Introduction

1 The first account I ^[a]composed, ^(A)Theophilus, about all that Jesus ^(B)began to do and teach, ² until the day when He ^(C)was taken up to heaven, after He ^(D)had given orders ^[b]by the Holy Spirit to ^(E)the apostles whom He had ^(F)chosen. ³ To ^[c]these ^(G)He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of ^(H)things regarding the kingdom of God. ^4 [d]Gathering them together, He commanded them ^(I)not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for ^[e](J)what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; ⁵ for ^(K)John baptized ^[f]with water, but you will be baptized ^[g]with the Holy Spirit ^[h](L)not many days from now.”

⁶ So, when they had come together, they began asking Him, saying, “Lord, ^(M)is it at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ But He said to them, “It is not for you to know periods of time or appointed times which ^(N)the Father has set by His own authority; ⁸ but you will receive power ^(O)when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be ^(P)My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and ^(Q)Samaria, and as far as ^(R)the remotest part of the earth.”

The Ascension

⁹ And after He had said these things, ^(S)He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight. ¹⁰ And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, ^(T)two men in white clothing stood beside them, ¹¹ and they said, “^(U)Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who ^(V)has been taken up from you into heaven, will ^(W)come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

God, the King of the Earth.

For the music director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

¹⁵ For this reason I too, ^(A)having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and ^[a]your love for ^(B)all the ^[b]saints, ^16 (C)do not cease giving thanks for you, ^(D)while making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷ that the ^(E)God of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(F)the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of ^(G)wisdom and of ^(H)revelation in the ^[c]knowledge of Him. ¹⁸ I pray that ^(I)the eyes of your heart ^[d]may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the ^(J)hope of His ^(K)calling, what are ^(L)the riches of the glory of ^(M)His inheritance in ^(N)the ^[e]saints, ¹⁹ and what is the ^[f]boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. ^(O)These are in accordance with the working of the ^(P)strength of His might ²⁰ which He brought about in Christ, when He ^(Q)raised Him from the dead and ^(R)seated Him at His right hand in ^(S)the heavenly places, ²¹ far above ^(T)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every ^(U)name that is named, not only in ^(V)this age but also in the one to come. ²² And He ^(W)put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him ^(X)head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His ^(Y)body, the ^(Z)fullness of Him who ^(AA)fills ^(AB)all in all.