Which of the Prophets did not your forefathers persecute? Yes, they killed those who announced beforehand the advent of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become–
be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that through the name of Jesus the Anointed, the Nazarene, whom you crucified, but whom God has raised from among the dead– through that name this man stands here before you in perfect health.
Those Jewish persecutors killed both the Lord Jesus and the Prophets, and drove us out of their midst. They are displeasing to God, and are the enemies of all mankind;
They were eager to know the time which the Spirit of Christ within them kept indicating, or the characteristics of that time, when they solemnly made known beforehand the sufferings that were to come upon Christ and the glories which would follow.
Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he exclaimed, »Oh, do not do that. I am a fellow bondservant of yours and a fellow bondservant of your brethren who have borne testimony to Jesus. Worship God.« Testimony to Jesus is the spirit which underlies Prophecy.
»To the minister of the Church at Philadelphia write as follows:« `This is what the holy One and the true says –He who has the key of David– He who opens and no one shall shut, and shuts and no one shall open.