Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Telling the Gentiles about Jesus

³⁴ Peter took a deep breath and began.

“It’s become clear to me,” he said, “that God really does show no favoritism. ³⁵ No: in every race, people who fear him and do what is right are acceptable to him. ³⁶ He sent his word to the children of Israel, announcing peace through Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all! ³⁷ You know all about this, and how the word spread through all Judaea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John proclaimed.

³⁸ “God anointed this man, Jesus of Nazareth, with the holy spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were overpowered by the devil, since God was with him. ³⁹ We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of Judaea and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree; ⁴⁰ but God raised him on the third day, and allowed him to be seen, ⁴¹ not indeed by all the people, but by those of us whom God had appointed beforehand. We ate and drank with him after he had been raised from the dead. ⁴² And he commanded us to announce to the people, and to bear testimony, that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets give their witness: he is the one! Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his Name.”

¹³ Then Jesus arrived at the Jordan from Galilee, and came to John to be baptized by him.

¹⁴ John tried to stop him.

“I ought to be baptized by you,” he said, “and are you going to come to me?”

¹⁵ “This is how it’s got to be right now,” said Jesus. “This is the right way for us to complete God’s whole saving plan.”

So John consented, ¹⁶ and Jesus was baptized. All at once, as he came up out of the water, suddenly the heavens were opened, and he saw God’s spirit coming down like a dove and landing on him.

¹⁷ Then there came a voice out of the heavens.

“This is my son, my beloved one,” said the voice. “I am delighted with him.”