Occult Practices

⁹ When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate^(A) the detestable ways^(B) of the nations there. ¹⁰ Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire,^(C) who practices divination^(D) or sorcery,^(E) interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,^{(F) 11} or casts spells,^(G) or who is a medium or spiritist^(H) or who consults the dead. ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.^{(I) 13} You must be blameless^(J) before the Lord your God.^(K)

The Prophet

¹⁴ The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination.^(L) But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. ¹⁵ The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites.^(M) You must listen to him. ¹⁶ For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”^(N)

¹⁷ The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. ¹⁸ I will raise up for them a prophet^(O) like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words^(P) in his mouth.^(Q) He will tell them everything I command him.^{(R) 19} I myself will call to account^(S) anyone who does not listen^(T) to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.^(U)

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

¹¹ While the man held on to Peter and John,^(A) all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(B) 12} When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,^(C) the God of our fathers,^(D) has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over^(E) to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate,^(F) though he had decided to let him go.^{(G) 14} You disowned the Holy^(H) and Righteous One^(I) and asked that a murderer be released to you.^{(J) 15} You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.^(K) We are witnesses^(L) of this. ¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus,^(M) this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

¹⁷ “Now, fellow Israelites,^(N) I know that you acted in ignorance,^(O) as did your leaders.^{(P) 18} But this is how God fulfilled^(Q) what he had foretold^(R) through all the prophets,^(S) saying that his Messiah would suffer.^{(T) 19} Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,^(U) that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Messiah,^(V) who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. ²¹ Heaven must receive him^(W) until the time comes for God to restore everything,^(X) as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.^{(Y) 22} For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.^{(Z) 23} Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’^[a](AA)

²⁴ “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets^(AB) who have spoken have foretold these days. ²⁵ And you are heirs^(AC) of the prophets and of the covenant^(AD) God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’^[b](AE)