number^(R) daily those who were being saved.

⁹ For in Christ all the fullness^(A) of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head^(B) over every power and authority.^{(C) 11} In him you were also circumcised^(D) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh^[a](E) was put off when you were circumcised by^[b] Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism,^(F) in which you were also raised with him^(G) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.^(H)

¹³ When you were dead in your sins^(I) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[c] alive^(J) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,^{(K) 14} having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,^(L) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.^{(M) 15} And having disarmed the powers and authorities,^(N) he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them^(O) by the cross.^[d]