The Road to Emmaus

¹³ And then, that very day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, which was about ^[a]seven miles from Jerusalem.^{(A) 14} And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing it, Jesus Himself came up and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were [miraculously] prevented from recognizing Him. ¹⁷ Then Jesus asked them, “What are you discussing with one another as you walk along?” And they stood still, looking brokenhearted. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, “Are you the only stranger visiting Jerusalem who is unaware of the things which have happened here in these [recent] days?” ¹⁹ He asked, “What things?” And they replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, ²⁰ and how the chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him. ²¹ But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel and set our nation free. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. ²² And also some of the women among us shocked us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³ and they did not find His body. Then they came back, saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive! ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women had said, but they did not see Him.” ²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to trust and believe in everything that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and [only then to] enter His glory?” ²⁷ Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the [writings of the] prophets, He explained and interpreted for them the things referring to Himself [found] in all the Scriptures.

²⁸ Then they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as if He were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged Him [not to go on], saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening, and the day has just about ended.” So He went inside to stay with them. ³⁰ And it happened that as He reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were [suddenly] opened [by God] and they [clearly] recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. ³² They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?” ³³ They got up that very hour and went back to Jerusalem, and found the eleven [apostles] gathered together and those who were with them, ³⁴ saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon [Peter]!” ³⁵ They began describing in detail what had happened on the road, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread.

Other Appearances

³⁶ While they were talking about this, Jesus Himself [suddenly] stood among them and said to them, “Peace be to you.” ³⁷ But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a spirit. ³⁸ And He said, “Why are you troubled, and why are doubts rising in your hearts? ³⁹ Look at [the marks in] My hands and My feet, [and see] that it is I Myself. Touch Me and see; a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.”^{(B) 40} After saying this, He showed them His hands and His feet. ⁴¹ While they still did not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and He took it and ate it in front of them.^(C)

¹² After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking along the way to the country.^{(A) 13} They returned [to Jerusalem] and told the others, but they did not believe them either.

Jesus among His Disciples

¹⁹ So 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, “^[a]Peace to you.” ²⁰ After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with great joy. ²¹ Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].” ²² And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.^{(A) 23} If 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].”

The Disciples Commissioned

¹⁴ Later, Jesus appeared to the eleven [disciples] themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He called them to account for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen [from death].

²⁴ But Thomas, one of the twelve [disciples], who was called Didymus (the twin), was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So 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.”

²⁶ Eight 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.” ²⁷ Then 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.”^{(A) 28} Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus 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].”

Purpose of Writing this Gospel

³⁰ There are also many other signs (attesting miracles) that Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but 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.^(B)

Jesus Appears at the Sea of Galilee

21 After this Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). And He did it in this way: ² Simon 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. ³ Simon 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 ^[a]that night they caught nothing.

⁴ As morning was breaking, Jesus [came and] stood on the beach; however, the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵ So Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish [to eat along with your bread]?” They answered, “No.” ⁶ And 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. ⁷ Then 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]. ⁸ But 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.

⁹ So when they got out on the beach, they saw a charcoal fire set up and fish on it cooking, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.” ¹¹ So 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.

Jesus Provides

¹² Jesus 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. ¹³ Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples, after He had risen from the dead.

The Love Motivation

¹⁵ So 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 ^[b]love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.” ¹⁶ Again 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.” ¹⁷ He 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] ^[c]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.

Our Times Are in His Hand

¹⁸ I 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.” ¹⁹ Now He said this to indicate the ^[d]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]!”

²⁰ Peter turned and saw the ^[e]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?” ²¹ So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, and what about this ^[f]man [what is in his future]?” ²² Jesus said to him, “If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you? You follow Me!” ²³ So 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?”

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

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

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. ¹⁷ And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted [that it was really He]. ¹⁸ Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”

¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ He who has believed [in Me] and has been baptized will be saved [from the penalty of God’s wrath and judgment]; but he who has not believed will be condemned. ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

⁴⁴ Then He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you, everything which has been written about Me in the ^[a]Law of Moses and the [writings of the] Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds to [help them] understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said, “And so it is written, that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,^{(A) 47} and that repentance [necessary] for forgiveness of sins would be preached in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.”^(B)