Psalm 4^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

The Escape to Egypt

¹³ When they had gone, an angel^(A) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.^(B) “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”^(C)

¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled^(D) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”^[a](E)

¹⁶ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. ¹⁷ Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:^(F)

The Return to Nazareth

¹⁹ After Herod died, an angel^(I) of the Lord appeared in a dream^(J) to Joseph in Egypt ²⁰ and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”^(K)

²¹ So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream,^(L) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,^{(M) 23} and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.^(N) So was fulfilled^(O) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.^(P)

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites,^(A) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch^(B) David died and was buried,^(C) and his tomb is here^(D) to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^{(E) 31} Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^{(F) 32} God has raised this Jesus to life,^(G) and we are all witnesses^(H) of it. ³³ Exalted^(I) to the right hand of God,^(J) he has received from the Father^(K) the promised Holy Spirit^(L) and has poured out^(M) what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord^(O) and Messiah.”^(P)

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”^(Q)

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^(R) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(S) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{(T) 39} The promise is for you and your children^(U) and for all who are far off^(V)—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”^{(W) 41} Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(X) that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^(Y) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(Z) and to prayer.^{(AA) 43} Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^{(AB) 44} All the believers were together and had everything in common.^{(AC) 45} They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.^{(AD) 46} Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.^(AE) They broke bread^(AF) in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.^(AG) And the Lord added to their number^(AH) daily those who were being saved.