₃₄Peter began to speak: “I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis. ₃₅Those who worship him and do what is right are acceptable to him, no matter what race they belong to. ₃₆You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. ₃₇You know of the great event that took place throughout the land of Israel, beginning in Galilee after John preached his message of baptism. ₃₈You know about Jesus of Nazareth and how God poured out on him the Holy Spirit and power. He went everywhere, doing good and healing all who were under the power of the Devil, for God was with him. ₃₉We are witnesses of everything that he did in the land of Israel and in Jerusalem. Then they put him to death by nailing him to a cross. ₄₀But God raised him from death three days later and caused him to appear, ₄₁not to everyone, but only to the witnesses that God had already chosen, that is, to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from death. ₄₂And he commanded us to preach the gospel to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead. ₄₃All the prophets spoke about him, saying that all who believe in him will have their sins forgiven through the power of his name.”

₁The LORD says, “The time is coming when I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel, and they will be my people. ₂In the desert I showed mercy to those people who had escaped death. When the people of Israel longed for rest, ₃I appeared to them from far away. People of Israel, I have always loved you, so I continue to show you my constant love. ₄Once again I will rebuild you. Once again you will take up your tambourines and dance joyfully. ₅Once again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria, and those who plant them will eat what the vineyards produce. ₆Yes, the time is coming when watchmen will call out on the hills of Ephraim, ‘Let's go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.’ ”