From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus and an apostle chosen and called by God to preach his Good News.

From Paul, who was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes---

Let me tell you, my friends, that the gospel I preach is not of human origin.

I did not receive it from any human being, nor did anyone teach it to me. It was Jesus Christ himself who revealed it to me.

nor did I go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me. Instead, I went at once to Arabia, and then I returned to Damascus.

"My friends," he said, "the scripture had to come true in which the Holy Spirit, speaking through David, made a prediction about Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus.

(With the money that Judas got for his evil act he bought a field, where he fell to his death; he burst open and all his insides spilled out.

"For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'May his house become empty; may no one live in it.' It is also written, 'May someone else take his place of service.'

(SEE 1:21)

Then they prayed, "Lord, you know the thoughts of everyone, so show us which of these two you have chosen

Then they drew lots to choose between the two men, and the one chosen was Matthias, who was added to the group of eleven apostles.

While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, to do the work to which I have called them."

Having been sent by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul went to Seleucia and sailed from there to the island of Cyprus.

"But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do."

The Lord said to him, "Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.

And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake."

I asked, 'What shall I do, Lord?' and the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything that God has determined for you to do.'

He said, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see his righteous Servant, and to hear him speaking with his own voice.

And now, why wait any longer? Get up and be baptized and have your sins washed away by praying to him.'

in which I saw the Lord, as he said to me, 'Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your witness about me.'

And when your witness Stephen was put to death, I myself was there, approving of his murder and taking care of the cloaks of his murderers.'

But get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant. You are to tell others what you have seen of me today and what I will show you in the future.

You are to open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God's chosen people.'

as to his divine holiness, he was shown with great power to be the Son of God by being raised from death.

Through him God gave me the privilege of being an apostle for the sake of Christ, in order to lead people of all nations to believe and obey.

Does this sound as if we were again boasting about ourselves? Could it be that, like some other people, we need letters of recommendation to you or from you?

It is clear that Christ himself wrote this letter and sent it by us. It is written, not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, and not on stone tablets but on human hearts.

I am less than the least of all God's people; yet God gave me this privilege of taking to the Gentiles the Good News about the infinite riches of Christ,

That teaching is found in the gospel that was entrusted to me to announce, the Good News from the glorious and blessed God.

even though in the past I spoke evil of him and persecuted and insulted him. But God was merciful to me because I did not yet have faith and so did not know what I was doing.

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, sent to proclaim the promised life which we have in union with Christ Jesus---

and at the right time he revealed it in his message. This was entrusted to me, and I proclaim it by order of God our Savior.

Jesus drew near and said to them, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."

So Jesus answered them, "I tell you the truth: the Son can do nothing on his own; he does only what he sees his Father doing. What the Father does, the Son also does.

The Father and I are one."

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you."

But God raised him from death, setting him free from its power, because it was impossible that death should hold him prisoner.

And so I am filled with gladness, and my words are full of joy. And I, mortal though I am, will rest assured in hope,

You have shown me the paths that lead to life, and your presence will fill me with joy.'

He was a prophet, and he knew what God had promised him: God had made a vow that he would make one of David's descendants a king, just as David was.

God has raised this very Jesus from death, and we are all witnesses to this fact.

You killed the one who leads to life, but God raised him from death---and we are witnesses to this.

They were written also for us who are to be accepted as righteous, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from death.

Because of our sins he was given over to die, and he was raised to life in order to put us right with God.

If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved.

For Christ died and rose to life in order to be the Lord of the living and of the dead.

and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength

which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world.

God has raised from death our Lord Jesus, who is the Great Shepherd of the sheep as the result of his blood, by which the eternal covenant is sealed. May the God of peace provide you with every good thing you need in order to do his will, and may he, through Jesus Christ, do in us what pleases him. And to Christ be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from death and gave him glory; and so your faith and hope are fixed on God.

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first to be raised from death and who is also the ruler of the kings of the world. He loves us, and by his sacrificial death he has freed us from our sins

I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead.

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: "This is the message from the one who is the first and the last, who died and lived again.