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The Promise of the Holy Spirit

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach(A) until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.(B) After his suffering[a] he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.(C) While staying[b] with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me;(D) for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with[c] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”(E)

The Ascension of Jesus

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”(F) He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.(G) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”(H) When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.(I) 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them.(J) 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.3 Or death
  2. 1.4 Or eating
  3. 1.5 Or by

(A) Theophilus, I first wrote to you[a] about all that Jesus did and taught from the very first until he was taken up to heaven. But before he was taken up, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen with the help of the Holy Spirit.

For 40 days after Jesus had suffered and died, he proved in many ways that he had been raised from death. He appeared to his apostles and spoke to them about God's kingdom. (B) While he was still with them, he said:

Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do. (C) John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Is Taken to Heaven

While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?”[b]

Jesus said to them, “You don't need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. (D) But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” (E) After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him, 10 but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky.

Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them. 11 They said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way you have seen him go.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1.1 I first wrote to you: The Gospel of Luke.
  2. 1.6 are you now going to give Israel its own king again: Or “Are you now going to rule Israel as its king?”