¹⁸ But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, ^(A)that you may be tested, and for ^(B)ten days ^(C)you will have tribulation. ^(D)Be faithful ^(E)unto death, and I will give you ^(F)the crown of life. ^11 (G)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ^(H)The one who conquers will not be hurt by ^(I)the second death.’

²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, ^(A)“We must obey God rather than men. ^30 (B)The God of our fathers ^(C)raised Jesus, ^(D)whom you killed by hanging him on ^(E)a tree. ³¹ God exalted ^(F)him at his right hand as ^(G)Leader and ^(H)Savior, ^(I)to give ^(J)repentance to Israel and ^(K)forgiveness of sins. ³² And ^(L)we are witnesses to these things, and ^(M)so is the Holy Spirit, ^(N)whom God has given to those who obey him.”

³ Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in ^(A)private rooms shall be proclaimed on ^(B)the housetops.

Have No Fear

⁴ “I tell you, my friends, ^(C)do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. ⁵ But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him ^(D)who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.^[a] Yes, I tell you, fear him! ⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?^[b] And ^(E)not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷ Why, ^(F)even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; ^(G)you are of more value than many sparrows.

Acknowledge Christ Before Men

⁸ “And I tell you, ^(H)everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge ^(I)before the angels of God, ⁹ but ^(J)the one who denies me before men ^(K)will be denied ^(L)before the angels of God.

¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that ^(A)by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, ^(B)whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. ^11 (C)This Jesus^[a] is the stone that was ^(D)rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.^{[b] 12} And there is ^(E)salvation ^(F)in no one else, for ^(G)there is no other ^(H)name under heaven given among men^[c] by which we must be saved.”

^13 (I)Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.