Bible in 90 Days

¹⁸ `If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before it hated you.

¹⁹ If you belonged to this world, the world would love you. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

²⁰ Remember what I told you. I said, "The servant is not better than his master." If the people in the world have troubled me, they will also trouble you. If they obey me, they will also obey you.

²¹ They will do all these things to you because you are true to me. They do not know the one who sent me.

²² `I came and spoke to them. If I had not done that, then what they did would not have been a wrong thing. But now they have no excuse for doing it.

²³ The person who hates me hates my Father also.

²⁴ No other person has ever done the work that I have done. If they had, then what they did would not be a wrong thing. But now they have seen me and hated me and my Father also.

²⁵ This has happened in order to make the words of their law book come true. It says, "They hated me for no reason."

²⁶ `I will send the true Spirit to comfort you. He will come from my Father. When he comes, then he will talk about me.

²⁷ You also will talk about me because you have been with me from the time I began my work.'

16 I have told you these things so that you will not turn back.

² The people will put you out of the meeting place. Yes, the time is coming when someone will kill you and think he is working for God.

³ They will do these things because they do not know my Father nor me.

⁴ I have told you all these things now. Then when that time comes, you will remember that I told you about them. `I did not tell you these things in the beginning because I myself was with you.

⁵ But now I am going back to him who sent me here. Yet not one of you is asking me, "Where are you going?"

⁶ Your hearts are very sad because I have told you these things.

⁷ Anyway, I am telling you the truth. It is better for you if I go away. If I do not go away, the one who is to help you will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send him to you.

⁸ `When the Helper comes, he will prove this to the people of the world that they are wrong. They are wrong about what they call bad and about what they call good. He will show them how to be right with God. He will show them about God's judgement.

⁹ He will prove it is a bad thing that they do not believe in me.

¹⁰ He will show what really is right, because I am going to my Father and you will not see me any more.

¹¹ He will show them how to judge right, because the ruler of this world himself will be judged.

¹² `I have many other things to tell you, but you cannot understand them now.

¹³ When the truth-giving Spirit comes, he will show you everything that is true. He will not speak his own message, but he will tell you the things that he has been told to tell you. He will tell you what is going to happen.

¹⁴ He will make my name great. He will take what is mine and tell it to you.

¹⁵ Everything that belongs to my Father belongs to me also. That is why I said, "He will take what is mine and tell it to you."

¹⁶ `Very soon now, you will not see me. A little while after that, you will see me again, because I go to my Father.'

¹⁷ Some of the disciples talked among themselves and said, `He says, "Very soon now, you will not see me. A little while after that, you will see me." And he says, "Because I go to my Father." What does he mean by "a little while"?

¹⁸ We do not know what he means.'

¹⁹ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him this question. So he said to them, `Are you asking each other what I mean by saying, "Very soon you will not see me. Then in a little while after that you will see me"?

²⁰ I tell you the truth. You people will cry and be very sad, but the people in the world will be very glad. At first you will be sad, but after that you will not be sad. You will be glad.

²¹ `Any woman is sad just before her baby is born. She has much pain because the time has come for the baby to be born. But as soon as the baby is born, she forgets the pain she had. She is very glad because a person has been born into the world.

²² So you also are very sad now. But I will see you again. Then you will be very glad. And no one can take your joy from you.

²³ When that time comes, you will not ask me for anything. I tell you the truth. My Father will do for you anything you ask in my name.

²⁴ You have not asked for anything in my name yet. Ask my Father and he will give it to you. That is what will make you very glad always.

²⁵ `I have told you these things by a story. The time will come when I will not talk by stories. I will tell you about my Father plainly.

²⁶ When that day comes, you will ask in my name. I do not say that I will ask my Father for you.

²⁷ My Father himself loves you. He loves you because you have loved me. And he loves you because you have believed that God sent me.

²⁸ My Father sent me into the world. And now I will leave the world and go back to my Father.'

²⁹ The disciples said to him, `Yes, now you are telling us plainly. You are not telling us with words we do not understand.

³⁰ We know now that you know everything. No one needs to ask you questions. This makes us believe that God sent you.'

³¹ Jesus answered them, `Do you really believe now?

³² Listen, the time is coming. No, the time is here when you will run away. Every man will go to his own home. You will leave me on my own. And yet I am not alone, because my Father is with me.

³³ I have told you these things so that you may have peace. I give you peace. The world will trouble you much. But be glad. I have power over the world.'

17 When Jesus had said these things, he looked up to heaven and said, `Father, the time has come now. Make your Son's name great, so that your Son may make your name great.

² You have given your Son power over all people. So all those you have given him will live for ever.

³ You are the only true God. If they know you, and Jesus Christ whom you sent, they will live for ever.

⁴ I made your name great on earth. I have done the work you gave me to do.

⁵ So now, Father, let my name be great with you. Make my name as great as it was when I was with you before the world was made.

⁶ `I have shown these men who you really are. They are men whom you gave me from the world. They belonged to you and you gave them to me. They have obeyed you.

⁷ Now they really know that everything you gave me comes from you.

⁸ I have told them the things that you told me to tell them. And they have believed my words. They know it is true that I was with you before I came. They have believed that you sent me.

⁹ It is these men I am asking you for. I am not asking you for the people of the world. But I am asking for those you gave me, because they belong to you.

¹⁰ All those I have are yours. And all you have are mine. And they make my name great.

¹¹ `I am not in the world any longer. But they are in the world. And I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me. Then they will be one, just as you and I are one.

¹² While I was with them, I took care of them in your name, which you gave me. I have taken care of them. Only one of them is lost. That is the one who was born to be lost. What your book says came true.

¹³ Now I am coming to you. `I say these things while I am in the world so that they may be very glad, as I am.

¹⁴ I have told them what you said. The world has hated them because they do not belong to the world. So also, I do not belong to the world.

¹⁵ I do not ask you to take them out of the world. But I ask you to take care of them, so that the evil one of this world will not harm them.

¹⁶ They do not belong to the world, even as I do not belong to the world.

¹⁷ Make them clean by the true word and keep them for yourself. Your word is true.

¹⁸ I have sent them into the world as you sent me into the world.

¹⁹ I have made myself clean and kept myself for them, so that they may be clean and be kept for you also by the truth.

²⁰ `I do not ask this for these people only; I ask it also for the people who will believe in me when they hear what these people say.

²¹ I do this so that the people will all be one. That is the same way with us. You, my Father, belong to me and I belong to you. I ask that they also may be joined to us. Then the world will believe that you have sent me.

²² I have made them great the way you have made me great. That makes us one, as we are one.

²³ I belong to them and you belong to me, so that they all may be really one together. Then the world will know that you have sent me and that you have loved them just as you have loved me.

²⁴ `Father, I want the people that you have given me to be with me. Then they will see that you made me great, because you loved me before you made the world.

²⁵ Father, you are the one who is right. The world has not known you. But I have known you. These people know that you have sent me.

²⁶ I have told them who you are. I will tell them again and again. Then they will love each other as much as you have loved me. And I will live in them.'

18 When Jesus had finished saying this, he and his disciples went through the valley called Kidron. There was a garden with trees. He and his disciples went into the garden.

² Jesus had gone to this place often with his disciples, so Judas knew where the place was. He was the one who gave Jesus over to the people who hated him.

³ The chief priests and the Pharisees sent soldiers and guards with Judas. They had lamps, and torches, and things to fight with.

⁴ Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. So he went out and said to them, `Who are you looking for?'

⁵ They answered, `Jesus from Nazareth.' Jesus said to them, `I am he.' Judas, who had given Jesus over to them, was standing with them.

⁶ When Jesus said to them, `I am he,' they all drew back suddenly and fell down.

⁷ So Jesus asked them again, `Who are you looking for?' And they said, `Jesus from Nazareth.'

⁸ Then Jesus answered, `I have already told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, let these men go.'

⁹ So his words came true. He had said, `I did not lose one of those you gave me.'

¹⁰ Simon Peter had a long knife or sword. He took it out and hit the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

¹¹ Jesus said to Peter, `Put your sword back in its place. Must I not drink the cup that my Father has given me?'

¹² Then the soldiers, and the captain, and the guards caught Jesus and tied him up.

¹³ First they took him to Annas. He was the father of Caiaphas' wife. Caiaphas was the high priest that year.

¹⁴ This was the same Caiaphas that had talked to the leaders of the Jews. He had said, `It is better for one man to die for the people.'

¹⁵ Simon Peter and one other disciple went after Jesus. The other disciple knew the high priest, so he went right in with Jesus through the gate of the high priest's large house.

¹⁶ But Peter stood by the gate outside. The other disciple who knew the high priest talked to the servant at the door and brought in Peter.

¹⁷ The servant at the door said to Peter, `Are you one of this man's disciples too?' Peter said, `No, I am not!'

¹⁸ It was cold there. The servants and the officers had made a small fire. They stood by it and warmed themselves. Peter stood by the fire also and warmed himself.

¹⁹ The high priest then asked Jesus about his disciples, and about his teaching.

²⁰ Jesus answered him, `I have talked so that anyone who wanted to could hear me. I have always taught in the meeting houses and in the temple. That is where the Jews always go. I have not said anything in a secret way.

²¹ Why do you ask me? The people heard me talk. Ask them what I told them. They know what I said.'

²² When he had said this, one of the officers who stood there hit Jesus. He said, `Is that the way you answer the high priest?'

²³ Jesus answered him, `If I have said anything bad, tell me plainly what wrong thing I have said. If I have told the truth, why do you hit me?'

²⁴ Jesus was still tied up. Annas sent him over to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵ Simon Peter stayed by the fire and stood warming himself. So the people said to him, `Are you not one of his disciples also?' He said, `No, I am not!'

²⁶ A servant was there. He was of the same family as the one whose ear Peter had cut off. He said, `Did I not see you in the garden with him? `

²⁷ Again Peter said, `No!' And just then a cock called out.

²⁸ Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the court house. It was early in the day. They themselves did not go into the court house. They did not want to become unclean. They wanted to eat the Passover Feast.

²⁹ Pilate went out to the Jewish leaders and said, `What complaint do you bring against this man?'

³⁰ They said to him, `If he were not a very bad man, then we would not have brought him to you.'

³¹ Pilate said, `Take him and judge him by your own law.' The leaders of the Jews said, `But we are not allowed to kill anyone.'

³² So this is the way the words of Jesus came true. He had said how he was going to die.

³³ Then Pilate went back into the court house again. He called for Jesus and asked him, `Are you the King of the Jews?'

³⁴ Jesus answered, `Do you ask me because you yourself think I am, or do you ask me because others said I am?'

³⁵ Pilate answered, `Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests have brought you here to me. Tell me, what have you done?'

³⁶ Jesus answered him, `I am not a king in this world. If I were, my people would fight so that I would not be given to the Jews. But I am not a king in this world.'

³⁷ So Pilate said, `So you really are a king then? ` Jesus answered, `You say that I am a king. The reason that I was born was that I should tell what is true. That is why I came into the world. Everyone who likes what is true listens to what I say.'

³⁸ Pilate said, `What is truth?' When he had said this, he went out to the Jews again. He told them, `I find nothing wrong in this man.

³⁹ But at the Passover Feast you always want me to let one prisoner go free for you. Do you want me to let the King of the Jews go free?'

⁴⁰ Then they all shouted again, `Not this man, but Barabbas!' Barabbas was a man who had stolen things.

19 Pilate took Jesus and had him beaten.

² The soldiers made a big ring of thorns like a crown and put it on Jesus' head. They put a red gown on him.

³ They said, `Greetings, King of the Jews!' They beat him with their hands.

⁴ Then Pilate went out to the people again and said to them, `See, I bring the man before you. This is to show you that I find nothing wrong in him.'

⁵ Then Jesus came out. He had the crown of thorns on his head and had the red gown on him. Pilate said, `Here is the man!'

⁶ When the chief priests and the officers saw Jesus, they shouted, `Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!' Pilate said to them, `You take him and nail him to a cross. I find nothing wrong in him.'

^7-8 he leaders of the Jews answered him, `We have a law. That law says he should die, because he calls himself the Son of God.' When Pilate heard what they said, he was very much afraid.

⁹ He went into the court house again and said to Jesus, `Where do you come from?' But Jesus did not answer him.

¹⁰ Then Pilate said, `Do you not answer me? Do you not know that I have power to nail you to a cross, or to let you go free?'

¹¹ Jesus said, `You would have no power over me if God did not give you power. So then, the man who gave me up to you has done something worse than you.'

¹² After that Pilate tried to let Jesus go free. But the Jews shouted, `If you let this man free, you are not Caesar's friend! Anyone who makes himself a king is fighting against Caesar!'

¹³ When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out. Then Pilate sat on the bench where the judge sits. The place was called the Street of Stone. The Jews called it Gabbatha.

¹⁴ It was about the middle of the day before the Passover Feast. Pilate said to the Jews, `See, here is your King!'

¹⁵ But they shouted, `Take him away! Take him away! Nail him to a cross!' Pilate said to them, `Shall I nail your King to a cross?' The chief priests answered, `Caesar is the only king we have.'

¹⁶ Then Pilate gave them Jesus to be nailed to a cross.

¹⁷ They took Jesus and led him away. Jesus went out carrying his own cross. They went to a place which the Jews called Golgotha. That means `the place of the skull bone'.

¹⁸ There they nailed Jesus to the cross. Two other people were also nailed to crosses. One was put on each side of Jesus. Jesus was put in the centre.

¹⁹ Pilate wrote a sign and put it on the cross. He wrote, `Jesus from Nazareth, the King of the Jews.'

²⁰ Many of the Jews read this sign. The place where Jesus was nailed to a cross was near the city. The sign was written in the Jewish, Greek, and Latin languages.

²¹ Then the chief priests among the Jews said to Pilate, `Do not write, "The King of the Jews," but write, "This man said he is King of the Jews." '

²² Pilate answered, `What I have written I have written!'

²³ When the soldiers had nailed Jesus to the cross, they took his clothes. They divided them into four parts and gave each soldier one part. Then they took his coat. It was not sewn together but the cloth was all made in one piece from the top to the bottom.

²⁴ So the soldiers said to one another, `We will not tear this. But let us gamble for it.' What the holy writings say came true. They say, `They divided my clothes among them. They gambled for my coat.' That is what the soldiers did.

²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

²⁶ Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near. He said to his mother, `Woman, see your son!'

²⁷ And he said to the disciple, `See your mother!' From that time on, that disciple took her to live in his own home.

²⁸ Jesus now knew that everything had happened that the holy writings said. He said, `I am thirsty.'

²⁹ A bowl of bad wine was there. They took something called a sponge and made it wet with the wine. Then they put it on a stick and put it to Jesus' mouth.

³⁰ Jesus took the wine. Then he said, `It is finished.' And he bowed his head and died.

³¹ It was the day before the Sabbath day. The Jewish leaders did not want the bodies to stay on the cross on the Sabbath day because it was a big day. So they begged Pilate to break the legs of those who had been nailed to crosses. Then they could be taken away.

³² The soldiers came and broke the legs of the one nailed to the cross on one side of Jesus. Then they broke the legs of the one on the other side of him.

³³ When they came to Jesus, they saw that he was dead already. So they did not break his legs.

³⁴ One of the soldiers stuck a spear into the side of Jesus' body. Right away, blood and water came out.

³⁵ The man who saw it told what he saw, so that you may believe. What he said is true and he knows that it is true.

³⁶ What the holy writings say came true. They say, `Not one of his bones shall be broken.'

³⁷ They also say, `They shall look at the one into whom they stuck the spear.'

³⁸ A man named Joseph, from the town of Arimathea, was a disciple of Jesus. But he did not say so because he was afraid of the leaders of the Jews. After all this had happened, he went to Pilate. He asked him to let him take Jesus' body away. Pilate let him. So he came and took his body.

³⁹ Nicodemus also came. He was the one who had come to Jesus at night. He brought with him a heavy bag of sweet-smelling spices called myrrh and aloes. It was mixed together.

⁴⁰ They wrapped linen cloth around the body of Jesus and put the myrrh and aloes in with the cloth. That is how Jews bury a person.

⁴¹ There was a garden at the place where Jesus was nailed to the cross. In the garden was a new grave cut in the rock. No one had ever been laid in it.

⁴² They laid Jesus' body there because it was the day before the Sabbath day, and the grave was near.

20 Mary Magdalene came to the grave on the first day of the week. It was early in the morning and not very light. She saw that the stone had been taken away from the grave.

² So she ran and met Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved. She said to them, `They have taken the Lord out of the grave! We do not know where they have laid him!'

³ Then Peter and that other disciple also went to the grave.

⁴ Both of them ran. The other disciple ran faster than Peter and got to the grave first.

⁵ He bent down and looked in. He saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go inside.

⁶ Then Simon Peter came up behind him. He went into the grave and saw the linen cloths lying there.

⁷ He also saw the small cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. It was not with the other cloths, but it was folded together by itself in another place.

⁸ Then the other disciple, who got there first, also went in. He saw and believed.

⁹ Until this time they did not understand the holy writings where it says, `He must rise from death.'

¹⁰ Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

¹¹ But Mary stood outside the grave crying. As she cried, she bent down and looked into the grave.

¹² She saw two angels with white clothes on. They were sitting where Jesus' body had been. One sat at the head and one at the foot.

¹³ They said to her, `Woman, why are you crying?' She said to them, `They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him.'

¹⁴ When she had said this, she turned around. She saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ Jesus said to her, `Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?' She thought he was the man who took care of the garden. So she said to him, `Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him. I will take him away.'

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, `Mary.' She turned around again and said, `Master!'

¹⁷ Jesus said to her, `Do not hold me, because I have not yet gone up to my Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am going up to my Father. He is your Father also. I am going up to my God. He is your God also.'

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples. She said, `I have seen the Lord!' And she told them what he had said to her.

¹⁹ It was the first day of the week. In the evening the disciples were in a house together. The doors were shut because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood there with them. He said to them, `Peace to you!'

²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Jesus said to them again, `Peace to you! My Father sent me: now I am sending you in the same way.'

²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said, `Receive the Holy Spirit.

²³ Whoever you make free from the wrong things they have done will be free. Whoever you do not make free from the wrong things they have done will not be free.'

²⁴ Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, was called the Twin. He was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁵ The other disciples told him about it. They said, `We have seen the Lord!' Thomas said, `I will not believe unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands. I will not believe unless I put my finger on the mark and feel his side with my hand.'

²⁶ Then eight days later his disciples were in the house again. This time Thomas was with them. The doors were shut. Then Jesus came and stood there with them. He said to them, `Peace to you!'

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, `Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Feel my side with your hand. Do not doubt anymore, but believe.'

²⁸ Thomas said to him, `My Lord and my God!'

²⁹ Jesus said to him, `You yourself have seen me. Is that why you now believe? God will bless people who believe though they have not seen me.'

³⁰ Jesus did many other big works when he was with the disciples. They are not written in this book.

³¹ But these things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And when you believe in his name, then he will give you power to live.

21 The next time the disciples saw Jesus was at the Sea of Tiberias [Galilee]. This is how Jesus showed himself to them.

² Some of the disciples were in one place. They were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of Jesus.

³ Simon Peter said to the others, `I am going fishing.' The others said, `We are going with you also.' They went out in a boat right away. That night they caught nothing.

⁴ Early in the morning, Jesus was standing there by the sea. The disciples did not know it was Jesus.

⁵ He said to them, `My children, did you catch any fish?' They answered, `No.'

⁶ He said to them, `Throw out your net on the right side of the boat, then you will catch some.' They threw out their net and caught many fish, so that they were not able to bring in the net.

⁷ That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, `It is the Lord!' As soon as Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, he put on his coat and his belt. He had taken off some clothes to work. Then he jumped into the water.

⁸ The other disciples came in a small boat. They were pulling the net. It was full of fish. They were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards.

⁹ When they came to the land, they saw a small fire. Fish and some bread lay on the fire.

¹⁰ Jesus said to them, `Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.'

¹¹ Simon Peter went to the boat. He pulled the net to land. It was full of big fish. There were a hundred and fifty three fish. But even with so many fish the net did not break.

¹² Jesus said to them, `Come and eat.' The disciples were all afraid to ask him, `Who are you?' They knew it was the Lord.

¹³ Jesus came. He took bread and gave it to them. Then he took fish and gave it to them.

¹⁴ This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after he had risen from death.

¹⁵ After they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, `Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?' He said, `Yes, Lord. You know that I like you. I am your friend.' Jesus said to him, `Feed my lambs.'

¹⁶ He asked him the second time, `Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Peter said, `Yes, Lord. You know that I like you. I am your friend.' Jesus said to him, `Take care of my sheep.'

¹⁷ Then he asked Peter the third time, `Simon son of John, do you like me?' Peter was sad because of the way Jesus asked him the third time. So he answered him, `Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you as a close friend' Jesus said to him, `Feed my sheep.

¹⁸ I tell you the truth. When you were young, you put on your own belt. You went where you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will put out your hands. Others will put your belt on for you. They will take you where you do not want to go.'

¹⁹ Jesus said this to show how Peter would die and make God's name great. When he had finished saying this, he said to him, `Come and follow me!'

²⁰ Peter turned around. The disciple whom Jesus loved was coming with Jesus also. He was the one who was at Jesus' right side at the supper table. He had said to Jesus, `Lord, who will give you over to people who hate you?'

²¹ When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, `Lord, what about this man?'

²² Jesus said to him, `If I want him to wait till I come, what is that to you? I want you to come and follow me.'

²³ So the report went around among the brothers that that disciple would not die. Jesus had not said to him, `You will not die.' But he had said, `If I want him to wait till I come, what is that to you?'

²⁴ The same disciple said these things and wrote them. We know what he said is true.

²⁵ Jesus did many other things also. If every one were written down, I think that the world would be too small to hold all the books that would need to be written. Yes, it is so!

1 Theophilus, in the first book I wrote to you, I wrote about all the things Jesus began to do and to teach.

² He did those things until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before he went up, he gave orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

³ In many ways he proved to them that he was living again after his terrible death. For forty days they often saw him. Then he told them things about God's kingdom.

⁴ One day when he was eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, `Wait here for what the Father promised you. I have told you about that promise already.

⁵ John baptised with water. But you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit when a few days have passed.'

⁶ When they had come together, the apostles asked Jesus, `Lord, are you now going to set up the kingdom of Israel?'

⁷ He answered them, `You will not know the days or the months which the Father has chosen.

⁸ But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power. You will speak of me in Jerusalem and all around in Judea and Samaria and everywhere in the world.'

⁹ When Jesus had said this, he went up. They watched him going. Then a cloud hid him, and they did not see him any more.

¹⁰ While they were looking at the sky as he went up, two men stood by them in white clothes.

¹¹ They said, `You men from Galilee, why do you stand there looking at the sky? Jesus has gone up into heaven. In the same way that you saw him go up, he will come again.'

¹² Then they left the hill called the Mount of Olives. They went back to Jerusalem which was not far away. (It was how far the law said people may walk on the Sabbath day.)

¹³ When they reached Jerusalem, they went to a room up in a house. Here lived Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon the freedom fighter, and Judas the son of James.

¹⁴ All of these people were talking to God. The women, Jesus' mother Mary, and Jesus' brothers were there talking to God also.

¹⁵ About one hundred and twenty people were gathered together. Peter stood up among them to speak to them.

¹⁶ He said, `My friends and brothers, Judas showed the people where Jesus was so they could take him. The Holy Spirit spoke through king David long ago about Judas before he did it. What was written about him has now happened.

¹⁷ Judas was one of us. He had his part of the work to do.' (

¹⁸ Judas received money for the wrong thing he did. He bought a field with the money and fell on his face. His belly burst open and all his insides came out.

¹⁹ All the people who live in Jerusalem know about this. In their language they named the field Akeldama, which means The Field of Blood.)

²⁰ `The book of Psalms says, "His house must be empty. No one may live in it." And it also says, "Someone else must do his work."

²¹ `Here are men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus was with us.

²² They were with us from the time John baptised people until the day Jesus was taken up from us. One of these men must help us tell people that Jesus was raised from death.'

²³ They took two men. One was Joseph, named Barsabbas, who had another name Justus. The other man was Matthias.

^24-25 Then the people talked to God. They said, `Lord, you know what is in everybody's heart. Show us which of these two men you have chosen to have a part in this work and to be an apostle. For Judas left this work and went to the place where he belonged.'

²⁶ Then they picked out the name of Matthias. He was chosen to be with the eleven apostles.

2 On the day of Pentecost these people were all in one place.

² Then, suddenly, a sound came from heaven. It was like a very strong wind blowing. It went all through the house where they were sitting.

³ And then they saw tongues like fire. These were divided and came on each one of the people there.

⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak the words of God in other languages as the Spirit spoke through them.

⁵ Crowds of Jews were staying in Jerusalem. They had come from every country in the world. They were good men who believed in God.

⁶ Many people came together when they heard the apostles speaking. They did not know what to think. Everyone heard someone speaking in his own language.

⁷ They were all very much surprised and said to each other, `These men who are speaking, are they not all from Galilee?

⁸ How is it then that each one of us hears the language of our own country?

^9-11 We people from the countries of Parthia and Media and Elam all hear the wonderful things God has done. So also do the people who live in the countries of Mesopotamia, and in Judea in Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, in Phrygia, and Pamphylia, and in Egypt, and in some parts of Lybia around Cyrene, people from the city of Rome who are now living in Jerusalem, both Jews and those who joined themselves to the Jews, the people from Crete and Arabia. These men from Galilee are speaking in our own languages.'

¹² They were all very much surprised and could hardly believe it. `What does this mean?' they asked each other.

¹³ Other people laughed about it and said, `These men have been drinking too much new wine.'

¹⁴ Peter stood up with the eleven apostles. He shouted, `You men of Judea and all who stay in Jerusalem, listen to me! I will tell you the truth.

¹⁵ You think that these men are drunk. That is not so. It is only nine o'clock in the morning.

¹⁶ The thing that has happened is what the prophet Joel told about.

¹⁷ He said, "God says, `In the last days I will send my Spirit on all people. I will speak through your sons and daughters. Your young men will see visions and your old men will have dreams.

¹⁸ In those days I will send my Spirit on the men and women who serve me and I will speak through them.

¹⁹ In the sky above and on the earth below I will show wonderful signs with blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

²⁰ The sun will be dark and the moon will be like blood. These things will happen before the day of the Lord comes. It will be a great day that will be remembered always.

²¹ And anyone who calls out to the Lord will be saved.' "

²² `You men of Israel, listen to this. God showed you that he was pleased with this man, Jesus of Nazareth. He proved it by the big works and the wonderful signs which he did by Jesus right here among you people. And you yourselves know it.

^23-24 This same Jesus was given up. You let bad men take him. You let them nail him to a cross and kill him. This is just the way God had planned it. He knew how it would happen. But God raised him back to life. He set him free from the pain of death. Death could not hold him.

²⁵ `King David spoke about Jesus long ago. He said, "I saw the Lord before me always. He is at my right hand so that I may not be shaken.

^26-27 That made my heart very happy. It made my tongue sing for joy. And even my body also will rest in peace because you will not leave my body in the grave. You will not let your Holy One die and be spoiled.

²⁸ You have shown me the ways of life. You will make me very happy when I am with you."

²⁹ `My brothers, I can talk very plainly to you about your father, David. He died and was buried. His grave is still here today.

³⁰ He was a prophet. He knew that God had promised him that someone born of his family would sit on his chair to rule. That one was Christ.

³¹ David knew what would happen. So he said that Christ would be raised from death. Christ was not left in the grave. His body was not spoiled. David said all this before it ever happened.

³² And now we all saw it. We are telling people that God raised this Jesus back to life.

³³ `God made him great by making him sit at his right side. God gave him the Holy Spirit as he had promised. So he sent this which you now see and hear.

^34-35 avid himself has not gone up into the heavens. What he said was, "The Lord God said to my Lord, `Sit at my right hand till I bring your enemies down and put your feet on them.' "

³⁶ `So let all the people of Israel know this: God has made Jesus to be Lord and Christ. This is the same Jesus whom you nailed to the cross.'

³⁷ What Peter said cut the people's hearts when they heard it. They knew they had done wrong. They said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, `Brothers, what shall we do?'

³⁸ `Stop your wrong ways and turn back to God,' answered Peter. `And then everyone of you can be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Your wrong ways will be forgiven you, and you will receive the Holy Spirit.

³⁹ This promise is for you and your children and for all those whom the Lord our God calls, even though they are far away.'

⁴⁰ Peter went on talking and teaching the people. `Do not follow the wrong ways of people today,' he begged.

⁴¹ Then those who gladly received his words and believed were baptised. That same day about three thousand new believers joined them.

⁴² They kept on being taught by the apostles. And they kept on being with them. They ate bread together and talked with God.

⁴³ All the people were very much surprised. Many wonderful things and signs were done by the apostles.

⁴⁴ All the believers were together; and everything they had was for the use of all.

⁴⁵ They sold their things and divided the money among the believers. They gave each person what he needed. 46,

^46-47 nd every day the believers kept on gathering in the temple. They ate bread in each other's homes. They ate their food gladly and with open hearts. They praised God. All the people respected them. Day by day, the Lord added to the church those who were saved.

3 One day at three o'clock, Peter and John went to the temple to talk with God.

² There was a man who had been born lame. He was carried and was laid at the gate of the temple every day. The gate was called Beautiful. He was brought there to beg. He asked for money from the people who went into the temple.

³ This man saw Peter and John ready to go into the temple. He begged them to give him something.

⁴ Peter and John looked at him. Peter said, `Look at us.'

⁵ The man looked at them. He thought they would give him something.

⁶ Then Peter said, `I have no money. But I will give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!'

⁷ He took the man's right hand and raised him up. Right away his feet and ankles became strong.

⁸ He jumped to his feet and walked into the temple with them. He was so happy he jumped around and praised God.

⁹ All the people saw him walking and praising God.

¹⁰ And they knew that this was the man who sat begging at the temple gate which was called Beautiful. They were very much surprised at what had happened to him. They could hardly believe it.

¹¹ While the man still held on to Peter and John, all the people came running to them. It was in the part of the temple which is called Solomon's porch. They were still very excited.

¹² When Peter saw this, he talked to the people. He said, `Men of Israel, why are you so surprised at this? Do you think that we have power or are good enough to make this man walk? Why do you look at us that way?

¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and of our fathers, has made his Son Jesus great. You gave him up to Pilate. You did not want to believe who he was. You did not want him back when Pilate agreed to let him go free.

¹⁴ You would not receive the one who was holy and good. You asked for a bad man, who killed people, to be given to you.

¹⁵ You killed the one who gives life, the one whom God brought back from death. We saw it and are telling people about it.

¹⁶ This man whom you see and know, believed in the name of Jesus Christ. This man's faith in that name has healed him. Yes, believing in Jesus Christ has made him well here in front of you all.

¹⁷ `My brothers, I know that you and your rulers killed Jesus because you did not understand what you were doing.

¹⁸ But in this way God did what he had told us would happen. Through all the prophets he had told us that Christ would suffer.

¹⁹ `Stop doing wrong things. Turn to God again. Then the wrong things you have done will be wiped away altogether. The Lord will give you a new start and make you very glad.

²⁰ He will send you Jesus. He was the one God chose to be the Christ.

²¹ But he must wait in heaven until the time when all things will be made new again as they were at first. By his holy prophets God spoke of all this from the beginning.

²² Moses himself said, "The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet like me. He will be one of your brothers. You must listen to everything that the Prophet says to you.

²³ And everyone who does not obey that Prophet will be cut off from his people altogether."

²⁴ `Prophets spoke at the time of Samuel, and prophets spoke after that time. They all have told about these days also.

²⁵ You are the people who have received what the prophets promised. And you have received the agreement which God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, "Through your children all the nations of the earth will receive blessing."

²⁶ God raised up and sent his Son to you first to bless you. He blesses you when each one of you stops doing wrong things.'

4 Peter and John were talking to the people. The priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them.

² They were angry at Peter and John because they taught the people. They were angry because they told them that Jesus was brought back from death.

³ They caught them and put them in prison until the next day, because it was already evening.

⁴ But many of the people who heard them speak the word of God, believed what they said. The number of men who believed was about five thousand.

⁵ The next day their rulers, leaders, and scribes met in Jerusalem.

⁶ Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all of the high priest's family were there also.

⁷ Peter and John were brought before them. They asked the apostles, `By what power or in what name have you done this?'

^8-9 hen Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, `Rulers of the people and leaders of Israel, have you brought us to court today because of the good thing that was done to the lame man? Do you want to find out how he was healed?

¹⁰ Well, let it be known by all the people of Israel. This man standing before you is healed by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He has done this. You nailed him to a cross, but God raised him from death.

¹¹ Jesus Christ is the stone which you, the builders, would not use. But he is now the chief corner stone.

¹² No one else can save us. Of all the people in the world, God chose him to save us. It is by him we must be saved.'

¹³ They saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak out. They knew that they were like any other men. They did not have much training. So the people were very much surprised. They knew that Peter and John had been with Jesus.

¹⁴ They saw the man who had been healed standing beside them. So they could say nothing against them.

¹⁵ They told Peter and John to leave the court. Then they talked the matter over among themselves.

¹⁶ They said, `What shall we do to these men? All the people who live in Jerusalem know about this big work they have done. And we cannot say they did not do it.

¹⁷ But we do not want any more people to hear about it. So let us say to these men, "Take care! Never speak to anyone in this name again." '

¹⁸ They called them in and said, `Never speak or teach in this name again.'

¹⁹ But Peter and John answered them, `How does God look at it? Is it right for us to obey you or to obey him? You judge that for yourselves.

²⁰ As for us, we must tell the things we have seen and heard.'

²¹ So the high priest and those with him told them again. Then they let them go. They could not punish them because of the people. They all praised God for what had been done.

²² The man who had been healed was more than forty years old.

²³ When they were free, Peter and John went back to their own friends. They told them all that the chief priests and leaders had said to them.

²⁴ When they heard it, they talked to God together. They said, `Lord, you are God. You made the sky, and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them.

²⁵ Our father David was your servant. Through him you said by the Holy Spirit, "Why are the people who are not Jews so angry? And why do the people plan things for nothing?

²⁶ The kings of the earth joined their forces. And the rulers met together against the Lord and his Christ."

²⁷ `It is true that Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with Jews and those who were not Jews here in this city. They met to make secret plans against your holy Son Jesus, whom you made Christ.

²⁸ But they only did what you had already planned should be done.

^29-30 ord, hear their words. Listen to the wrong things they say against us. We are your servants. Help us to speak your word without fear. And heal the sick by your own power. Let signs and wonderful things be done in the name of your holy Son Jesus.'

³¹ When they had talked to God, the room they were in shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they spoke the word of God without fear.

³² All the believers were one in heart and mind. Not one of them said, `This is mine.' But everything they had was for the use of all.

³³ With much power the apostles told how the Lord Jesus was raised from death. And God blessed them all very much.

^34-35 one of them was in need of anything. Those who owned fields and houses sold them. They brought the money to the apostles. Then the apostles gave each one what he needed.

³⁶ There was a man named Joseph, a Levite. He was born in the country of Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas. That means "one who helps."

³⁷ He had a field and sold it. He brought the money to the apostles and gave it to them.

^1-2 man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold a field. He brought some of the money to the apostles. But he kept the rest of it. His wife knew what he had done.

³ Peter said, `Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? Why do you lie to the Holy Spirit? You have kept some of the money which you got for the field.

⁴ As long as you had the field, it belonged to you. When you had the money, you could do what you wanted to do with it. Why then did you plan to do a thing like this? You have not lied to men, but to God.'

⁵ As Ananias heard Peter's words, he fell down and died. All who heard these things were very much afraid.

⁶ The young men came and wrapped him up. They carried him out and buried him.

⁷ About three hours later, his wife came in. She did not know what had happened.

⁸ Peter asked her, `Tell me, did you sell the field for so much money?' and she answered, `Yes, that is how much it was.'

⁹ Then Peter said to her, `Why did you two agree together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen, I hear the footsteps of the men who buried your husband. They are at the door. They will carry you out too.'

¹⁰ And she fell down at Peter's feet and died. The young men came in and saw that she was dead. They carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

¹¹ Then all the church people, and all the people who heard about this were very much afraid.

¹² The apostles did many signs and wonderful things for the people who met together in the place called Solomon's porch.

¹³ Other people feared to join them, but they spoke well of them.

¹⁴ Many more men and women believed and came to the Lord.

¹⁵ They brought sick people out into the streets and laid them on beds and mats. They hoped that at least Peter's shadow would touch them as he passed by.

¹⁶ Many people also came from the cities around Jerusalem. They brought others who were sick and those who were controlled by bad spirits. Every one of them was healed.

¹⁷ Some Sadducees were with the high priest. They all became very jealous.

¹⁸ They caught the apostles and put them in prison.

¹⁹ But that night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out.

²⁰ `Go,' said the angel. `Stand in the temple and tell the people all about this new life.'

²¹ When the apostles heard that, they went into the temple early in the morning and taught the people there. The high priest and his men came. They called a meeting of the court and all the leaders of the Jews. Then they sent men to the prison to bring the apostles out.

²² When the men came to the prison, they did not find the apostles there. Then they went back and told the high priest and those with him.

²³ They said, `The prison was locked very well. And the police were guarding the doors. But when we opened the doors, no one was inside.'

²⁴ When the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard this, they did not know what to think. `We wonder what will come from all this,' they thought.

²⁵ Just then someone came and told them, `The men you put in prison are standing in the temple teaching the people.'

²⁶ Then the captain went with the men and brought the apostles quietly. They did not bring them by force because they were afraid the people would kill them with stones.

^27-28 o they brought them in and put them before the court. The high priest asked them, `Did we not tell you that you must never teach again in this name? But here you are, teaching people all over Jerusalem in this name. You are trying to put on us the blame for this man's death.'

²⁹ Then Peter and the other apostles answered them, `We must obey God rather than men.

³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, the one you killed by hanging on a dead tree.

³¹ God has made him great at his right side. He has made him leader and Saviour. He has done this so that the people of Israel may stop doing wrong things and be forgiven.

³² We know these things are true. So does the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.'

³³ When the judges heard this, they were very, very angry and wanted to kill them.

³⁴ Then a lawyer named Gamaliel stood up in the court. He was a Pharisee and all the people respected him. He asked that the apostles be taken out for a while.

³⁵ Then he said, `Men of Israel, you had better take care what you plan to do to these men.

³⁶ Before this time, there was a man named Theudas. He tried to make people believe that he was a great man. He had about four hundred followers. He was killed, and all of his followers were scattered, and the whole thing ended.

³⁷ Then after that, at tax time, another man named Judas from Galilee made trouble. Many people followed him. He also was killed and all of his followers were scattered. 38,

^38-39 o now, I say, do nothing to these men. Leave them alone. If this is the teaching or work of men, it will come to an end. But if it is of God, you cannot stop these men. You might even be fighting against God!'

⁴⁰ They agreed to do what he said. They called in the apostles and had them beaten. They told them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go.

⁴¹ The apostles left the court. They were very glad to think that God let them be punished for the name of Jesus.

⁴² Every day, in the temple and in homes, they kept on teaching and talking about Jesus Christ.

6 At that time more and more people joined the disciples. Then there was trouble about a certain matter. The Jews who spoke the Greek language complained against the other Jews. They said that each day when the food was being divided, their women whose husbands were dead did not get their part.

² Then the twelve apostles called all of the disciples together. They said, `It is not right for us to stop preaching God's word to divide the food.

³ So then, brothers, you choose seven men who you know are good men. Choose men who are full of the Holy Spirit and are wise. We will give them the work to divide the food.

⁴ But we ourselves will keep on talking with God and telling his word.'

⁵ This pleased all the people. The men they chose were Stephen, a man who believed God and was full of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus from Antioch who had joined the Jews.

⁶ These men were brought before the apostles. When the apostles had talked with God, they put their hands on their heads [to bless them].

⁷ The word of God spread further and further, and many people in Jerusalem believed. Many of the priests also believed.