¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”^(A)

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,^(B) but by my Father in heaven.^{(C) 18} And I tell you that you are Peter,^[a](D) and on this rock I will build my church,^(E) and the gates of Hades^[b] will not overcome it.

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,^(A) but fellow citizens^(B) with God’s people and also members of his household,^{(C) 20} built^(D) on the foundation^(E) of the apostles and prophets,^(F) with Christ Jesus himself^(G) as the chief cornerstone.^{(H) 21} In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple^(I) in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.^(J)

⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(A) that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^(B) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(C) and to prayer.^{(D) 43} Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^{(E) 44} All the believers were together and had everything in common.^{(F) 45} They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^{(G) 46} Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(H) They broke bread^(I) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.^(J) And the Lord added to their number^(K) daily those who were being saved.