God’s Promise to Zion

¹⁹ O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you.^{(B) 20} Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any longer, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.^{(C) 21} And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”^(D)

³⁶ “Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah,^[a] this Jesus whom you crucified.”

The First Converts

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers,^[b] what should we do?”^{(A) 38} Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{(B) 39} For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.”^{(C) 40} And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Life among the Believers

⁴³ Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.^{(D) 44} All who believed were together and had all things in common;^{(E) 45} they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds^[c] to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home^[d] and ate their food with glad and generous^[e] hearts,^{(F) 47} praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.^(G)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep^[a] my commandments.^{(A) 16} And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,^[b] to be with you forever.^{(B) 17} This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be^[c] in^[d] you.^(C)

¹⁸ “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. ¹⁹ In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.^{(D) 21} They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”^{(E) 22} Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.^{(F) 24} Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.^(G)

²⁵ “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate,^[e] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.^{(H) 27} Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.^{(I) 28} You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.^{(J) 29} And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me,^{(K) 31} but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.^(L)