16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand(A) and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17 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;(B) 18 for about forty years he endured their conduct[a](C) in the wilderness;(D) 19 and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan,(E) giving their land to his people(F) as their inheritance.(G) 20 All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges(H) until the time of Samuel the prophet.(I) 21 Then the people asked for a king,(J) and he gave them Saul(K) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,(L) who ruled forty years. 22 After removing Saul,(M) he made David their king.(N) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;(O) he will do everything I want him to do.’(P)

23 “From this man’s descendants(Q) God has brought to Israel the Savior(R) Jesus,(S) as he promised.(T) 24 Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.(U) 25 As John was completing his work,(V) he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for.(W) But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’(X)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:18 Some manuscripts he cared for them

16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

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