⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.^{(A) 8} But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;^(B) and you will be my witnesses^(C) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,^(D) and to the ends of the earth.”^(E)

⁹ After he said this, he was taken up^(F) 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^(G) stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,”^(H) 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^(I) in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery:^(A) We will not all sleep,^(B) but we will all be changed^(C)— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,^(D) the dead^(E) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable^(F) must clothe itself with the imperishable,^(G) and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^[a](H)

Believers Who Have Died

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed^(A) about those who sleep in death,^(B) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.^{(C) 14} For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,^(D) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.^{(E) 15} According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,^(F) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(G) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(H) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(I) and with the trumpet call of God,^(J) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(K) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(L) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(M) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(N) forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another^(O) with these words.

²⁰ He who testifies to these things^(A) says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”^(B)

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.^(C)

²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people.^(D) Amen.