Some time later John the Baptist appeared on the scene, proclaiming in the Judean desert,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has arrived!”
Anyone who publicly declares their commitment to me, I will also declare my commitment to them before my Father in heaven.
But anyone who publicly denies me, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
You will be hated by everyone because of me, but whoever endures until the end will be saved.
I tell you there is joy in the presence of God's angels over one sinner that repents.
For God loved the world, and this is how: he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who trusts in him shouldn't die, but have eternal life.
I tell you the truth: those who follow what I say and trust the one who sent me have eternal life. They won't be condemned, but have gone from death to life.
My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life; they shall never be lost, and no one can snatch them from me.
“Repent!” Peter told them. “All of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
This promise is given to you, to your children, and to all who are far away—everyone the Lord our God calls.”
Now repent, and change your ways, that your sins can be wiped away, so the Lord can send opportunities for you to heal and recover,
I'm certainly not ashamed about the good news, for it's God's power to save everyone who trusts in him—to the Jewish people first, and then to everyone else as well.
Or is it that you're treating his wonderful kindness, tolerance, and patience with contempt, not realizing that God in his kindness is trying to lead you to repent?
Now that we have been made right by God by trusting in him, we have peace with him through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The wage sin pays is death, but God's free gift is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
For if you declare that you accept Jesus as Lord, and you are convinced in your mind that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved.
Your trust in God makes you right and good, and your declaration of accepting God saves you.
For you've been saved by grace through trusting in him—it's not through yourselves, it's the gift of God!
This has nothing to do with human effort, so don't be proud of yourselves.
So don't be ashamed to tell others about our Lord, or be ashamed of me. Instead be ready to share in suffering for the good news as God gives you strength.
He is the one who has saved us and called us to live a holy life—not through what we do, but by God's own plan and through his grace.
Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through his great mercy we have been born again and given a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
This inheritance is eternal, it never spoils or fades, and it is kept safe in heaven for you.
Through your trust in him, God will protect you by his power until salvation arrives—the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the last day.
The Lord is not delaying the fulfillment of his promise, as some define delay, but he is being very patient with you. He doesn't want anyone to be lost, but everyone to come and repent.
But if we confess our sins, he is trustworthy and right so that he can forgive us our sins and make us clean from all that is not right in us.
Eternal life—this is what he has promised us!
I'm writing to tell those of you who trust in the name of the Son of God so you can be certain you have eternal life.