Resurrection Morning

24 On z the first day of the week, a very early in the morning, they b came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They went in but did not find the body c of the Lord Jesus. d 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling e clothes. 5 So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. f

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. 6 “He is not here, but He has been resurrected! g Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, h 7 saying, ‘The * Son of Man must be betrayed i into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise j on the third day’?” 8 And they remembered His words.

9 Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven k and to all the rest. 10 * Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, l and the other women with them were telling the apostles m these things. 11 But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe n the women. 12 Peter, o however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. p q So he went home, amazed r at what had happened.

The Emmaus Disciples

13 Now s that same day two of them were on their way to a village called t Emmaus, which was about seven miles u v from Jerusalem. w 14 Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. 15 And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus Himself came near and began to walk along with them. 16 But they x were prevented from recognizing Him. y 17 Then He asked them, “What is this dispute that you’re having z with each other as you are walking?” And they stopped walking and looked discouraged.

18 The one named Cleopas answered Him, “Are You the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?” a

19 “What things?” He asked them.

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus the * Nazarene, b who was a Prophet c powerful in action and speech d before God and all the people, e 20 and how our * chief priests and leaders f handed Him over to be sentenced to death, g and they crucified Him. h 21 But we were hoping that He was the One who was about to * redeem i Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day j since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, 23 and when they didn’t find His body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see Him.” k

25 He said to them, “How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken! l 26 Didn’t the * Messiah have to suffer m these things and enter into His glory?” n 27 Then beginning with Moses o and all the Prophets, p He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. q

28 They came near the village where they were going, and He gave the impression that He was going farther. r 29 But they urged Him: “Stay with us, because it’s almost evening, and now the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.

30 It was as He reclined at the table with them that He took the bread, blessed and broke s it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, t and they recognized Him, but He disappeared from their sight. u 32 So they said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures v to us?” 33 That very hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven w and those with them gathered together, 34 who said, x “The Lord has certainly been raised, and has appeared to Simon!” y 35 Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. z

The Reality of the Risen Jesus

36 And a as they were saying these things, He Himself stood among them. He said to them, “Peace b to you!” 37 But they were startled and terrified c and thought they were seeing a ghost. d 38 “Why are you troubled?” e He asked them. “And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself! f Touch Me and see, g because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” 40 Having said this, He showed them His hands and feet. 41 But while they still were amazed and unbelieving because of their joy, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, h 43 and He took it and ate in their presence.

44 Then He told them, “These are My words i that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, j and the Psalms k must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds l to understand m the Scriptures. 46 He also said to them, “This is what is written: n The Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead the third day, o 47 and repentance for p forgiveness of sins q would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, r beginning at Jerusalem. s 48 You are witnesses t of these things. 49 And look, I am sending you u what My Father promised. v As for you, stay in the city w until you are empowered x y from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus

50 Then He led them out as far as Bethany, z and lifting up His hands a He blessed them. 51 And while He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven. b 52 After worshiping Him, c they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. d 53 And they were continually in the * temple complex praising God. e f

John

Prologue

1 In the beginning a was the Word, b c

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. d

2 He was with God in the beginning. e

3 All things were created f through Him, g

and apart from Him not one thing was created

that has been created.

4 Life was in Him, h i

and that life was the light j of men.

5 That light shines k in the darkness,

yet the darkness did not overcome l it. m

6 There was a man named John n

who was sent from God.

7 He came as a witness

to testify about the light,

so that all might believe through him. o

8 He was not the light,

but he came to testify p about the light.

9 The true light, q who gives light to everyone,

was coming into the world. r s

10 He was in the world,

and the world was created t through Him,

yet the * world did not recognize Him.

11 He came to His own, u

and His own people v did not receive Him.

12 But to all who did receive w Him, x

He gave them the right y to be z children a of God, b

to those who believe c in His name, d

13 who were born, e

not of blood, f

or of the will g of the flesh, h

or of the will of man, i

but of God. j

14 The Word k became flesh l m

and took up residence n among us.

We observed His glory, o

the glory as the * One and Only p Son q from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

15 (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed,

“This was the One of whom I said,

‘The One coming after me r has surpassed me, s

because He existed before me.’ ”) t

16 Indeed, we have all received grace u after grace

from His fullness,

17 for the law was given through Moses, v

grace and truth w came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has ever seen God. x

The One and Only y Son z—

the One who is at the Father’s a side b—

He has revealed Him. c

John the Baptist’s Testimony

19 This is John’s testimony when the * Jews from Jerusalem d sent priests e and Levites f to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the * Messiah.” g

21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” h

“I am not,” he said.

“Are you the Prophet?” i j

“No,” he answered.

22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”

23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord k l—just as Isaiah m the prophet said.”

24 Now they had been sent from the * Pharisees. n 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with o water,” p John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know Him. 27 He is the One coming after me, q r whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”

28 All this happened in Bethany s across the Jordan, t u where John was baptizing.

The Lamb of God

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, v who takes away the sin w of the world! 30 This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know Him, x but I came baptizing with y water so He might be revealed z to Israel.”

32 And John testified, “I watched the Spirit a descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him. b 33 I didn’t know Him, but He c who sent me to baptize with d water told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on—He is the One who baptizes with e the Holy Spirit.’ f 34 I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!” g h

35 Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! The Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and noticed them following Him, He asked them, “What are you looking for?”

They said to Him, “* Rabbi” i (which means “Teacher”), “where are You staying?”

39 “Come and you’ll see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day. It was about 10 in the morning. j

40 Andrew, k Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed Him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” l m (which means “Anointed n One”), 42 and he brought Simon to Jesus.

When Jesus saw him, He said, “You are Simon, son of John. o You will be called * Cephas” p (which means “Rock”).

Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day He q decided to leave for Galilee. Jesus found Philip r and told him, “Follow Me!”

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, s the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael t u and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law (and so did the prophets v): Jesus the son of Joseph, w from Nazareth!” x

46 “Can anything good y come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him.

“Come and see,” Philip answered.

47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said about him, “Here is a true Israelite; z no deceit is in him.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

“Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.

49 “Rabbi,” a Nathanael replied, “You are the Son b of God! You are the King of Israel!” c

50 Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe only because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You d will see greater things than this.” 51 Then He said, “* I assure you: You e will see heaven opened and the angels of God f ascending and descending g on the * Son of Man.” h

The First Sign: Turning Water into Wine

2 On the third day a wedding took place in Cana i of Galilee. j Jesus’ mother k was there, and 2 Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding as well. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother told Him, “They don’t have any wine.”

4 “What has this concern of yours to do with Me, l m * woman?” n Jesus asked. “My hour o has not yet come.”

5 “Do whatever He tells you,” His mother told the servants.

6 Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. p Each contained 20 or 30 gallons. q

7 “Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. 8 Then He said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the chief servant.” r And they did.

9 When the chief servant tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom 10 and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people have drunk freely, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.”

11 Jesus performed this first sign s in Cana t of Galilee. u He displayed v His glory, w and His disciples believed in Him.

12 After this, He went down to Capernaum, x together with His mother, His brothers, y and His disciples, and they stayed there only a few days.

Cleansing the Temple Complex

13 The Jewish * Passover z was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. a 14 In the * temple complex b He found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and He also found the money changers sitting there. 15 After making a whip out of cords, c He drove everyone out of the temple complex with their sheep d and oxen. He also poured out the money changers’ coins and overturned the tables. 16 He told those who were selling doves, “Get these things out of here! Stop turning My Father’s e house f into a marketplace!” g h

17 And His disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal i for Your house will consume j Me. k l

18 So the * Jews replied to Him, “What sign of authority will You show us for doing these things?”

19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this sanctuary, m and I will raise it up in three days.” n

20 Therefore the Jews said, “This sanctuary took 46 years to build, and will You raise it up in three days?” o

21 But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body. p 22 So when He was raised from the dead, q His disciples remembered that He had said this. r And they believed the Scripture s and the statement Jesus had made.

23 While He was in Jerusalem t at the Passover Festival, u many trusted in His name v when they saw the signs He was doing. 24 Jesus, however, would not entrust Himself to them, since He knew them all 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about man; for He Himself knew what was in man. w

Jesus and Nicodemus

3 There was a man from the * Pharisees x named Nicodemus, y a ruler z of the * Jews. 2 This man came to Him at night and said, “* Rabbi, a we know that You have come from God b as a teacher, c for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him.” d

3 Jesus replied, “* I assure you: Unless someone is born again, e f he cannot see the kingdom of God.” g

4 “But how can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked Him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “I assure you: Unless someone is born h of water and the Spirit, i j he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh k is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit l is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you m must be born n again. 8 The wind o blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. p So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” q

9 “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.

10 “Are you a teacher r of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “I assure you: s We speak what We know and We testify to what We have seen, but you t do not accept Our testimony. u 12 If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven? 13 No one has ascended v into heaven w except the One who descended from heaven x—the * Son of Man. y z 14 Just as Moses a lifted up the snake in the wilderness, b so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will c have eternal life. d

16 “For God loved e the world * in this way: f He gave His * One and Only g Son, h so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. i 17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn j the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, k because he has not believed in the name l of the One and Only Son m of God.

19 “This, then, is the judgment: The light n has come into the world, o and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who practices wicked things hates p the light and avoids it, q so that his deeds r may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by s the truth comes to the light, so that his works t may be shown to be accomplished by God.” u

Jesus and John the Baptist

22 After this, Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. 23 John v also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, 24 since John had not yet been thrown into prison. w

25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples x and a Jew y about purification. z 26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, a the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, b is baptizing—and everyone is flocking to Him.” c

27 John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the * Messiah, d but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’ e 29 He who has the bride f is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly g at the groom’s voice. So this joy h of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The One from Heaven

31 The One who comes from above i is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms. j The One who comes from heaven is above all. k 32 He testifies l to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. 33 The one who has accepted His testimony has affirmed that God is true. m 34 For God sent Him, and He speaks God’s words, since He n gives the Spirit o without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son p and has given all things into His hands. q 36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him. r