16 Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and syou who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people 4Israel tchose our fathers, and exalted the people uwhen they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with 5an uplifted arm He vbrought them out of it. 18 Now wfor a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. 19 And when He had destroyed xseven nations in the land of Canaan, yHe distributed their land to them by allotment.

20 “After that zHe gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, auntil Samuel the prophet. 21 bAnd afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them cSaul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And dwhen He had removed him, eHe raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, f‘I have found David the son of Jesse, ga man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ 23 hFrom this man’s seed, according ito the promise, God raised up for Israel ja 6Savior—Jesus—24 kafter John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, l‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, mthere comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’

26 “Men and brethren, sons of the 7family of Abraham, and nthose among you who fear God, oto you the 8word of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, pbecause they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. 28 qAnd though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. 29 rNow when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, sthey took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 30 tBut God raised Him from the dead. 31 uHe was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. 32 And we declare to you glad tidings—vthat promise which was made to the fathers. 33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:

w‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.’

34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to 9corruption, He has spoken thus:

x‘I will give you the sure 1mercies of David.’

35 Therefore He also says in another Psalm:

y‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’

36 “For David, after he had served 2his own generation by the will of God, zfell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and 3saw corruption; 37 but He whom God raised up 4saw no corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that athrough this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and bby Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40 Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

41 ‘Behold, cyou despisers,

Marvel and perish!

For I work a work in your days,

A work which you will by no means believe,

Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”