and about how you’re waiting for his Son to come from heaven. The Son is the one God raised from the dead, Jesus, and he saves us from God’s coming anger.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, John said to them, “You little snakes! Who warned you to try to escape the punishment that’s coming?
Christ also suffered once for sins. Someone who did right suffered for those who did wrong, in order to bring you to God. Jesus was put to death in the body, but he was made alive in the Spirit.
May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope because Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
In the same way, Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people. He will also come a second time, not to take away our sins, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for him.
John said to the crowds who were coming to him to be baptized, “You’re like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape from God’s coming anger?
“Men of Galilee,” they asked, “why are you standing here looking at the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back just as you saw him go.”
by trying to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they can be saved. By doing that, they’re continually increasing their sins to the maximum. But God’s anger has come on them at last.
as you look forward to the day of God and help it come more quickly. On that day fire will destroy the heavens, and the elements will melt in the heat.
He has set a day when he will judge the entire world fairly, and he has appointed a man to be its judge. God has proved this to everyone by raising that man from the dead.”
Then listen, you and all the people of Israel! It is through the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that this man stands healed in front of you. You nailed Jesus to the cross, but God raised him from the dead.
“Look! He’s coming with the clouds!” “Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.” All the nations of the earth “will mourn because of him.” This will happen! Amen.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and because he and his kingdom are coming, I’m giving you these instructions:
and he is the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning, the first to be raised from the dead. That happened so that he would be far above everything.