¹⁵ After the reading of the Law and the Prophets,^[a] the leaders sent someone over to tell Paul and Barnabas, “Friends, if you have anything to say that will help the people, please say it.”

¹⁶ Paul got up. He motioned with his hand and said:

People of Israel, and everyone else who worships God, listen!

²⁶ Now listen, you descendants of Abraham! Pay attention, all of you Gentiles who are here to worship God! Listen to this message about how to be saved, because it is for everyone. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their leaders didn't realize who Jesus was. And they didn't understand the words of the prophets they read each Sabbath. So they condemned Jesus just as the prophets had said.

^28-29 (A) They did exactly what the Scriptures said they would. Even though they couldn't find any reason to put Jesus to death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.

After Jesus had been put to death, he was taken down from the cross^[a] and placed in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised him from death! ^31 (B) Then for many days Jesus appeared to his followers who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our people about him.

³² God made a promise to our ancestors. And we are here to tell you the good news ^33 (C) that he has kept this promise to us. It is just as the second Psalm says about Jesus,

^34 (D) God raised Jesus from death and will never let his body decay. It is just as God said,

^35 (E) And in another psalm it says, “God will never let the body of his Holy One decay.”

³⁶ When David was alive, he obeyed God. Then after he died, he was buried in the family grave, and his body decayed. ³⁷ But God raised Jesus from death, and his body did not decay.

³⁸ My friends, the message is that Jesus can forgive your sins! The Law of Moses could not set you free from all your sins. ³⁹ But everyone who has faith in Jesus is set free.