What things?

What is the good news (the gospel)?

Mark 1

¹ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; ² as it is written in the prophets,

'Behold, I send my messenger before your  face, which shall prepare your way before you.

³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

All of you, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'

[Isaiah 40 v 3]

⁴ John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

⁵ And there went out to him all the land of Judah, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁶ And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; ⁷ and preached, saying,

'There comes one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

⁸ I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.'

⁹ And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

¹⁰ And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: ¹¹ and there came a voice from heaven, saying,

'You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'

¹² And immediately the Spirit drives him into the wilderness.

¹³ And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.

¹⁴ Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, ¹⁵ and saying,

'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent all of you, and believe the gospel.'

¹⁶ Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them,

'Come after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.'

¹⁸ And straight away they forsook their nets, and followed him.

¹⁹ And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

²⁰ And straight away he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

²¹ And they went into Capernaum; and straight away on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

²² And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

²³ And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, ²⁴ Saying,

'Let us alone; what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth?

Are you come to destroy us?

I know you who you are, the Holy One of God.'

²⁵ And Jesus rebuked him, saying,

'Hold your peace, and come out of him.'

²⁶ And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

²⁷ And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying,

'What thing is this?

What new doctrine is this?

for with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.'

²⁸ And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

²⁹ And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

³⁰ But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.

³¹ And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered to them.

³² And at evening, when the sun did set, they brought to him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

³³ And all the city was gathered together at the door.

³⁴ And he healed many that were sick of diverse diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered [permitted] not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

³⁵ And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

³⁶ And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.

³⁷ And when they had found him, they said to him,

'All men seek for you.'

³⁸ And he said to them,

'Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.'

³⁹ And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

⁴⁰ And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying to him,

'If you will, you can make me clean.'

⁴¹ And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said to him,

'I will; be clean.'

⁴² And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

⁴³ And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; ⁴⁴ And said to him,

'See you say nothing to any man: but go your way, shew yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.'

⁴⁵ But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

What is 'the promise of the Father'? (Luke 24 vv 46 - 49)

Acts 2

¹ And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

³ And there appeared to them cloven [divided] tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

⁶ Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded [perplexed], because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

⁷ And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another,

'Behold, are not all these who speak Galilaeans?

⁸ And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

⁹ Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.'

¹² And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another,

What does this mean?'

¹³ Others mocking said,

'These men are full of new wine.'

¹⁴ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them,

'All you men of Judaea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and hearken [give attention] to my words:

¹⁵ For these are not drunk, as you all suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day [9 am].

¹⁶ But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

¹⁷ 'And it shall come to pass in the last days',

says God,

'I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: ¹⁸ and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: ¹⁹ and I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: ²⁰ the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: ²¹ and it shall come to pass, that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

[Joel 2 vv 28 - 32]

²² All you men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you all yourselves also know:

²³ him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you all have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

²⁴ Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of [held by] it.

²⁵ For David speaks concerning him,

'I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: ²⁶ therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: ²⁷ because you will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.'

[Psalm 16 vv 8 - 10]

²⁸ 'You have made known to me the ways of life; you shall make me full of joy with your countenance [face].'

²⁹ Men and brethren, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us to this day.

³⁰ Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

³¹ He seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

³² This Jesus has God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

³³ Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which you all  now see and hear.

³⁴ For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he says himself,

'The LORD said to my Lord,

'Sit on my right hand, ³⁵ until I make your foes your footstool.' '

³⁶ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom you all have crucified, both Lord and Christ.'

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles,

'Men and brethren, what shall we do?'

³⁸ Then Peter said to them,

'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you all shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

³⁹ For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.'

[Ephesians 2 vv 11 - 13,

John 10 v 16]

⁴⁰ And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying,

'Save yourselves from this untoward [perverse] generation.'

⁴¹ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls.

⁴² And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

⁴³ And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

Repent from sin. Escape the wrath to come!

1 Corinthians 11

³¹ For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

³² But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Romans 2

²⁸ For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

²⁹ But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Romans 3 

¹ What advantage then has the Jew?

Or what profit is there of circumcision?

² Much every way: chiefly, because that to them were committed the oracles of God.

³ For what if some did not believe?

Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

⁴ God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written,

'That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged.'

Acts 13

³⁸ Be it known to you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man [Jesus Christ] is preached to you the forgiveness of sins:

³⁹ And by him all who believe are justified from all things, from which you all could not be justified by the law of Moses.

⁴⁰ Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

⁴¹ 'Behold, all you despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which you all shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it to you.

[Habakkuk 1 v 5]

⁴² And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought [asked earnestly] that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath [rest day].

⁴³ Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

⁴⁴ And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas waxed [became] bold, and said,

'It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you all put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles [all other nations].

⁴⁷ For so has the Lord commanded us, saying,

'I have set you [Israel] to be a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.'

[Isaiah 49 v 6]

⁴⁸ And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

John 20:31

' ... these are written, that you all might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you all might have life through his name.