Book of Common Prayer

²⁶ `Men and brothers, sons of Abraham, and all of you who worship God, the news of this way to be saved has been sent to us.

²⁷ The people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not know who this Jesus really was. They did not understand the words of the prophets of God long ago which were read every Sabbath day. But even so, they did what the prophets had said they would do. They judged him.

²⁸ They could not prove that he did anything wrong for which he should die. Yet they begged Pilate to kill him.

²⁹ They did all the things that the prophets had written about him. Then they took him down from the cross made from a tree. They laid him in a grave cut from the rock.

³⁰ But God raised him from death.

³¹ People had come with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem. They saw him many days. Now they tell people what they saw.

³² And we are bringing you this good news. God made a promise to our fathers long ago. Now he has made his promise come true.

³³ We, their children, have now received the promise. He sent Jesus just as it was written in the second, "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father."

³⁴ `God raised Jesus from death. His body did not go back to the grave to be spoiled. Here is what God said about it. "I will give to you the blessings which I promised David."

³⁵ `In another psalm it says, "You will not let the body of your Holy One be spoiled."

³⁶ `As for David, he did the work God wanted him to do for the people in his time. Then, after that, he died. He was buried with his fathers. His body spoiled.

³⁷ But God has raised one from death. His body did not spoil.

³⁸ `Men and brothers, understand this. It is because of this Jesus that we tell you your wrong ways will be forgiven you.

³⁹ The law of Moses could not make you free. But this man makes you free. You will not be judged if you believe in him.

⁴⁰ Be careful then, so that what the prophets said will not happen to you.

⁴¹ They said, "Look, you people who despise everything. You will look in wonder before you die. I will do something in your time. I will do something that you will not believe even if someone told you what it is." '

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas left the meeting house the people said, `Tell us these things again next Sabbath day.'

⁴³ The meeting was finished. There were many Jews, also those who were not Jews but worshipped God. They followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabus kept talking to the people and told them to keep on living in the way that will bring God's blessing.

¹⁹ He also chose Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon of Canan, and Judas Iscariot, the one who gave Jesus over to people who hated him. Then Jesus and his disciples went home.

²⁰ So many people came again that they could not even eat.

²¹ When Jesus' family heard about this, they came to take him away. They said, `He is crazy.'

²² The scribes who came from Jerusalem also talked about Jesus. They said, `Beelzebub, the chief of bad spirits, is in this man. He drives out bad spirits by the help of Beelzebub.'

²³ Jesus called the people and talked to them in stories. He asked, `How can Satan drive out Satan?

²⁴ If one part of a country fights against another part of the country, that country cannot be strong.

²⁵ If one part of a family fights against the other part of the family, it cannot stand.

²⁶ If Satan fights against himself and the bad spirits fight against each other, he cannot stand. It will be the end of him.

²⁷ If anyone wants to go into a strong man's house and steal his things, he must first tie the strong man. Then he can steal his things.

²⁸ `I tell you the truth. All wrong things that people do and say about anyone will be forgiven.

²⁹ But people who say wrong things against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. A person who does that will be punished for ever.'

³⁰ Jesus said all this because the scribes said, `A bad spirit is in him.'

³¹ Jesus' mother and brothers came to him. They stood outside. They sent someone to him.

³² Many people were sitting around him. They said, `See, your mother and your brothers are outside. They want you.'

³³ Jesus asked them, `Who are my mother and my brothers?'

³⁴ Then he looked at the people who sat around him. He said, `These people are my mother and my brothers!

³⁵ Anyone who obeys God is my brother, my sister, and my mother.'