John 21

1 After this, Jesus appeared again to the disciples, this time at the Tiberias Sea (the Sea of Galilee). This is how he did it:2 Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the brothers Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.

3 Simon Peter announced, “I’m going fishing.”
The rest of them replied, “We’re going with you.” They went out and got in the boat. They caught nothing that night.4 When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the beach, but they didn’t recognize him.

5 Jesus spoke to them: “Good morning! Did you catch anything for breakfast?”
They answered, “No.”

6 He said, “Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens.”
They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren’t strong enough to pull it in.

7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Master!”
When Simon Peter realized that it was the Master, he threw on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and dove into the sea.8 The other disciples came in by boat for they weren’t far from land, a hundred yards or so, pulling along the net full of fish.9 When they got out of the boat, they saw a fire laid, with fish and bread cooking on it.10 Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.”11 Simon Peter joined them and pulled the net to shore—153 big fish! And even with all those fish, the net didn’t rip.12 Jesus said, “Breakfast is ready.” Not one of the disciples dared ask, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Master.13 Jesus then took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish.

14 This was now the third time Jesus had shown himself alive to the disciples since being raised from the dead.
Do You Love Me?

15 After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.”

17 Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.18 I’m telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you’ll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don’t want to go.”19 He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, “Follow me.”20 Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind.21 When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, “Master, what’s going to happen to him?”22 Jesus said, “If I want him to live until I come again, what’s that to you? You—follow me.”23 That is how the rumor got out among the brothers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that is not what Jesus said. He simply said, “If I want him to live until I come again, what’s that to you?”24 This is the same disciple who was eyewitness to all these things and wrote them down. And we all know that his eyewitness account is reliable and accurate.25 There are so many other things Jesus did. If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can’t imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books.

Acts 1

1 Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach2 until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven.3 After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God.4 As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me.5 John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon.”6 When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?”7 He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business.8 What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”9 These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud.10 They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes!

11 They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.”
Returning to Jerusalem12 So they left the mountain called Olives and returned to Jerusalem. It was a little over half a mile.

13 They went to the upper room they had been using as a meeting place:
Peter,
John,
James,
Andrew,
Philip,
Thomas,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
James, son of Alphaeus,
Simon the Zealot,
Judas, son of James.

14 They agreed they were in this for good, completely together in prayer, the women included. Also Jesus’ mother, Mary, and his brothers.
Replacing Judas15 During this time, Peter stood up in the company—there were about one hundred twenty of them in the room at the time—16 and said, “Friends, long ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David regarding Judas, who became the guide to those who arrested Jesus. That Scripture had to be fulfilled, and now has been.17 Judas was one of us and had his assigned place in this ministry.18 “As you know, he took the evil bribe money and bought a small farm. There he came to a bad end, rupturing his belly and spilling his guts.19 Everybody in Jerusalem knows this by now; they call the place Murder Meadow.

20 It’s exactly what we find written in the Psalms:
Let his farm become haunted
So no one can ever live there.
“And also what was written later:
Let someone else take over his post.21 “Judas must now be replaced. The replacement must come from the company of men who stayed together with us22 from the time Jesus was baptized by John up to the day of his ascension, designated along with us as a witness to his resurrection.”23 They nominated two: Joseph Barsabbas, nicknamed Justus, and Matthias.24 Then they prayed, “You, O God, know every one of us inside and out. Make plain which of these two men you choose25 to take the place in this ministry and leadership that Judas threw away in order to go his own way.”

26 They then drew straws. Matthias won and was counted in with the eleven apostles.
A Sound Like a Strong Wind

Acts 2

1 When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.2 Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building.3 Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks,4 and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.5 There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world.6 When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck.7 They couldn’t for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, “Aren’t these all Galileans?8 How come we’re hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?

9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia,

10 Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
Immigrants from Rome,

11 both Jews and proselytes;
Even Cretans and Arabs!
“They’re speaking our languages, describing God’s mighty works!”12 Their heads were spinning; they couldn’t make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: “What’s going on here?”

13 Others joked, “They’re drunk on cheap wine.”
Peter Speaks Up14 That’s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: “Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight.15 These people aren’t drunk as some of you suspect. They haven’t had time to get drunk—it’s only nine o’clock in the morning.16 This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:

17 “In the Last Days,” God says,
“I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.

18 When the time comes,
I’ll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they’ll prophesy.

19 I’ll set wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below,
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,

20 the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
the Day tremendous and marvelous;

21 And whoever calls out for help
to me, God, will be saved.”22 “Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge—23 this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him.24 But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him.

25 David said it all:
I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side.

26 I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.

27 I know you’ll never dump me in Hades;
I’ll never even smell the stench of death.

28 You’ve got my feet on the life-path,
with your face shining sun-joy all around.29 “Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried—his tomb is in plain sight today.30 But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom,31 seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah—‘no trip to Hades, no stench of death.’32 This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it.33 Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear.

34 For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say,
God said to my Master, “Sit at my right hand35 Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet.”36 “All Israel, then, know this: There’s no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross.”37 Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?”38 Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39 The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”40 He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”41 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up.42 They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.43 Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles!44 And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common.45 They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.46 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful,47 as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.