24. Before he came, John told all the people of Israel what they should do. He told them to be baptized to show they wanted to change their lives.
25. When John was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Messiah. He is coming later, and I am not worthy to be the slave who unties his sandals.’
26. “My brothers, sons in the family of Abraham, and you other people who also worship the true God, listen! The news about this salvation has been sent to us.
27. The Jews living in Jerusalem and their leaders did not realize that Jesus was the Savior. The words the prophets wrote about him were read every Sabbath day, but they did not understand. They condemned Jesus. When they did this, they made the words of the prophets come true.
28. They could not find any real reason why Jesus should die, but they asked Pilate to kill him.
29. “These Jews did all the bad things that the Scriptures said would happen to Jesus. Then they took Jesus down from the cross and put him in a tomb.
30. But God raised him up from death!
31. After this, for many days, those who had gone with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him. They are now his witnesses to our people.
32. “We tell you the Good News about the promise God made to our ancestors.
33. We are their descendants, and God has made this promise come true for us. God did this by raising Jesus from death. We also read about this in Psalm 2: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’ Psalm 2:7
34. God raised Jesus from death. Jesus will never go back to the grave and become dust. So God said, ‘I will give you the true and holy promises that I made to David.’ Isaiah 55:3
35. But in another Psalm it says, ‘You will not let your Holy One rot in the grave.’ Psalm 16:10
36. “David did God’s will during the time he lived. Then he died and was buried like all his ancestors. And his body did rot in the grave!
37. But the one God raised from death did not rot in the grave.
38-39. Brothers, understand what we are telling you. You can have forgiveness of your sins through this Jesus. The Law of Moses could not free you from your sins. But you can be made right with God if you believe in Jesus.