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Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!
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The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;
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for about forty years he endured their conduct in the wilderness;
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and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance.
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All this took about 450 years. “After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.
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Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years.
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After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
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“From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.
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Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.
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As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’
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“Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
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The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
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Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.
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When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb.
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But God raised him from the dead,
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and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.
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“We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors
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he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “ ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’
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God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, “ ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’
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So it is also stated elsewhere: “ ‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’
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“Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.
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But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
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“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
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Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.
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Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:
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“ ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’ ”