²⁵ “I assure you that the time is coming—and is here!—when the dead will hear the voice of God’s Son, and those who hear it will live. ²⁶ Just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. ²⁷ He gives the Son authority to judge, because he is the Human One.^{[a] 28} Don’t be surprised by this, because the time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice. ²⁹ Those who did good things will come out into the resurrection of life, and those who did wicked things into the resurrection of judgment.

Responses to the church

¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. They would come together regularly at Solomon’s Porch. ¹³ No one from outside the church dared to join them, even though the people spoke highly of them. ¹⁴ Indeed, more and more believers in the Lord, large numbers of both men and women, were added to the church. ¹⁵ As a result, they would even bring the sick out into the main streets and lay them on cots and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow could fall on some of them as he passed by. ¹⁶ Even large numbers of persons from towns around Jerusalem would gather, bringing the sick and those harassed by unclean spirits. Everyone was healed.

¹³ We have the same faithful spirit as what is written in scripture: I had faith, and so I spoke.^[a] We also have faith, and so we also speak. ¹⁴ We do this because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and he will bring us into his presence along with you. ¹⁵ All these things are for your benefit. As grace increases to benefit more and more people, it will cause gratitude to increase, which results in God’s glory.