Bible in 90 Days Plan

¹Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived.

²It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

³So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, "Lord, he [our brother and Your friend] whom You love is sick."

⁴When Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness will not end in death; but [on the contrary it is] for the glory and honor of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it."

⁵Now Jesus loved and was concerned about Martha and her sister and Lazarus [and considered them dear friends].

⁶So [even] when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed in the same place two more days.

⁷Then He said to His disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."

⁸The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi (Teacher), the Jews were only recently going to stone You, and You are [thinking of] going back there again?"

⁹Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours [of light] in the day? Anyone who walks in the daytime does not stumble, because he sees [by] the light of this world.

¹⁰But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because there is no light in him."

¹¹He said this, and after that said, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him."

¹²The disciples answered, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."

¹³However, Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was referring to natural sleep.

¹⁴So then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.

¹⁵And for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

¹⁶Then Thomas, who was called Didymus (the twin), said to his fellow disciples, "Let us go too, that we may die with Him."

¹⁷So when Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.

¹⁸Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away;

¹⁹and many of the Jews had come to see Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning [the loss of] their brother.

²⁰So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, while Mary remained sitting in the house.

²¹Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

²²Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give to You."

²³Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise [from the dead]."

²⁴Martha replied, "I know that he will rise [from the dead] in the resurrection on the last day."

²⁵Jesus said to her, " I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies;

²⁶and everyone who lives and believes in Me [as Savior] will never die. Do you believe this?"

²⁷She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed and continue to believe that You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of God, He who was [destined and promised] to come into the world [and it is for You that the world has waited]."

²⁸After she had said this, she left and called her sister Mary, privately whispering [to her], "The Teacher is here and is asking for you."

²⁹And when she heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him.

³⁰Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met Him.

³¹So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her, saw how quickly Mary got up and left, they followed her, assuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

³²When Mary came [to the place] where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

³³When Jesus saw her sobbing, and the Jews who had come with her also sobbing, He was deeply moved in spirit [to the point of anger at the sorrow caused by death] and was troubled,

³⁴and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said, "Lord, come and see."

³⁵Jesus wept.

³⁶So the Jews were saying, "See how He loved him [as a close friend]!"

³⁷But some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the blind man's eyes, have kept this man from dying?"

³⁸So Jesus, again deeply moved within [to the point of anger], approached the tomb. It was a cave, and a boulder was lying against it [to cover the entrance].

³⁹Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there will be an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days! [It is hopeless!]"

⁴⁰Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe [in Me], you will see the glory of God [the expression of His excellence]?"

⁴¹So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes [toward heaven] and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

⁴²I knew that You always hear Me and listen to Me; but I have said this because of the people standing around, so that they may believe that You have sent Me [and that You have made Me Your representative]."

⁴³When He had said this, He shouted with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"

⁴⁴Out came the man who had been dead, his hands and feet tightly wrapped in burial cloths (linen strips), and with a [burial] cloth wrapped around his face. Jesus said to them, "Unwrap him and release him."

⁴⁵So then, many of the Jews who had come to [be with] Mary and who were eyewitnesses to what Jesus had done, believed in Him.

⁴⁶But some of them went back to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

⁴⁷So the chief priests and Pharisees convened a council [of the leaders in Israel], and said, "What are we doing? For this man performs many signs (attesting miracles).

⁴⁸If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our [holy] place (the temple) and our nation."

⁴⁹But one of them, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year [the year of Christ's crucifixion], said to them, "You know nothing at all!

⁵⁰Nor do you understand that it is expedient and politically advantageous for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish."

⁵¹Now he did not say this [simply] on his own initiative; but being the high priest that year, he [was unknowingly used by God and] prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,

⁵²and not only for the nation, but also for the purpose of gathering together into one body the children of God who have been scattered abroad.

⁵³So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

⁵⁴For that reason Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but left there and went to the district that borders on the uninhabited wilderness, to a town called Ephraim; and He stayed there with the disciples.

⁵⁵Now the Passover of the Jews was approaching, and many from the country went up to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves [ceremonially, so that they would be able to participate in the feast].

⁵⁶So they were looking for Jesus as they stood in the temple [area], and saying among themselves, "What do you think? Will He not come to the feast at all?"

⁵⁷Now the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it so that they might arrest Him.

¹Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom He had raised from the dead.

²So they gave a supper for Him there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

³Then Mary took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure nard, and she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, the one who was going to betray Him, said,

⁵"Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and [the money] given to the poor?"

⁶Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor [for he had never cared about them], but because he was a thief; and since he had the money box [serving as treasurer for the twelve disciples], he used to pilfer what was put into it.

⁷So Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep [the rest of] it for the day of My burial.

⁸You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me."

⁹A large crowd of Jews learned that He was there [at Bethany]; and they came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

¹⁰So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also,

¹¹because on account of him many of the Jews were going away [from the teaching and traditions of the Jewish leaders] and believing in Jesus [following Him as Savior and Messiah].

¹²The next day, when the large crowd who had come to the Passover feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

¹³they took branches of palm trees [in homage to Him as King] and went out to meet Him, and they began shouting and kept shouting "Hosanna! Blessed (celebrated, praised) is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"

¹⁴And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; just as it is written [in Scripture],

¹⁵"Do not fear, Daughter of Zion; Behold, Your King is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."

¹⁶His disciples did not understand [the meaning of] these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified and exalted, they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him.

¹⁷So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to tell others about Him.

¹⁸For this reason the crowd went to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this [miraculous] sign.

¹⁹Then the Pharisees [argued and] said to one another, "You see that your efforts are futile. Look! The whole world has gone [running] after Him!"

²⁰Now there were some Greeks (Gentiles) among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

²¹these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

²²Philip came and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

²³And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified and exalted.

²⁴I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone [just one grain, never more]. But if it dies, it produces much grain and yields a harvest.

²⁵The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal.

²⁶If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven's glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

²⁷"Now My soul is troubled and deeply distressed; what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]'? But it is for this [very] purpose that I have come to this hour [this time and place].

²⁸[Rather, I will say,] 'Father, glorify (honor, extol) Your name!'" Then a voice came from heaven saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

²⁹The crowd of people who stood nearby and heard the voice said that it had thundered; others said, "An angel has spoken to Him!"

³⁰Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.

³¹Now judgment is upon this world [the sentence is being passed]. Now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out.

³²And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all people to Myself [Gentiles, as well as Jews]."

³³He said this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.

³⁴At this the crowd answered Him, " We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; how then can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?"

³⁵So Jesus said to them, "The Light is among you [only] a little while longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness will not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going [he is drifting aimlessly].

³⁶While you have the Light, believe and trust in the Light [have faith in it, hold on to it, rely on it], so that you may become sons of Light [being filled with Light as followers of God]." Jesus said these things, and then He left and hid Himself from them.

³⁷Even though He had done so many signs (attesting miracles) right before them, yet they still did not believe and failed to trust Him—

³⁸This was to fulfill what Isaiah the prophet said: "Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm (the power) of the Lord been shown (unveiled, revealed)?"

³⁹Therefore they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,

⁴⁰"He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with their heart and being converted; otherwise, I [their God] would heal them."

⁴¹Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him.

⁴²Nevertheless, even many of the leading men believed in Him [as Savior and Messiah], but because of the Pharisees they would not confess it, for fear that [if they acknowledged Him openly] they would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated);

⁴³for they loved the approval of men more than the approval of God.

⁴⁴But Jesus loudly declared, "The one who believes and trusts in Me does not believe [only] in Me but [also believes] in Him who sent Me.

⁴⁵And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me.

⁴⁶I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness.

⁴⁷If anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but to save the world.

⁴⁸Whoever rejects Me and refuses to accept My teachings, has one who judges him; the very word that I spoke will judge and condemn him on the last day.

⁴⁹For I have never spoken on My own initiative or authority, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment regarding what to say and what to speak.

⁵⁰I know that His commandment is eternal life. So the things I speak, I speak [in accordance with His exact instruction,] just as the Father has told Me."

¹Now before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that His hour had come [and it was time] for Him to leave this world and return to the Father. Having [greatly] loved His own who were in the world, He loved them [and continuously loves them with His perfect love] to the end (eternally).

²It was during supper, when the devil had already put [the thought of] betraying Jesus into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son,

³that Jesus, knowing that the Father had put everything into His hands, and that He had come from God and was [now] returning to God,

⁴got up from supper, took off His [outer] robe, and taking a [servant's] towel, He tied it around His waist.

⁵Then He poured water into the basin and began washing the disciples' feet and wiping them with the towel which was tied around His waist.

⁶When He came to Simon Peter, he said to Him, "Lord, are You going to wash my feet?"

⁷Jesus replied to him, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but you will [fully] understand it later."

⁸Peter said to Him, "You will never wash my feet!" Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me [we can have nothing to do with each other]."

⁹Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, [in that case, wash] not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!"

¹⁰Jesus said to him, "Anyone who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, and is completely clean. And you [My disciples] are clean, but not all of you."

¹¹For He knew who was going to betray Him; for that reason He said, "Not all of you are clean."

¹²So when He had washed their feet and put on His [outer] robe and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you understand what I have done for you?

¹³You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is who I am.

¹⁴So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet as well.

¹⁵For I gave you [this as] an example, so that you should do [in turn] as I did to you.

¹⁶I assure you and most solemnly say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

¹⁷If you know these things, you are blessed [happy and favored by God] if you put them into practice [and faithfully do them].

¹⁸I am not speaking of all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but [this has happened] in order that the Scripture may be fulfilled: 'He who eats My bread has raised up his heel against Me [as My enemy].'

¹⁹From now on I am telling you [what will happen] before it occurs, so that when it does take place you may believe that I am He [who I say I am—the Christ, the Anointed, the Messiah].

²⁰I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the one who receives and welcomes whomever I send receives Me; and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me [in that same way]."

²¹After Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, one of you will betray Me and hand Me over."

²²The disciples began looking at one another, puzzled and disturbed as to whom He could mean.

²³One of His disciples, whom Jesus loved (esteemed), was leaning against Jesus' chest.

²⁴So Simon Peter motioned to him (John) and [quietly] asked [him to ask Jesus] of whom He was speaking.

²⁵Then leaning back against Jesus' chest, he (John) asked Him [privately], "Lord, who is it?"

²⁶Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I am going to give this piece [of bread] after I have dipped it." So when He had dipped the piece of bread [into the dish], He gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.

²⁷After [Judas had taken] the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly [without delay]."

²⁸But no one reclining at the table knew why He said this to him.

²⁹Some thought that, since Judas [as the treasurer of the group] had the money box, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or that he was to give something to the poor.

³⁰After taking the piece of bread, he went out immediately; and it was night.

³¹So when Judas had left, Jesus said, "Now is [the time for] the Son of Man [to be] glorified, and God is glorified in Him;

³²[if God is glorified in Him,] God will also glorify Him (the Son) in Himself, and will glorify Him at once.

³³Little children, I am with you [only] a little longer. You will look for Me and, as I told the Jews, so I tell you now, 'Where I am going, you are not able to come.'

³⁴I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another.

³⁵By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another."

³⁶Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will be able to follow later."

³⁷Peter said to Him, "Lord, why cannot I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You!"

³⁸Jesus answered, "Will you [really] lay down your life for Me? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, before a rooster crows you will deny and completely disown Me three times.

¹"Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me.

²In My Father's house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you.

³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.

⁴And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way."

⁵Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?"

⁶Jesus said to him, " I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

⁷If you had [really] known Me, you would also have known My Father. From now on you know Him, and have seen Him."

⁸Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father and then we will be satisfied."

⁹Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father?'

¹⁰Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not say on My own initiative or authority, but the Father, abiding continually in Me, does His works [His attesting miracles and acts of power].

¹¹Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe [Me] because of the [very] works themselves [which you have witnessed].

¹²I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father.

¹³And I will do whatever you ask in My name [ as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son.

¹⁴If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it.

¹⁵"If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.

¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever—

¹⁷the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you.

¹⁸"I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you.

¹⁹After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.

²⁰On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.

²¹The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him]."

²²Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, "Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?"

²³Jesus answered, "If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him.

²⁴One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father's who sent Me.

²⁵"I have told you these things while I am still with you.

²⁶But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.

²⁷Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]

²⁸You heard Me tell you, 'I am going away, and I am coming back to you.' If you [really] loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going [back] to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

²⁹I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does take place, you may believe and have faith [in Me].

³⁰I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of the world (Satan) is coming. And he has no claim on Me [no power over Me nor anything that he can use against Me];

³¹but so that the world may know [without any doubt] that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father has commanded Me [and act in full agreement with Him]. Get up, let us go from here.

¹" I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

²Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit].

³You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you].

⁴Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.

⁵ I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

⁶If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

⁷If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.

⁸My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.

⁹I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you].

¹⁰If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love.

¹¹I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.

¹²"This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you.

¹³No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.

¹⁴You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you.

¹⁵I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father.

¹⁶You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you.

¹⁷This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.

¹⁸"If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

¹⁹If you belonged to the world, the world would love [you as] its own and would treat you with affection. But you are not of the world [you no longer belong to it], but I have chosen you out of the world. And because of this the world hates you.

²⁰Remember [and continue to remember] that I told you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

²¹But they will do all these [hurtful] things to you for My name's sake [because you bear My name and are identified with Me], for they do not know the One who sent Me.

²²If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have [the guilt of their] sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.

²³The one who hates Me also hates My Father.

²⁴If I had not done among them the works (attesting miracles) which no one else [ever] did, they would not have [the guilt of their] sin; but now [the fact is that] they have both seen [these works] and have hated Me [and continue to hate Me] and My Father as well.

²⁵But [this is so] that the word which has been written in their Law would be fulfilled, 'They hated Me without a cause.'

²⁶"But when the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, He will testify and bear witness about Me.

²⁷But you will testify also and be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

¹"I have told you these things so that you will not stumble or be caught off guard and fall away.

²They will put you out of the synagogues and make you outcasts. And a time is coming when whoever kills you will think that he is offering service to God.

³And they will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.

⁴I have told you these things [now], so that when their time comes, you will remember that I told you about them. I did not say these things to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

⁵"But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'

⁶But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts [and taken complete possession of them].

⁷But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you].

⁸And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment:

⁹about sin [and the true nature of it], because they do not believe in Me [and My message];

¹⁰about righteousness [personal integrity and godly character], because I am going to My Father and you will no longer see Me;

¹¹about judgment [the certainty of it], because the ruler of this world (Satan) has been judged and condemned.

¹²"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now.

¹³But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future].

¹⁴He will glorify and honor Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is Mine and will disclose it to you.

¹⁵All things that the Father has are Mine. Because of this I said that He [the Spirit] will take from what is Mine and will reveal it to you.

¹⁶"A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me."

¹⁷Some of His disciples said to one another, "What does He mean when He tells us, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, 'because I am going to My Father'?"

¹⁸So they were saying, "What does He mean when He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about."

¹⁹Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him, so He said to them, "Are you wondering among yourselves about what I meant when I said, 'A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'?

²⁰I assure you and most solemnly say to you, that you will weep and grieve [in great mourning], but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

²¹A woman, when she is in labor, has pain because her time [to give birth] has come; but when she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of her joy that a child has come into the world.

²²So for now you are in grief; but I will see you again, and [then] your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away from you your [great] joy.

²³In that day you will not [need to] ask Me about anything. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name [as My representative], He will give you.

²⁴Until now you have not asked [the Father] for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete.

²⁵"I have told you these things in figurative language (veiled language, proverbs); the hour is now coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.

²⁶In that day you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf [because it will be unnecessary];

²⁷for the Father Himself [tenderly] loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from the Father.

²⁸I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father."

²⁹His disciples said, "Ah, now You are speaking plainly to us and not in figures of speech!

³⁰Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; because of this we believe [without any doubt] that you came from God."

³¹Jesus answered them, "Do you now [at last] believe?

³²Take careful notice: an hour is coming, and has arrived, when you will all be scattered, each to his own home, leaving Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

³³I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world." [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

¹When Jesus had spoken these things, He raised His eyes to heaven [in prayer] and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify You.

²Just as You have given Him power and authority over all mankind, [now glorify Him] so that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him [to be His—permanently and forever].

³Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true [supreme and sovereign] God, and [in the same manner know] Jesus [as the] Christ whom You have sent.

⁴I have glorified You [down here] on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do.

⁵Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory and majesty that I had with You before the world existed.

⁶"I have manifested Your name [and revealed Your very self, Your real self] to the people whom You have given Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept and obeyed Your word.

⁷Now [at last] they know [with confident assurance] that all You have given Me is from You [it is really and truly Yours].

⁸For the words which You gave Me I have given them; and they received and accepted them and truly understood [with confident assurance] that I came from You [from Your presence], and they believed [without any doubt] that You sent Me.

⁹I pray for them; I do not pray for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You;

¹⁰and all things that are Mine are Yours, and [all things that are] Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them.

¹¹I am no longer in the world; yet they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are.

¹²While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and protected them, and not one of them was lost except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

¹³But now I am coming to You; and I say these things [while I am still] in the world so that they may experience My joy made full and complete and perfect within them [filling their hearts with My delight].

¹⁴I have given to them Your word [the message You gave Me]; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world and do not belong to the world, just as I am not of the world and do not belong to it.

¹⁵I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but that You keep them and protect them from the evil one.

¹⁶They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth.

¹⁸Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them (believers) into the world.

¹⁹For their sake I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth.

²⁰"I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message,

²¹that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.

²²I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one;

²³I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into one, so that the world may know [without any doubt] that You sent Me, and [that You] have loved them, just as You have loved Me.

²⁴Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given to Me [as Your gift to Me], may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

²⁵"O just and righteous Father, although the world has not known You and has never acknowledged You [and the revelation of Your mercy], yet I have always known You; and these [believers] know [without any doubt] that You sent Me;

²⁶and I have made Your name known to them, and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them [overwhelming their heart], and I [may be] in them."

¹Having said these things, Jesus left with His disciples and went across the ravine of the Kidron. There was a garden there, which He and His disciples entered.

²Now Judas, who was betraying Him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.

³So Judas, having obtained the Roman cohort and some officers from the high priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

⁴Then Jesus, knowing all that was about to happen to Him, went to them and asked, "Whom do you want?"

⁵They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene." Jesus said, "I am He." And Judas, who was betraying Him, was also standing with them.

⁶When Jesus said, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷Again He asked them, "Whom do you want?" And they said, "Jesus the Nazarene."

⁸Jesus answered, "I told you that I am He; so if you want Me, let these men go on their way."

⁹This was to fulfill and verify the words He had spoken, "Of those whom You have given Me, I have not lost even one."

¹⁰Then 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.

¹¹So Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword [back] in its sheath! Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?"

¹²So the cohort and their commander and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him,

¹³and led Him to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

¹⁴It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people.

¹⁵Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the [residence of the] high priest;

¹⁶but Peter was standing outside at the door. So the other disciple (John), who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter inside.

¹⁷Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not one of this Man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."

¹⁸Now the servants and the officers had made a fire of coals, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. And Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.

¹⁹Then the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching.

²⁰Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in a synagogue and in the temple [area], where all the Jews habitually congregate; and I said nothing in secret.

²¹Why question Me? Question those who have heard what I said to them. They know what I said."

²²But when He said this, one of the officers who was standing nearby struck Jesus [in the face], saying, "Is that how You answer the high priest?"

²³Jesus replied, "If I have said anything wrong, make a formal statement about the wrong; but if [I spoke] properly, why did you strike Me?"

²⁴So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵Now Simon Peter was [still] standing and warming himself. So they said to him, "You are not one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not."

²⁶One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you with Him in the garden?"

²⁷So Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

²⁸Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium (governor's palace). Now it was early and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium so that they would not be [ceremonially] unclean, but might [be able to] eat [and participate in the Feast of Unleavened Bread which began after] the Passover [supper].

²⁹So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"

³⁰They answered, "If He were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you [for judgment]."

³¹Then Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your own law." The Jews said, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death."

³²This was to fulfill the word which Jesus had spoken to indicate by what manner of death He was going to die.

³³So Pilate went into the Praetorium again, and called Jesus and asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"

³⁴Jesus replied, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?"

³⁵Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and their chief priests have handed You over to me. What have You done [that is worthy of death]?"

³⁶Jesus replied, "My kingdom is not of this world [nor does it have its origin in this world]. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting [hard] to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this world."

³⁷So Pilate said to Him, "Then You are a King?" Jesus answered, "You say [correctly] that I am a King. This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth [who is a friend of the truth and belongs to the truth] hears and listens carefully to My voice."

³⁸Pilate said to Him [scornfully], "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I find no guilt in Him [no crime, no cause for an accusation].

³⁹But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. So shall I release for you the King of the Jews?"

⁴⁰Then they all shouted back again, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.

¹So then Pilate took Jesus and had Him scourged (flogged, whipped).

²And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe around Him;

³and they kept coming up to Him, saying [mockingly], "Hail, King of the Jews [Good health! Peace! Long life to you, King of the Jews]!" And they slapped Him in the face.

⁴Then Pilate came out again and said to them, "Look, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him [no crime, no cause for an accusation]."

⁵So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and Pilate said to them, "Look! The Man!"

⁶When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, "Crucify [Him]! Crucify [Him]!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him [no crime, no cause for an accusation]."

⁷The Jews answered him, "We have a law [regarding blasphemy], and according to that law He should die, because He made Himself out to be the Son of God."

⁸So when Pilate heard this said, he was [even] more alarmed and afraid.

⁹He went into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus did not answer him.

¹⁰So Pilate said to Him, "You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?"

¹¹Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me at all if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who handed Me over to you is greater [than your own]."

¹²As a result of this, Pilate kept making efforts to release Him, but the Jews kept screaming, " If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar! Anyone who makes himself out [to be] a king opposes Caesar [and rebels against the emperor]!"

¹³When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

¹⁴Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover [week], and it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Look, your King!"

¹⁵But they shouted, "Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar!"

¹⁶Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified.

¹⁷So they took Jesus, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of the Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.

¹⁸There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

¹⁹Pilate also wrote an inscription [on a placard] and put it on the cross. And it was written: "JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS."

²⁰And many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

²¹Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews'; but, 'He said, "I am King of the Jews."'"

²²Pilate replied, "What I have written I have written [and it remains written]."

²³Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer clothes and made four parts, a part for each soldier, and also the tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven [in one piece] from the top throughout.

²⁴So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it will be." This was to fulfill the Scripture, "They divided My outer clothing among them, and for My clothing they cast lots."

²⁵So the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother's sister [ Salome], Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

²⁶So Jesus, seeing His mother, and the disciple whom He loved (esteemed) standing near, said to His mother, "[Dear] woman, look, [here is] your son!"

²⁷Then He said to the disciple (John), "Look! [here is] your mother [protect and provide for her]!" From that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

²⁸After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said in fulfillment of the Scripture, "I am thirsty."

²⁹A jar full of sour wine was placed there; so they put a sponge soaked in the sour wine on [a branch of] hyssop and held it to His mouth.

³⁰When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and [voluntarily] gave up His spirit.

³¹Since it was the day of Preparation [for the Sabbath], in order to prevent the bodies from hanging on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high holy day) the Jews asked Pilate to have their legs broken [to hasten death] and the bodies taken away.

³²So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other who had been crucified with Him.

³³But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

³⁴But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came [flowing] out.

³⁵And he (John, the eyewitness) who has seen it has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also [who read this] may believe.

³⁶For these things took place to fulfill the Scripture, "Not a bone of His shall be broken."

³⁷And again another Scripture says, "They shall look at Him whom they have pierced."

³⁸And after this, Joseph of Arimathea—a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews—asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body.

³⁹Nicodemus, who had first come to Him at night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, [weighing] about a hundred [Roman] pounds.

⁴⁰So they took Jesus' body and bound it in linen wrappings with the fragrant spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.

⁴¹Now there was a garden at the place where He was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb [cut out of solid rock] in which no one had yet been laid.

⁴²Therefore, because of the Jewish day of Preparation, and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

¹Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw the stone [already] removed from the [groove across the entrance of the] tomb.

²So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple (John), whom Jesus loved (esteemed), and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him!"

³So Peter and the other disciple left, and they were going to the tomb.

⁴And the two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and arrived at the tomb first.

⁵Stooping down and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings [neatly] lying there; but he did not go in.

⁶Then Simon Peter came up, following him, and went into the tomb and saw the linen wrappings [neatly] lying there;

⁷and the [burial] face-cloth which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the [other] linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.

⁸So the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, went in too; and he saw [the wrappings and the face-cloth] and believed [without any doubt that Jesus had risen from the dead].

⁹For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead.

¹⁰Then the disciples went back again to their own homes.

¹¹But Mary [who had returned] was standing outside the tomb sobbing; and so, as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb;

¹²and she saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

¹³And they said to her, "Woman, why are you crying?" She told them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

¹⁴After saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

¹⁵Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you crying? For whom are you looking?" Supposing that He was the gardener, she replied, "Sir, if you are the one who has carried Him away from here, tell me where you have put Him, and I will take Him away."

¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher).

¹⁷Jesus said to her, " Do not hold Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'"

¹⁸Mary Magdalene came, reporting to the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had said these things to her.

¹⁹So when it was evening on that same day, the first day of the week, though the disciples were [meeting] behind barred doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them, and said, " Peace to you."

²⁰After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with great joy.

²¹Then Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives]."

²²And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

²³If you forgive the sins of anyone they are forgiven [because of their faith]; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained [and remain unforgiven because of their unbelief]."

²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve [disciples], who was called Didymus (the twin), was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁵So the other disciples kept telling him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the marks of the nails, and put my finger into the nail prints, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe."

²⁶Eight days later His disciples were again inside the house, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, though the doors had been barred, and stood among them and said, "Peace to you."

²⁷Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place it in My side. Do not be unbelieving, but [stop doubting and] believe."

²⁸Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and my God!"

²⁹Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, do you now believe? Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, and favored by God] are they who did not see [Me] and yet believed [in Me]."

³⁰There are also many other signs (attesting miracles) that Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

³¹but these have been written so that you may believe [with a deep, abiding trust] that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of God; and that by believing [and trusting in and relying on Him] you may have life in His name.

¹After this Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). And He did it in this way:

²Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus (the twin), and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, as well as [John and James] the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.

³Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said, "And we are coming with you." So they went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

⁴As morning was breaking, Jesus [came and] stood on the beach; however, the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

⁵So Jesus said to them, "Children, do you have any fish [to eat along with your bread]?" They answered, "No."

⁶And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat (starboard) and you will find some." So they cast [the net], and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great catch of fish.

⁷Then that disciple (John) whom Jesus loved (esteemed) said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer tunic (for he was stripped for work) and threw himself into the sea [and swam ashore].

⁸But the other disciples came in the small boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.

⁹So when they got out on the beach, they saw a charcoal fire set up and fish on it cooking, and bread.

¹⁰Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just caught."

¹¹So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three [of them]; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.

¹²Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared to ask Him, "Who are You?" They knew [without any doubt] that it was the Lord.

¹³Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.

¹⁴This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples, after He had risen from the dead.

¹⁵So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these [others do—with total commitment and devotion]?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]." Jesus said to him, "Feed My lambs."

¹⁶Again He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with total commitment and devotion]?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]." Jesus said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."

¹⁷He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]?" Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, "Do you [really] love Me [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.

¹⁸I assure you and most solemnly say to you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and walked wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and arms, and someone else will dress you, and carry you where you do not wish to go."

¹⁹Now He said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after saying this, He said to him, "Follow Me [walk the same path of life that I have walked]!"

²⁰Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His chest at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray You?"

²¹So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man [what is in his future]?"

²²Jesus said to him, "If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you? You follow Me!"

²³So this word went out among the brothers that this disciple (John) was not going to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not going to die, but only, "If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you?"

²⁴This is the same disciple who is testifying to these things and has recorded them; and we know [without any doubt] that his testimony is true.

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

¹The first account I made, Theophilus, was [a continuous report] about all the things that Jesus began to do and to teach

²until the day when He ascended to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given instruction to the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen.

³To these [men] He also showed Himself alive after His suffering [in Gethsemane and on the cross], by [a series of] many infallible proofs and unquestionable demonstrations, appearing to them over a period of forty days and talking to them about the things concerning the kingdom of God.

⁴While being together and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Of which," He said, "you have heard Me speak.

⁵For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now."

⁶So when they had come together, they asked Him repeatedly, "Lord, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel?"

⁷He said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.

⁸But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth."

⁹And after He said these things, He was caught up as they looked on, and a cloud took Him up out of their sight.

¹⁰While they were looking intently into the sky as He was going, two men in white clothing suddenly stood beside them,

¹¹who said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

¹²Then the disciples returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet (Olive Grove), which is near Jerusalem, [only] a Sabbath day's journey (less than one mile) away.

¹³When they had entered the city, they went upstairs to the upper room where they were staying [indefinitely]; that is, Peter, and John and [his brother] James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew (Nathanael) and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas (Thaddaeus) the son of James.

¹⁴All these with one mind and one purpose were continually devoting themselves to prayer, [waiting together] along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

¹⁵Now on one of these days Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty believers was there) and he said,

¹⁶"Brothers and sisters, it was necessary that the Scripture be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the lips of David [king of Israel] about Judas [Iscariot], who acted as guide to those who arrested Jesus.

¹⁷For he (Judas) was counted among us and received his share [by divine allotment] in this ministry."

¹⁸(Now Judas Iscariot acquired a piece of land [indirectly] with the [money paid him as a] reward for his treachery, and falling headlong, his body burst open in the middle and all his intestines poured out.

¹⁹All the people in Jerusalem learned about this, so in their own dialect—Aramaic—they called the piece of land Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

²⁰"For in the book of Psalms it is written, 'Let his place of residence become desolate, And let there be no one to live in it'; and [again], 'Let another take his position as overseer.'

²¹So of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus spent with us,

²²beginning with the baptism by John [at the outset of Jesus' ministry] until the day when He was taken up from us—one of these men must become a witness with us [to testify] of His resurrection."

²³And they put forward two men, Joseph, the one called Barsabbas (who was surnamed Justus), and Matthias.

²⁴They prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know all hearts [their thoughts, motives, desires], show us which one of these two You have chosen

²⁵to occupy this ministry and apostleship which Judas left to go to his own place [of evil]."

²⁶And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

¹When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place,

²and suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

³There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Holy Spirit].

⁴And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].

⁵Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven.

⁶And when this sound was heard, a crowd gathered, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing those in the upper room speaking in his own language or dialect.

⁷They were completely astonished, saying, "Look! Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans?

⁸Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect?

⁹[Among us there are] Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and people of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia [Minor],

¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism),

¹¹Cretans and Arabs—we all hear them speaking in our [native] tongues about the mighty works of God!"

¹²And they were beside themselves with amazement and were greatly perplexed, saying one to another, "What could this mean?"

¹³But others were laughing and joking and ridiculing them, saying, "They are full of sweet wine and are drunk!"

¹⁴But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be explained to you; listen closely and pay attention to what I have to say.

¹⁵These people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is [only] the third hour of the day (9:00 a.m.);

¹⁶but this is [the beginning of] what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷'And it shall be in the last days,' says God, 'That I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see [divinely prompted] visions, And your old men shall dream [divinely prompted] dreams;

¹⁸Even on My bond-servants, both men and women, I will in those days pour out My Spirit And they shall prophesy.

¹⁹'And I will bring about wonders in the sky above And signs (attesting miracles) on the earth below, Blood and fire and smoking vapor.

²⁰'The sun shall be turned into darkness And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

²¹'And it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord Jesus] shall be saved (rescued spiritually).'

²²"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man accredited and pointed out and attested to you by God with [the power to perform] miracles and wonders and signs which God worked through Him in your [very] midst, just as you yourselves know—

²³this Man, when handed over [to the Roman authorities] according to the predetermined decision and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross and put to death by the hands of lawless and godless men.

²⁴But God raised Him up, releasing Him and bringing an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in death's power.

²⁵For David says of Him, 'I saw the Lord constantly before me; For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken [from my state of security].

²⁶'Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue exulted exceedingly; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope [that is, will encamp in anticipation of the resurrection];

²⁷'For You will not forsake me and abandon my soul to Hades (the realm of the dead), Nor let Your Holy One undergo decay [after death].

²⁸'You have made known to me the ways of life; You will fill me [infusing my soul] with joy with Your presence.'

²⁹"Brothers, I may confidently and freely say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

³⁰And so, being a prophet and knowing fully that God had sworn to him with an oath that He would seat one of his descendants on his throne,

³¹he foresaw and spoke [prophetically] of the resurrection of the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), that He was not abandoned [in death] to Hades (the realm of the dead), nor did His body undergo decay.

³²God raised this Jesus [bodily from the dead], and of that [fact] we are all witnesses.

³³Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this [blessing] which you both see and hear.

³⁴For David did not ascend into the heavens, yet he himself says, 'The Lord [the Father] said to my LORD [the Son], "Sit at My right hand,

³⁵Until I make Your enemies afootstool for Your feet."'

³⁶Therefore let all the house of Israel recognize beyond all doubt that God has made Him both Lord and Christ (Messiah, Anointed)—this Jesus whom you crucified."

³⁷Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what are we to do?"

³⁸And Peter said to them, "Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

³⁹For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself."

⁴⁰And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, " Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!"

⁴¹So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers].

⁴²They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers.

⁴³A sense of awe was felt by everyone, and many wonders and signs (attesting miracles) were taking place through the apostles.

⁴⁴And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole].

⁴⁵And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need.

⁴⁶Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts,

⁴⁷praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.