Jesus Has Risen

24:1–10pp—Mt 28:1–8; Mk 16:1–8; Jn 20:1–8

24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had preparedu and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.v 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightningw stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:x 7 ‘The Son of Many must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”z 8 Then they remembered his words.a

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with themb who told this to the apostles.c 11 But they did not believed the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves,e and he went away,f wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven milesa from Jerusalem.g 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;h 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.i

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas,j asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,”k they replied. “He was a prophet,l powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulersm handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.n And what is more, it is the third dayo since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us.p They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”q

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”r 27 And beginning with Mosess and all the Prophets,t he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.u

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke itv and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,w and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within usx while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scripturesy to us?”

33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lordz has risen and has appeared to Simon.”a 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.b

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”c

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.d 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see;e a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.f

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you:g Everything must be fulfilledh that is written about me in the Law of Moses,i the Prophetsj and the Psalms.”k

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will sufferl and rise from the dead on the third day,m 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his namen to all nations,o beginning at Jerusalem.p 48 You are witnessesq of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised;r but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany,s he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.t 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple,u praising God.

John

The apostle John wrote in a more reflective style than the other Gospel writers. He highlights seven miracles that pointed to Jesus’ power as the Son of God. The writer also reveals Jesus’ as a human being who experiences fatigue and hunger, sadness and joy, anger and love.

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word,a and the Word was with God,b and the Word was God.c 2 He was with God in the beginning.d 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.e 4 In him was life,f and that life was the lightg of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness,h and the darkness has not overcomea it.i

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.j 7 He came as a witness to testifyk concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.l 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 The true lightm that gives light to everyonen was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,o the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.p 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believedq in his name,r he gave the right to become children of Gods—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.t

14 The Word became fleshu and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,v the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of gracew and truth.x

15 (John testifiedy concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)z 16 Out of his fullnessa we have all received graceb in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses;c grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.d 18 No one has ever seen God,e but the one and only Son, who is himself God andb f is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

19 Now this was John’sg testimony when the Jewish leadersc h in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”i

21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”j

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”k

He answered, “No.”

22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,l ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”d m

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize withe water,”n John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me,o the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”p

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,q where John was baptizing.

John Testifies About Jesus

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,r who takes away the sin of the world!s 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’t 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.u 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with waterv told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’w 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”f x

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus

1:40–42pp—Mt 4:18–22; Mk 1:16–20; Lk 5:2–11

35 The next day Johny was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”z

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi”a (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).b 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be calledc Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peterg).d

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,e he said to him, “Follow me.”f

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.g 45 Philip found Nathanaelh and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,i and about whom the prophets also wrotej—Jesus of Nazareth,k the son of Joseph.”l

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”m Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israeliten in whom there is no deceit.”o

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

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi,p you are the Son of God;q you are the king of Israel.”r

50 Jesus said, “You believeh because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,i youj will see ‘heaven open,s and the angels of God ascending and descendingt on’k the Son of Man.”u

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine

2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.v Jesus’ motherw was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

4 “Woman,a x why do you involve me?”y Jesus replied. “My hourz has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”a

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing,b each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.b

7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.c He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signsd through which he revealed his glory;e and his disciples believed in him.f

12 After this he went down to Capernaumg with his motherh and brothersi and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts

2:14–16pp—Mt 21:12,13; Mk 11:15–17; Lk 19:45,46

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,j Jesus went up to Jerusalem.k 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves,l and others sitting at tables exchanging money.m 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s housen into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”c o

18 The Jewsp then responded to him, “What signq can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”r

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”s

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.t 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said.u Then they believed the scripturev and the words that Jesus had spoken.

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival,w many people saw the signsx he was performing and believedy in his name.d 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind,z for he knew what was in each person.a

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemusb who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.c 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi,d we knowe that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signsf you are doing if God were not with him.”g

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.a”h

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.i 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spiritb gives birth to spirit.j 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘Youc must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”d k

9 “How can this be?”l Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,”m said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know,n and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.o 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heavenp except the one who came from heavenq—the Son of Man.e r 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,s so the Son of Man must be lifted up,f t 15 that everyone who believesu may have eternal life in him.”g v

16 For God so lovedw the world that he gavex his one and only Son,y that whoever believesz in him shall not perish but have eternal life.a 17 For God did not send his Son into the worldb to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.c 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned,d but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.e 19 This is the verdict: Lightf has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.g 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.h 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

John Testifies Again About Jesus

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.i 23 Now Johnj also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.)k 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.l 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi,m that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testifiedn about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’o 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom.p The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.q 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”h

31 The one who comes from abover is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth.s The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard,t but no one accepts his testimony.u 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sentv speaks the words of God, for Godi gives the Spiritw without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.x 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,y but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.