The Vine and the Branches

15 “I ams the true vine,t and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,u while every branch that does bear fruitv he prunesa so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.w 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you.x No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;y apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.z 7 If you remain in mea and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.b 8 This is to my Father’s glory,c that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.d

9 “As the Father has loved me,e so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands,f you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.g 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.h 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.i 14 You are my friendsj if you do what I command.k 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.l 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed youm so that you might go and bear fruitn—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.o 17 This is my command: Love each other.p

The World Hates the Disciples

18 “If the world hates you,q keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen your out of the world. That is why the world hates you.s 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’b t If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.u If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name,v for they do not know the one who sent me.w 22 If I had not come and spoken to them,x they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.y 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did,z they would not be guilty of sin.a As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law:b ‘They hated me without reason.’c c

The Work of the Holy Spirit

26 “When the Advocated comes, whom I will send to you from the Fathere—the Spirit of truthf who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.g 27 And you also must testify,h for you have been with me from the beginning.i

16 “All thisj I have told you so that you will not fall away.k 2 They will put you out of the synagogue;l in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.m 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.n 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remembero that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you,p 5 but now I am going to him who sent me.q None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’r 6 Rather, you are filled with griefs because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocatet will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.u 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin,v because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness,w because I am going to the Father,x where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this worldy now stands condemned.

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.z 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth,a comes, he will guide you into all the truth.b He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine.c That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy

16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little whiled you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”e

17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’f and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”g 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mournh while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.i 21 A woman giving birth to a child has painj because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief,k but I will see you againl and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.m 23 In that dayn you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.o 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive,p and your joy will be complete.q

25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively,r a time is comings when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name.t I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved meu and have believed that I came from God.v 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”w

29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.x 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believey that you came from God.”z

31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is cominga and in fact has come when you will be scattered,b each to your own home. You will leave me all alone.c Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.d

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.e In this world you will have trouble.f But take heart! I have overcomeg the world.”

Jesus Prays to Be Glorified

17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heavenh and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come.i Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.j 2 For you granted him authority over all peoplek that he might give eternal lifel to all those you have given him.m 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you,n the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.o 4 I have brought you gloryp on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.q 5 And now, Father, glorify mer in your presence with the glory I had with yous before the world began.t

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

6 “I have revealed youa u to those whom you gave mev out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave mew and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you,x and they believed that you sent me.y 9 I pray for them.z I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me,a for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine.b And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world,c and I am coming to you.d Holy Father, protect them by the power ofb your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be onee as we are one.f 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe byc that name you gave me. None has been lostg except the one doomed to destructionh so that Scripture would be fulfilled.i

13 “I am coming to you now,j but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joyk within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them,l for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.m 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.n 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.o 17 Sanctify them byd the truth; your word is truth.p 18 As you sent me into the world,q I have sent them into the world.r 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.s

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one,t Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.u May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.v 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me,w that they may be one as we are onex—23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent mey and have loved themz even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given mea to be with me where I am,b and to see my glory,c the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.d

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you,e I know you, and they know that you have sent me.f 26 I have made youe known to them,g and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in themh and that I myself may be in them.”

Jesus Arrested

18:3–11pp—Mt 26:47–56; Mk 14:43–50; Lk 22:47–53

18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley.i On the other side there was a garden,j and he and his disciples went into it.k

2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.l 3 So Judas came to the garden, guidingm a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees.n They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him,o went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”p

5 “Jesus of Nazareth,”q they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”r

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”a s

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cupt the Father has given me?”

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officialsu arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,v the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.w

Peter’s First Denial

18:16–18pp—Mt 26:69,70; Mk 14:66–68; Lk 22:55–57

15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest,x he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard,y 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.

He replied, “I am not.”z

18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a firea they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.b

The High Priest Questions Jesus

18:19–24pp—Mt 26:59–68; Mk 14:55–65; Lk 22:63–71

19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagoguesc or at the temple,d where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.e 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

22 When Jesus said this, one of the officialsf nearby slapped him in the face.g “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”h 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphasi the high priest.

Peter’s Second and Third Denials

18:25–27pp—Mt 26:71–75; Mk 14:69–72; Lk 22:58–62

25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself.j So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “I am not.”k

26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off,l challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?”m 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.n

Jesus Before Pilate

18:29–40pp—Mt 27:11–18,20–23; Mk 15:2–15; Lk 23:2,3,18–25

28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor.o By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace,p because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.q 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.r

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace,s summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”t

34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

36 Jesus said, “My kingdomu is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.v But now my kingdom is from another place.”w

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.x Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”y

38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.z 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.a

Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified

19:1–16pp—Mt 27:27–31; Mk 15:16–20

19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.b 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!”c And they slapped him in the face.d

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him oute to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”f 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe,g Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him.h As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”i

7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die,j because he claimed to be the Son of God.”k

8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace.l “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.m 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.n Therefore the one who handed me over to youo is guilty of a greater sin.”

12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a kingp opposes Caesar.”

13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seatq at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaicr is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparations of the Passover; it was about noon.t

“Here is your king,”u Pilate said to the Jews.

15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.v

The Crucifixion of Jesus

19:17–24pp—Mt 27:33–44; Mk 15:22–32; Lk 23:33–43

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross,w he went out to the place of the Skullx (which in Aramaicy is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two othersz—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth,a the king of the jews.b 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city,c and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”d

22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfillede that said,

“They divided my clothes among them

and cast lots for my garment.”a f

So this is what the soldiers did.

25 Near the crossg of Jesus stood his mother,h his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.i 26 When Jesus saw his motherj there, and the disciple whom he lovedk standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,b here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus

19:29,30pp—Mt 27:48,50; Mk 15:36,37; Lk 23:36

28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished,l and so that Scripture would be fulfilled,m Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegarn was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”o With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31 Now it was the day of Preparation,p and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crossesq during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.r 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierceds Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.t 35 The man who saw itu has given testimony, and his testimony is true.v He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled:w “Not one of his bones will be broken,”c x 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”d y

The Burial of Jesus

19:38–42pp—Mt 27:57–61; Mk 15:42–47; Lk 23:50–56

38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders.z With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus,a the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.e 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.b This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.c 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparationd and since the tomb was nearby,e they laid Jesus there.

The Empty Tomb

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

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalenef went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.g 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved,h and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”i

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.j 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked ink at the strips of linenl lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head.m The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first,n also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scriptureo that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)p 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tombq 12 and saw two angels in white,r seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”s

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”t 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,u but she did not realize that it was Jesus.v

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?w Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,x “Rabboni!”y (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothersz and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Fathera and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

18 Mary Magdaleneb went to the disciplesc with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,d Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peacee be with you!”f 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.g The disciples were overjoyedh when they saw the Lord.

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!i As the Father has sent me,j I am sending you.”k 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.l 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”m

Jesus Appears to Thomas

24 Now Thomasn (also known as Didymusa), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side,o I will not believe.”p

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peaceq be with you!”r 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”s

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;t blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”u

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

30 Jesus performed many other signsv in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.w 31 But these are written that you may believeb x that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,y and that by believing you may have life in his name.z

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples,a by the Sea of Galilee.a b It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomasc (also known as Didymusb), Nathanaeld from Cana in Galilee,e the sons of Zebedee,f and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.g

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.h

5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.i

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus lovedj said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.c 9 When they landed, they saw a firek of burning coals there with fish on it,l and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.m 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciplesn after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus Reinstates Peter

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”o

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”p

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”q

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”r He said, “Lord, you know all things;s you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.t 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of deathu by which Peter would glorify God.v Then he said to him, “Follow me!”w

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus lovedx was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)y 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return,z what is that to you? You must follow me.”a 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believersb that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

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

25 Jesus did many other things as well.e If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Acts

The book of Acts continues the history of Jesus’ followers in the period after Jesus’ ascension. Peter and Paul soon emerged as leaders of the rapidly growing church, which flourished and spread despite, and sometimes because of, persecution by Jewish leaders and Roman authorities.

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book,a Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teachb 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven,c after giving instructionsd through the Holy Spirit to the apostlese he had chosen.f 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to themg over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.h 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but waiti for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.j 5 For John baptized witha water,k but in a few days you will be baptized withb the Holy Spirit.”l

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restorem the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.n 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;o and you will be my witnessesp in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,q and to the ends of the earth.”r

9 After he said this, he was taken ups before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in whitet stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,”u they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come backv in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalemw from the hill called the Mount of Olives,x a Sabbath day’s walkc from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the roomy where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.z 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer,a along with the womenb and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.c

15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters,d d the Scripture had to be fulfillede in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas,f who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our numberg and shared in our ministry.”h

18 (With the paymenti he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field;j there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their languagek Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

“ ‘May his place be deserted;

let there be no one to dwell in it,’e l

and,

“ ‘May another take his place of leadership.’f m

21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptismn to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witnesso with us of his resurrection.”

23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed,p “Lord, you know everyone’s heart.q Show usr which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.s

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecostt came, they were all togetheru in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.v 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spiritw and began to speak in other tonguesa x as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearingy Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed,z they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?a 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,b Pontusc and Asia,b d 10 Phrygiae and Pamphylia,f Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;g visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”h

Peter Addresses the Crowd

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!i 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “ ‘In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.j

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,k

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

18 Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.l

19 I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,m

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

20 The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to bloodn

before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

21 And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lordo will be saved.’c p

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazarethq was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,r which God did among you through him,s as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;t and you, with the help of wicked men,d put him to death by nailing him to the cross.u 24 But God raised him from the dead,v freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.w 25 David said about him:

“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me.

Because he is at my right hand,

I will not be shaken.

26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

my body also will rest in hope,

27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,

you will not let your holy one see decay.x

28 You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence.’e y

29 “Fellow Israelites,z I can tell you confidently that the patriarcha David died and was buried,b and his tomb is herec to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.d 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.e 32 God has raised this Jesus to life,f and we are all witnessesg of it. 33 Exaltedh to the right hand of God,i he has received from the Fatherj the promised Holy Spiritk and has poured outl what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord:

“Sit at my right hand

35 until I make your enemies

a footstool for your feet.” ’f m

36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lordn and Messiah.”o

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”p

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,q every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.r And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.s 39 The promise is for you and your childrent and for all who are far offu—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”v 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their numberw that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachingx and to fellowship, to the breaking of bready and to prayer.z 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.a 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.b 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.c 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.d They broke breade in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.f And the Lord added to their numberg daily those who were being saved.

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

3 One day Peter and Johnh were going up to the templei at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.j 2 Now a man who was lame from birthk was being carried to the temple gatel called Beautiful, where he was put every day to begm from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,n walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping,o and praising God. 9 When all the peoplep saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful,q and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

11 While the man held on to Peter and John,r all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.s 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,t the God of our fathers,u has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him overv to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate,w though he had decided to let him go.x 14 You disowned the Holyy and Righteous Onez and asked that a murderer be released to you.a 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.b We are witnessesc of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus,d this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

17 “Now, fellow Israelites,e I know that you acted in ignorance,f as did your leaders.g 18 But this is how God fulfilledh what he had foretoldi through all the prophets,j saying that his Messiah would suffer.k 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,l that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah,m who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive himn until the time comes for God to restore everything,o as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.p 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.q 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’a r

24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophetss who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirst of the prophets and of the covenantu God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’b v 26 When God raised upw his servant, he sent him firstx to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”