³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days^(A) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.^(B)

4 The Spirit^(A) clearly says that in later times^(B) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits^(C) and things taught by demons. ² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.^{(D) 3} They forbid people to marry^(E) and order them to abstain from certain foods,^(F) which God created^(G) to be received with thanksgiving^(H) by those who believe and who know the truth.

¹⁶ ‘Now get up and stand on your feet.^(A) I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.^{(B) 17} I will rescue you^(C) from your own people and from the Gentiles.^(D) I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes^(E) and turn them from darkness to light,^(F) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins^(G) and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(H)

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient^(I) to the vision from heaven. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus,^(J) then to those in Jerusalem^(K) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(L) I preached that they should repent^(M) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^(N)

²⁶ Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.^{(A) 27} For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.^(B)

²¹ I have declared to both Jews^(A) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance^(B) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.^(C)