16
And Paul, getting up and making a sign with his hand, said, Men of Israel, and you who have the fear of God, give ear.
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The God of this people Israel made selection of our fathers, lifting the people up from their low condition when they were living in the land of Egypt, and with a strong arm took them out of it.
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And for about forty years he put up with their ways in the waste land.
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And having put to destruction seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them the land for their heritage for about four hundred and fifty years.
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And after these things he gave them judges, till the time of Samuel the prophet.
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Then at their request for a king, God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the family of Benjamin, who was their king for forty years.
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And having put him on one side, he made David their king, to whom he gave witness, saying, I have taken David, the son of Jesse, a man dear to my heart, who will do all my pleasure.
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From this man's seed has God given to Israel a Saviour, even Jesus, as he gave his word;
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For whose coming John made ready the way by preaching to all the people of Israel the baptism which goes with a change of heart.
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And when John was completing his work, he said, What do I seem to you to be? I am not he; but one is coming after me, whose shoes I am not good enough to undo.
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My brothers, children of the family of Abraham, and those among you who have the fear of God, to us the word of this salvation is sent.
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For the men of Jerusalem and their rulers, having no knowledge of him, or of the sayings of the prophets which come to their ears every Sabbath day, gave effect to them by judging him.
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And though no cause of death was seen in him, they made a request to Pilate that he might be put to death.
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And when they had done all the things said in the Writings about him, they took him down from the tree, and put him in the place of the dead.
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But God gave him back from the dead:
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And for a number of days he was seen by those who came with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses before the people.
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And we are giving you the good news of the undertaking made to the fathers,
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Which God has now put into effect for our children, by sending Jesus; as it says in the second Psalm, You are my Son; this day I have given you being.
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And about his coming back from the dead, never again to go to destruction, he has said these words, I will give you the holy and certain mercies of David.
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Because he says in another Psalm, You will not let your Holy One see destruction.
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Now David, having done God's work for his generation, went to sleep, and was put with his fathers, and his body came to destruction:
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But he, who was lifted up by God, did not see destruction.
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And so, let it be clear to you, my brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is offered to you:
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And through him everyone who has faith is made free from all those things, from which the law of Moses was not able to make you free.
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So take care that these words of the prophets do not come true for you;
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See, you doubters, have wonder and come to your end; for I will do a thing in your days to which you will not give belief, even if it is made clear to you.