Bible in 90 Days
The World’s Hatred
18 “If the world hates you, you should realize that it hated me before you. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as one of its own. But because you do not belong to the world and I have chosen you out of it,[a] the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 They will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.
22 “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have any sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 The person who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn’t done among them the actions that no one else did, they wouldn’t have any sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this happened so that[b] what has been written in their Law might be fulfilled: ‘They hated me for no reason.’[c]
26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father— the Spirit of Truth, who comes from the Father—he will testify on my behalf. 27 You will testify also, because you have been with me from the beginning.
16 “I have told you this to keep you from falling away.[d] 2 You’ll be thrown out of the synagogues. Yes, a time is coming when the one who kills you will think he’s serving God. 3 They’ll do this because they haven’t known the Father or me. 4 But I’ve told you this, so that when the time comes you’ll remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you this in the beginning, because I was still with you.”
The Work of the Spirit
5 “But now I am going to the one who sent me. Yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have told you this, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 However, I’m telling you the truth. It’s for your advantage that I’m going away, because if I don’t go away, the Helper won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment— 9 of sin, because they don’t believe in me; 10 of righteousness, because I’m going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 and of judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.[e]
12 “I still have a lot to say to you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 Yet when the Spirit of Truth comes, he’ll guide you into all truth. He won’t speak on his own accord, but he’ll speak whatever he hears and will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said, ‘He will take what is mine and declare it to you.’ 16 In a little while you will no longer see me, then in a little while you will see me again.”
17 At this point, some of his disciples asked each other, “What does he mean by telling us, ‘In a little while you will no longer see me, then in a little while you will see me again,’ and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept saying, “What is this ‘in a little while’ that he keeps talking about? We don’t know what he means.”
Sorrow will Turn to Joy
19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him a question, so he asked them, “Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will no longer see me, then in a little while you will see me again’? 20 Truly, I tell all of you[f] emphatically, you’ll cry and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You’ll be deeply distressed, but your pain will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is in labor she has pain, because her time has come. Yet when she has given birth to her child, she doesn’t remember the agony anymore because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. 22 Now you are having pain. But I’ll see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23 On that day, you won’t ask me for anything. Truly, I tell all of you[g] emphatically, whatever you ask the Father for in my name, he will give it to you.[h] 24 So far you haven’t asked for anything in my name. Keep asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”
Victory over the World
25 “I have said these things to you in figurative language. The time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 At that time, you will make your requests in my name, so that I will have no need to ask the Father on your behalf, 27 because the Father himself loves you, and because you have loved me and believed that I came from God.[i] 28 I left the Father and came into the world. Now[j] I’m leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
29 Jesus’[k] disciples said, “Well, now you’re speaking plainly and not using figurative language. 30 Now we know that you know everything and don’t need to have anyone ask you any questions. Because of this, we believe that you have come from God.”
31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Listen, the time is coming, indeed it has already come, when you will be scattered, each of you to his own home, and you will leave me all by myself. Yet I’m not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you this so that through me you may have peace. In the world you’ll have trouble, but be courageous—I’ve overcome the world!”
Jesus Prays for Himself, His Disciples, and His Future Followers
17 After Jesus had said this, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, so that the Son may glorify you. 2 For[l] you have given him authority over all humanity[m] so that he might give eternal life to all those you gave him. 3 And this is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent—Jesus the Messiah.[n] 4 I glorified you on earth by completing the task you gave me to do.
5 “So now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world existed. 6 I have made your name known to these men whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they realize that everything you gave me comes from you, 8 because the words that you gave me I passed on to them. They have received them and know for sure that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.
9 “I am asking on their behalf. I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those you gave me, because they are yours. 10 All that is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine, and I have been glorified through them. 11 I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by your Name, the Name[o] that you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them by the authority[p] that you gave me. I guarded them, and not one of them became lost except the one who was destined for[q] destruction, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 “And now I am coming to you, and I say these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one. 16 They don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world.
17 “Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 It is for their sakes that I sanctify myself, so that they, too, may be sanctified by the truth. 20 I ask not only on behalf of these men,[r] but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their message, 21 so that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one[s] in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory that you gave me, so that they may be one, just as we are one. 23 I am in them, and you are in me. May they be completely one, so that the world may know that you sent me and that you have loved them as you loved me. 24 Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am and to see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father, the world has never known you. Yet I have known you, and these men have known that you sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have for me[t] may be in them and I myself may be in them.”
Jesus is Betrayed and Arrested(A)
18 After Jesus had said all of this, he went with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas took a detachment of soldiers and some officers from the high priests and the Pharisees and went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
4 Then Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen, went forward and asked them, “Who are you looking for?”
5 They answered him, “Jesus from Nazareth.”[u]
Jesus told them, “I AM.” Judas, the man who betrayed him, was standing with them.
6 When Jesus[v] told them, “I AM,” they backed away and fell to the ground.
7 So he asked them again, “Who are you looking for?”
They said, “Jesus from Nazareth.”[w]
8 Jesus replied, “I told you that I am the one,[x] so if you are looking for me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill what he had said, “I did not lose a single one of those you gave me.”[y]
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus told Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shouldn’t I drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
Jesus before the High Priest(B)
12 Then the soldiers, along with their commander and the Jewish officers, arrested Jesus and tied him up. 13 First they brought him to Annas, because he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the person who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one man die for the people.
Peter Denies Jesus(C)
15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Since the other disciple was known to the high priest, he accompanied Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. 16 Peter, however, stood outside the gate. So this other disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter inside. 17 The young woman at the gate asked Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples, too, are you?”
“I am not,” he replied.
18 Meanwhile, the servants and officers were standing around a charcoal fire they had built and were warming themselves because it was cold. Peter was also standing with them, keeping himself warm.
The High Priest Questions Jesus(D)
19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his own teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken publicly to the world. I have always taught in the synagogue or in the Temple, where all Jews meet together, and I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I said. These are the people who know what I said.”
22 When he said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Jesus on the face and demanded, “Is that any way to answer the high priest?”
23 Jesus answered him, “If I have said anything wrong, tell me what it was.[z] But if I have told the truth, why do you hit me?” 24 Then Annas sent him, with his hands tied, to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter Denies Jesus Again(E)
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. Some people[aa] asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples, too, are you?”
He denied it by saying, “I am not!”
26 Then one of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “I saw you in the garden with Jesus,[ab] didn’t I?” 27 Peter again denied it, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Pilate Questions Jesus(F)
28 Then Jesus was led from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters[ac] early in the morning. The Jews[ad] did not go into the headquarters, to avoid becoming unclean[ae] and unable to eat the Passover meal. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”
30 They answered him, “If he weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate told them, “You take him and try him according to your Law.”
The Jewish leaders[af] told him, “It is not legal for us to put anyone to death.” 32 This was to fulfill what Jesus had said[ag] when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.
33 So Pilate went back into the governor’s headquarters,[ah] summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 Jesus replied, “Are you asking this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about me?”
35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? It is your own nation and high priests who have handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my servants would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders.[ai] But for now my kingdom is not from here.”
37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?”
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born for this, and I came into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is committed to the truth listens to my voice.”
38 Pilate asked him, “What is ‘truth’?” and then he went out to the Jewish leaders[aj] again and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But you have a custom that I release one person for you at Passover. Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?”
40 At this, they shouted out again, “Not this fellow, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.[ak]
Jesus is Sentenced to Death(G)
19 Then Pilate had Jesus taken away and whipped. 2 The soldiers twisted some thorns into a victor’s crown, put it on his head, and threw a purple robe on him. 3 They kept coming up to him and saying, “Long live the king of the Jews!” Then they began to slap him on the face.
4 Pilate went outside again and told the Jews,[al] “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 Then Jesus came outside, wearing the victor’s crown of thorns and the purple robe.
Pilate told them, “Here is the man!”
6 When the high priests and the officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Pilate told them, “You take him and crucify him. I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7 The Jewish leaders[am] answered Pilate,[an] “We have a law, and according to that Law he must die because he made himself out to be the Son of God.”
8 When Pilate heard this, he became even more afraid. 9 Returning to his headquarters,[ao] he asked Jesus, “Where are you from?”
But Jesus did not answer him.
10 So Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to speak to me? You realize, don’t you, that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered him, “You have no authority over me at all, except what was given to you from above. That’s why the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
12 From then on, Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders[ap] kept shouting, “If you release this fellow, you’re not a friend of Caesar! Anyone who claims to be a king is defying Caesar!”
13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat in a place called The Pavement, which in Hebrew is called Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the Preparation Day for the Passover, about noon.[aq] He told the Jewish leaders,[ar] “Here is your king!”
15 Then they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
Pilate asked them, “Should I crucify your king?”
The high priests responded, “We have no king but Caesar!” 16 Then Pilate[as] handed him over to be crucified, and they took Jesus away.
Jesus is Crucified(H)
17 Carrying the cross all by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, along with two others, one on each side of him with Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus from Nazareth,[at] the King of the Jews.” 20 Many Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
21 Then the Jewish high priests told Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this fellow said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’”
22 Pilate replied, “What I have written I have written.”
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier, and took his cloak[au] as well. The cloak was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down. 24 So they told each other, “Let’s not tear it. Instead, let’s throw dice to see who gets it.” This was to fulfill the Scripture that says,
“They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they threw dice.”[av]
So that is what the soldiers did.
25 Meanwhile, standing near Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.[aw] 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he kept loving standing there, he told his mother, “Dear lady,[ax] here is your son.” 27 Then he told the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
Jesus Dies on the Cross(I)
28 After this, when Jesus realized that everything was now completed, he said (in order to fulfill the Scripture), “I’m thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was standing there, so they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. 30 After Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.
Jesus’ Side is Pierced
31 Since it was the Preparation Day, the Jewish leaders[ay] did not want to leave the bodies on the crosses during the Sabbath, because that was a particularly important Sabbath. So they asked Pilate to have the men’s legs broken and the bodies[az] removed. 32 So the soldiers went and broke the legs of the first man and then of the other man who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water immediately came out. 35 The one who saw this has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows he is telling the truth so that you, too, may believe, 36 because these things happened so that the Scripture might be fulfilled:
“None of his bones will be broken.”[ba]
37 In addition, another passage of Scripture says,
“They will look on the one whom they pierced.”[bb]
Jesus is Buried(J)
38 Later on, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (though a secret one because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders),[bc] asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, and he came and removed his body. 39 Nicodemus, the man who had first come to Jesus at night, also arrived, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about 100 litra.[bd] 40 They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths along with spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41 A garden was located in the place where he was crucified, and in that garden was a new tomb in which no one had yet been placed. 42 Because it was the Jewish Preparation Day, and because the tomb was nearby, they put Jesus there.
Jesus is Raised from the Dead(K)
20 On the first day of the week,[be] early in the morning and while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene[bf] went to the tomb and noticed that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran off and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus kept loving. She told them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple took off for the tomb. 4 The two of them were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 Bending over to look inside, he noticed the linen cloths lying there, but didn’t go in. 6 At this point Simon Peter arrived, following him, and went straight into the tomb. He observed that the linen cloths were lying there, 7 and that the handkerchief that had been on Jesus’ head was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, went inside, looked, and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the Scripture that said[bg] that Jesus[bh] had to rise from the dead. 10 So the disciples went back to their homes.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene(L)
11 Meanwhile, Mary[bi] stood crying outside the tomb. As she cried, she bent over and looked[bj] into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels in white clothes who were sitting down, one at the head and the other at the foot of the place where Jesus’ body had been lying. 13 They asked her, “Lady,[bk] why are you crying?”
She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have put him.”
14 After she had said this, she turned around and noticed Jesus standing there, without realizing that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus asked her, “Dear lady,[bl] why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she told him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him away.”
16 Jesus told her, “Mary!”
She turned around and told him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus told her, “Don’t hold on to me, because I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I’m ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 So Mary Magdalene[bm] went and announced to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord!” She also told them what he had told her.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples(M)
19 It was the evening of the first day of the week,[bn] and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.[bo] Jesus came and stood among them. He told them, “Peace be with you.” 20 After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side, and when they saw the Lord, the disciples were overjoyed. 21 Jesus told them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and told them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain people’s sins, they are retained.”
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 Thomas, one of the Twelve (called the Twin),[bp] wasn’t with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples kept telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he told them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger into them,[bq] and put my hand into his side, I’ll never believe!”
26 A week later, his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were shut, Jesus came, stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he told Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Take your hand, and put it into my side. Stop doubting, but believe.”
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus told him, “Is it because you’ve seen me that you have believed? How blessed are those who have never seen me and yet have believed!”
The Purpose of the Book
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his[br] disciples that are not recorded in this book. 31 But these have been recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah,[bs] the Son of God, and so that through believing you may have life in his name.
Jesus Appears to Seven of His Disciples
21 Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is what happened: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin),[bt] Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two of his other disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter told them, “I’m going fishing.”
They all told him, “We’ll go with you, too.” So they went out and got into the boat but didn’t catch a thing that night.
4 Just as dawn was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore. The disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus. 5 Jesus asked them, “Children, you don’t have any fish, do you?”
They answered him, “No.”
6 He told them, “Throw the net on the right hand side of the boat, and you’ll catch[bu] some.” So they threw it out and were unable to haul it in because it was so full of fish.
7 That disciple whom Jesus kept loving told Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his clothes back on, because he was practically naked, and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. They were only about 200 cubits[bv] away from the shore.
9 When they arrived at the shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish lying on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus told them, “Bring me some of the fish you’ve just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish—153 of them. And although there were so many of them, the net was not torn.
12 Then Jesus told them, “Come, have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”, because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus took the bread, gave it to them, and did[bw] the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after he had been raised from the dead.
Jesus Speaks with Peter
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Peter[bx] told him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus[by] told him, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Then he asked him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter[bz] told him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus[ca] told him, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 He asked him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” So he told him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!”
Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep. 18 “Truly, I tell you[cb] emphatically, when you were young, you would fasten your belt and go wherever you liked. But when you get old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten your belt and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Now he said this to show by what kind of death he would glorify God.
After saying this, Jesus[cc] told him, “Keep following me.”
Jesus and the Beloved Disciple
20 Peter turned around and noticed the disciple whom Jesus kept loving following them. He was the one who had put his head on Jesus’ chest at the supper and had asked, “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”
21 When Peter saw him, he said, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus told him, “If it’s my will for him to remain until I come back, how does that concern you? You must keep following me!” 23 So the rumor spread among the brothers[cd] that this disciple wasn’t going to die. Yet Jesus didn’t say to Peter[ce] that he wasn’t going to die, but, “If it’s my will for him to remain until I come back, how does that concern you?”
24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them down. We know that his testimony is true.
25 Of course, Jesus also did many other things, and I suppose that if every one of them were written down, the world couldn’t contain the books that would be written.
Introduction
1 In my first book, Theophilus, I wrote about everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning, 2 up to the day when he was taken up to heaven[cf] after giving orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After he had suffered, he had shown himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during a period of 40 days and telling them about the kingdom of God.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
4 While he was meeting with them, he ordered them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem. Instead, wait for what the Father has promised, about which you heard me speak, 5 because John baptized with[cg] water, but you will be baptized with[ch] the Holy Spirit a few days from now.”
6 Now those who had gathered together began to ask Jesus,[ci] “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He answered them, “It isn’t for you to know what times or periods the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you’ll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus Goes Up to Heaven
9 After saying this, Jesus[cj] was taken up while those who had gathered together[ck] were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, two men in white robes stood right beside them. 11 They asked, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go up into heaven.”
A New Apostle Takes the Place of Judas
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives,[cl] which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.[cm] 13 When they came into the city, these men[cn] went to the upstairs room where they had been staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son[co] of James. 14 With one mind, all of them kept devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women (including Mary the mother of Jesus) and his brothers.
15 At that time,[cp] Peter got up among the brothers (there were about 120 people present) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the voice of David about Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus, 17 because he was one of our number and was appointed[cq] to share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man bought a field with the money he got for his crime. Falling on his face, he burst open in the middle, and all his intestines gushed out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that this field is called in their language Hakeldama, that is, “The Field of Blood”.) 20 “For in the Book of Psalms it is written, ‘Let his estate be desolate, and let no one live on it,’[cr] and, ‘Let someone else take over his office,’[cs] 21 who was one of the men associated with us all the time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, 22 beginning when he was baptized by John until the day he was taken up from us. Therefore, someone like this[ct] must become a witness with us to his resurrection.”
23 So they nominated two men—Joseph called Barsabbas, who also was called Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know the hearts of all people. Show us which one of these two men you have chosen 25 to serve in this office of apostle,[cu] from which Judas left to go to his own place.”
26 So they drew lots for them, and when the lot fell on Matthias, he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the day of Pentecost was being celebrated,[cv] all of them were together in one place. 2 Suddenly, a sound like the roar of a mighty windstorm came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw tongues like flames[cw] of fire that separated, and one rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign[cx] languages as the Spirit gave them that ability.
5 Now devout Jews from every nation on earth[cy] were living in Jerusalem. 6 When that sound came, a crowd quickly gathered, startled because each one heard the disciples[cz] speaking in his own language. 7 Stunned and amazed, they asked, “All of these people who are speaking are Galileans, aren’t they? 8 So how is it that each one of us hears them speaking in his own native language:[da] 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the district of Libya near Cyrene, Jewish and proselyte visitors from Rome, 11 Cretans, and Arabs, listening to them talk in our own languages about the great deeds of God?”
12 All of them continued to be stunned and puzzled, and they kept asking one another, “What can this mean?”
13 But others kept saying in derision, “They’re drunk on sweet wine!”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up among the eleven apostles[db] and raised his voice to address them:
“Men of Judea and everyone living in Jerusalem! You must understand something, so pay close attention to my words. 15 These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it’s only nine o’clock in the morning.[dc] 16 Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on everyone.[dd]
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will even pour out my Spirit
on my slaves, men and women alike,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will display wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below:
blood, fire, and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark,
and the moon turn to blood,
before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.[de]
21 Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord[df] will be saved.’[dg]
22 “Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth[dh] was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know. 23 After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men. 24 But God raised him up, putting an end to the suffering of death,[di] since it was impossible for him to be held by it, 25 since David says about him,
‘I always keep my eyes on the Lord,[dj]
for he is at my right hand
so that I cannot be shaken.
26 That is why my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices,
yes, even my body still rests securely in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades[dk]
or allow your Holy One to experience decay.
28 You have made the ways of life known to me,
and you will fill me with gladness in your presence.’[dl]
29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day. 30 Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah:[dm]
32 “It was this very Jesus whom God raised—and we’re all witnesses of that. 33 He has been exalted to the right hand of God, has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit,[dp] and has caused you to experience what you are seeing and hearing. 34 After all, David did not go up to heaven, but he said,
‘The Lord[dq] told my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’[dr]
36 “Therefore, let all the people[ds] of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!”[dt]
37 When the crowd that had gathered[du] heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter answered them, “Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah[dv] for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.[dw] 39 For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself.”
40 Using many different expressions, Peter[dx] continued to testify and to plead: “Be saved,” he urged them, “from this corrupt generation!” 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number.
Life among the Believers
42 The believers[dy] continued to devote themselves to what the apostles were teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to times of prayer.[dz] 43 A sense of fear[ea] came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were united and shared everything with one another.[eb] 45 They made it their practice to sell their possessions and goods and to distribute the proceeds[ec] to anyone who was in need. 46 United in purpose, they went to the Temple every day, ate at each other’s homes, and shared their food with glad and humble hearts. 47 They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved.
A Crippled Man is Healed
3 One afternoon, Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the three o’clock prayer time.[ed] 2 Now a man who had been crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day people[ee] would lay him at what was called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from those who were going into the Temple. 3 When he saw that Peter and John were about to go into the Temple, he asked them to give him something.
4 Peter, along with John, looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man[ef] watched them closely, expecting to get something from them. 6 However, Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I’ll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus the Messiah[eg] from Nazareth, walk!”[eh] 7 Then Peter[ei] took hold of his right hand and began to help him up. Immediately his feet and ankles became strong, 8 and he sprang to his feet, stood up, and began to walk. Then he went with them into the Temple, walking, jumping, and praising God.
9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they knew that he was the man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Peter Speaks to the Onlookers
11 While he was holding on to Peter and John, all the people came running to them in what was called “Solomon’s Colonnade”. They were dumbfounded. 12 When Peter saw this, he told the people: “Fellow Israelis, why are you wondering about this, and why are you staring at us as if by our own power or godliness we made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of our ancestors—has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you betrayed and rejected in the presence of Pilate, even though he had decided to let him go. 14 You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer released to you, 15 and you killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses to that. 16 It is his name—that is, by faith in his name—that has healed this man whom you see and know. Yes, the faith that comes through Jesus[ej] has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance like your leaders. 18 This is how God fulfilled what he had predicted through the voice of all the prophets—that his Messiah[ek] would suffer. 19 Therefore, repent and turn to him to have your sins blotted out, 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and so that he may send you Jesus, whom he appointed long ago to be the Messiah.[el] 21 He must remain in heaven until the time of universal restitution, which God announced long ago through the voice of his holy prophets. 22 In fact, Moses said,
‘The Lord[em] your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything he tells you.[en] 23 Any person who will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’[eo]
24 “Indeed, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who followed him, also announced these days. 25 You are the descendants of the prophets and the heirs[ep] of the covenant that God made with your[eq] ancestors when he told Abraham, ‘Through your descendant[er] all the families of the earth will be blessed.’[es] 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning every one of you from your evil ways.”
Peter and John are Tried before the Jewish Council
4 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the Temple guards, and the Sadducees came to them. 2 They were greatly disturbed that Peter and John[et] were teaching the people and announcing that Jesus had been resurrected[eu] from the dead. 3 So they arrested them and placed them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard their message believed, and the men grew to number about 5,000.
5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes met in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John,[ev] Alexander, and the rest of the high priest’s family. 7 They made Peter and John[ew] stand in front of them and began asking, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”
8 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, told them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being questioned today for a good deed done for someone who was sick or to learn how this man was healed, 10 you and all the people of Israel must understand that this man stands healthy before you because of the name of Jesus from Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. 11 He is
‘the stone that was rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone.’[ex]
12 There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.”
13 Now when the Jewish leaders[ey] saw the boldness of Peter and John and found out that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could not say anything against them. 15 So they ordered them to leave the Council[ez] and began to discuss the matter among themselves. 16 They said, “What should we do with these men? For it’s obvious to everybody living in Jerusalem that an unmistakable sign has been done by them, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to keep it from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them never again to speak to anyone in this name.”
18 So they called Peter and John[fa] back in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “You must decide whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than God, 20 for we cannot stop talking about what we’ve seen and heard.”
21 So they threatened Peter and John[fb] even more and then let them go. They couldn’t find any way to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened, 22 since the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than 40 years old.
The Believers Pray for Boldness
23 After they were released, Peter and John[fc] went to their fellow believers[fd] and told them everything the high priests and the elders had said. 24 When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, “Master, you made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 25 You said by the Holy Spirit through the voice of our ancestor, your servant David,
‘Why do the unbelievers[fe] rage,
and the people devise useless plots?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand,
and rulers meet together against the Lord[ff]
and against his Messiah.’[fg]
27 For in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate actually met together with unbelievers[fh] and the people of Israel to oppose your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28 to carry out everything that your hand and will had predetermined to take place. 29 Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow your servants to speak your word boldly 30 as you stretch out your hand to heal and to perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 When they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken, and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak messages from[fi] God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 Now all the believers were one in heart and soul, and nobody called any of his possessions his own. Instead, they shared everything they owned. 33 With great power, the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was on them all, 34 since none of them needed anything, because everyone who had land or houses would sell them and bring the money received for the things sold 35 and lay it at the apostles’ feet. Then it was distributed to anyone who needed it. 36 One man,[fj] Joseph, a descendant of Levi and a native of Cyprus, who was named Barnabas by the apostles (the name[fk] means “a son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field that belonged to him, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Ananias and Sapphira are Punished
5 But then a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold some property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the money for himself and brought the remainder and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Peter asked, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you should lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the money you got for the land? 4 As long as it remained unsold, wasn’t it your own? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? So how could you have thought of doing what you did? You didn’t lie only[fl] to men, but also[fm] to God!”
5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized everyone who heard about it. 6 The young men got up, wrapped him up, carried him outside, and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours, Ananias’[fn] wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 So Peter asked her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for that price?”
She answered, “Yes, that was the price.”
9 “How could you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter asked her. “Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and these men[fo] will carry you outside as well.” 10 She instantly fell down at Peter’s[fp] feet and died. When the young men came in, they found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her next to her husband. 11 And great fear seized the whole church and everyone else who heard about this.
The Apostles Perform Many Miracles
12 Now many signs and wonders were being performed by the apostles among the people, who were gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 None of the others dared join them, although the rest of the people continued to hold them in high regard. 14 Nevertheless, believers were being added to the Lord in increasing numbers—both men and women. 15 As a result, people[fq] kept carrying their sick into the streets and placing them on stretchers and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds continued coming in—even from the towns around Jerusalem—bringing their sick and those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.
The Apostles are Tried before the Jewish Council
17 Then the high priest and all those from the sect of the Sadducees who were with him were filled with jealousy. So they went out, 18 arrested the apostles, and put them in the city jail. 19 But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led them out. The angel[fr] told them, 20 “Go, stand in the Temple, and keep on telling the people the whole message about this life they can have.”[fs]
21 After the apostles[ft] heard this, they went into the Temple at daybreak and began to teach. The high priest and those who were with him arrived, called the Council[fu] and all the elders of Israel together, and sent word[fv] to the prison to have the men brought in. 22 When the Temple police got there, they did not find them in the prison. They came back and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 When the commander of the Temple guards and the high priests heard these words, they were utterly at a loss as to what could have happened to them.
25 Then someone came and told them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the Temple and teaching the people!” 26 So the commander of the Temple guards went with his men to bring them back without force, because they were afraid of being stoned to death by the people. 27 When they brought them back, they made them stand before the Council,[fw] and the high priest began to question them. 28 He said, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in his name, didn’t we? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to bring this man’s blood on us!”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus to life after you killed him by hanging him on a tree. 31 God has exalted to his right hand this very man as our Leader and Savior in order to extend repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who keep on obeying him.”
33 When the Council[fx] heard this, they became furious and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Council[fy] and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while. 35 Then he told them, “Fellow Israelis, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. 36 For in the recent past Theudas appeared, claiming that he was important, and about 400 men joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and disappeared. 37 After that man, at the time of the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and got people to follow him. He, too, died, and all his followers were scattered.
38 “I’m telling you to keep away from these men for now. Leave them alone, because if this plan or movement is of human origin, it will fail. 39 However, if it’s from God, you won’t be able to stop them, and you may even discover that you are fighting against God!”
So they were convinced by him. 40 After calling in the apostles and beating them, they again[fz] ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus and let them go. 41 They left the Council,[ga] rejoicing to have been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the Name. 42 Every day in the Temple and from house to house they kept teaching and proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah.[gb]
Seven Men are Chosen to Help the Apostles
6 In those days, as the number of the disciples was growing larger and larger, a complaint was made by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve called the whole group of disciples together and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect messages from[gc] God in order to wait on tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, appoint seven men among you who have a good reputation, who are full of the Spirit and wisdom, and we’ll put them in charge of this work. 4 Then we’ll devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
5 This suggestion pleased the whole group. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch. 6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God[gd] continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem continued to grow rapidly. Even a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
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