Psalm 47^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

¹¹ “Men of Galilee,”^(A) they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back^(B) in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

⁵ The company^(A) of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

⁶ Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here;^(B) the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”^(C)

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”^(D) So the two of them walked on.

⁷ Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. ⁸ Elijah took his cloak,^(E) rolled it up and struck^(F) the water with it. The water divided^(G) to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry^(H) ground.

⁹ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double^(I) portion of your spirit,”^(J) Elisha replied.

¹⁰ “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

¹¹ As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire^(K) and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven^(L) in a whirlwind.^{(M) 12} Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots^(N) and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore^(O) it in two.

¹³ Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ He took the cloak^(P) that had fallen from Elijah and struck^(Q) the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

¹⁵ The company^(R) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit^(S) of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

Psalm 110

Of David. A psalm.

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book,^(A) Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach^{(B) 2} until the day he was taken up to heaven,^(C) after giving instructions^(D) through the Holy Spirit to the apostles^(E) 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 them^(G) 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 wait^(I) for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.^{(J) 5} For John baptized with^[a] water,^(K) but in a few days you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.”^(L)

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore^(M) 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 witnesses^(P) 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 up^(S) 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 white^(T) 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 back^(V) in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.^(A)

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.^{(B) 16} Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.^{(C) 17} And these signs^(D) will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;^(E) they will speak in new tongues;^{(F) 18} they will pick up snakes^(G) with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on^(H) sick people, and they will get well.”

¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven^(I) and he sat at the right hand of God.^{(J) 20} Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs^(K) that accompanied it.

⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you:^(A) Everything must be fulfilled^(B) that is written about me in the Law of Moses,^(C) the Prophets^(D) and the Psalms.”^(E)

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer^(F) and rise from the dead on the third day,^{(G) 47} and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name^(H) to all nations,^(I) beginning at Jerusalem.^{(J) 48} You are witnesses^(K) of these things. ⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised;^(L) but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus

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