Verse 1
Ye men of Israel, hear
The words of truth and grace,
Jesus did in the flesh appear
To save a sinking race;
A man of God approv’d,
By signs and wonders known,
Jesus, the Father’s well-belov’d,
The co-eternal Son.
Verse 2
The Prince of life and peace,
By heav’n’s supreme decree
Deliver’d up, ye dar’d to seize,
And nail[1] him to the tree:
Taken by wicked hands,
And crucify’d and slain;
But God hath loos’d the mortal bands,
And rais’d him up again.
Verse 3
It was not possible
That death should keep his prey;
God would not leave his soul in hell,
Or let his flesh decay:
His flesh repos’d in hope
Of the third joyful morn,
And then the Father rais’d him up,
And God again was born.
Verse 4
This Jesus is restor’d
To life by[2] power divine;
We all proclaim our living Lord,
And in his praises join:
We are his witnesses,
He is gone up on high,
Exalted to his native place,
He lives no more to die.
Verse 5
Again at God’s right-hand
Our Lord is call’d to sit,
Till all who now his sway withstand
Are crush’d beneath his feet:
Be it to Israel’s seed,
To every sinner known,
God hath perform’d his oath indeed,
Hath glorify’d his Son.
Verse 6
Sinners, believe he died,
And rose to buy your peace;
Jesus the Christ, the crucified,
The Lord of life confess:
Repent in Jesus’ name,
Believe and be forgiven,
And take the Holy Ghost ye claim,
And rise with us to heaven.
[1] Wesley changed “nail” to “nail’d” in 1754.
[2] Wesley changed “by” to “and” in 1764.