They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and so too will your household.” | They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” |
Then, after completing their fasting and prayer, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. | So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way. |
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God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, but now he commands people everywhere to repent. | God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. |
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit descended upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. | “As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning.” |
But the one who did not know those wishes, and who acted in such a manner as to deserve a beating, will be beaten less severely. Much will be demanded of a person to whom much has been given, and even more will be asked of a person to whom more has been entrusted. | But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. |
And we are witnesses to these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. | We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him. |
And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name. | What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord. |
Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of your opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with wisdom, so that you will know how to respond properly to all. | Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. |
For ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’ As even your own poets have said, ‘We are all his offspring.’ | For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ |
And every day, both in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming Jesus as the Christ. | And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” |
Can anyone withhold the water of baptism from these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? | Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did? |
There is no salvation in anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved. | There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. |
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and on that day about three thousand people were added to their number. | Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. |
When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each one of you from your wicked ways. | When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways. |
About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. | Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. |
All of these were constantly engaged in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. | They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. |
To him all the Prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name. | He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name. |
They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers. | All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. |
Exalted at God’s right hand, he received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. | Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. |
Do not let this book of the law be absent from your mouth; meditate upon it day and night, so that you might carefully observe everything that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful. | Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. |
Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” | Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” |
I did not hesitate to tell you what was for your benefit as I proclaimed the word to you and taught you publicly as well as from house to house. | I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. |
The entire community of believers was united in heart and soul. No one claimed any of his possessions as his own, for everything was held in common. | All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. |
Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts in accordance with them will be like a wise man who constructed his house on a rock foundation. | Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. |
Enriched in every way, you will be able to practice all your acts of generosity, which, through our intervention, will result in thanksgiving to God. | Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. |