¹⁵ and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’^(A)

³ He said to me, “Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation^[a] of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day.^{(A) 4} The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’^(B)

⁸ Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel,^(A)

⁷ But the Lord said to me,

²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.^{[a](A) 30} The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.^{(B) 31} God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.^{(C) 32} And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”^(D)

²⁰ “Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life.”^(A)

²⁰ for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.”^(A)

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”^(A)

⁴⁶ and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah^[a] is^[b] to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day^{(A) 47} and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.^{(B) 48} You are witnesses^[c] of these things.^(C)

The Call of Matthew

⁹ As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.