The Empty Tomb

20 On m the first day of the week n * Mary Magdalene o came to the tomb p early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone q had been removed r from the tomb. 2 So she ran to Simon Peter s and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, t and we don’t know where they have put Him!”

3 At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 5 Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths u lying there, yet he did not go in. 6 Then, following him, Simon Peter came also. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. 7 The wrapping v that had been on His head was not lying with the linen cloths w but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 8 The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then entered the tomb, saw, and believed. 9 For they still did not understand the Scripture x that He must rise y from the dead. z 10 Then the disciples went home again.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

11 But a Mary stood outside facing the tomb, b crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels c in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body d had been lying. 13 They said to her, “* Woman, why are you crying?”

“Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” e she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus. f

15 “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.”

16Jesus said, “Mary.”

Turning around, she said to Him in * Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” g—which means “Teacher.” h

17 “Don’t cling to Me,” Jesus told her, “for I have not yet ascended i to the Father. j But go to My brothers k and tell them that I am ascending to My Father l and your Father—to My God m and your God.”

18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” n And she told them what o He had said to her.

The Disciples Commissioned

19 In the evening of that first day of the week, p the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the * Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” q

20 Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. r So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, s I also send you.” t 22 After saying this, He breathed on them u and said, v “Receive the Holy Spirit. w 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” x

Thomas Sees and Believes

24 But one of the Twelve, Thomas y (called “Twin”), was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, z and put my hand into His side, a I will never believe!” b

26 After eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace to you!”

27 Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don’t be an unbeliever, but a believer.” c

28 Thomas responded to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. d Those who believe without seeing e are blessed.”

The Purpose of This Gospel

30 Jesus performed many other signs f in the presence of His disciples that are not written g in this book. h 31 But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the * Messiah, i the Son j of God, k l and by believing you may have life in His name. m

Jesus’ Third Appearance to the Disciples

21 After this, Jesus revealed n Himself again to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. o p He revealed Himself in this way:

2 Simon Peter, q Thomas r (called “Twin”), Nathanael s from Cana of Galilee, t Zebedee’s u sons, and two others of His disciples were together.

3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them.

“We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. v

4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. However, the disciples did not know it was Jesus. w

5 “Men,” x Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?”

“No,” they answered.

6 “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” He told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, y and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. 7 Therefore the disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” z

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer garment around him a (for he was stripped) and plunged into the sea. 8 But since they were not far from land (about 100 yards b c away), the other disciples came in the boat, d dragging the net full of fish. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.

10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. 11 So Simon Peter got up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. e

12 “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish.

14 This was now the third time f g Jesus appeared h i to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Jesus’ Threefold Restoration of Peter

15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, j do you love k Me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”

“Feed l My lambs,” m He told him.

16 A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love n Me?” o

“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”

“Shepherd p My sheep,” q He told him.

17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love r Me?”

Peter was grieved s that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! t You know that I love You.”

“Feed u My sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “* I assure you: v When you were young, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19 He said this to signify by what kind of death w he would glorify God. x y After saying this, He told him, “Follow Me!” z

Correcting a False Report

20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved a following them. That disciple was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray You?” b 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord—what about him?”

22 “If I want him to remain until I come,” c Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow Me.”

23 So this report d spread to the * brothers e f that this disciple would not die. g Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

Epilogue

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if they were written one by one, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books h that would be written. i

Acts

Prologue

1 I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach a 2 until the day He was taken up, after He had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. b 3 After He had suffered, He also presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God. c

The Holy Spirit Promised

4 While He was together d with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. e “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” f

6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. g 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends h of the earth.” i

The Ascension

9 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 10 While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. j 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.” k

United in Prayer

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went to the room l upstairs where they were staying:

Peter, John,

James, Andrew,

Philip, Thomas,

Bartholomew, Matthew,

James the son of Alphaeus,

Simon the Zealot,

and Judas the son of James. m

14 All these were continually united n in prayer, o along with the women, including Mary p the mother of Jesus, and His brothers. q

Matthias Chosen

15 During these days Peter stood up among the * brothers r—the number of people who were together was about 120—and said: 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. s 17 For he was one of our number and was allotted a share in this ministry.” t 18 Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages. He fell headfirst and burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out. u 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field is called Hakeldama (that is, Field of Blood). 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms:

Let his dwelling become desolate;

let no one live in it; v and

Let someone else take his position. w x

21 “Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up from us—from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of His resurrection.” y

23 So they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. z 24 Then they prayed, a “You, Lord, know the hearts of all; show which of these two You have chosen b 25 to take the place c in this apostolic service d that Judas left to go to his own place.” 26 Then they cast lots e for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was numbered with the 11 apostles.