Jesus Is Taken Up Into Heaven

1 Theophilus, I wrote about Jesus in my earlier book. I wrote about all he did and taught ² until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before Jesus left, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen. He did this through the Holy Spirit. ³ After his suffering and death, he appeared to them. In many ways he proved that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days. During that time he spoke about God’s kingdom. ⁴ One day Jesus was eating with them. He gave them a command. “Do not leave Jerusalem,” he said. “Wait for the gift my Father promised. You have heard me talk about it. ⁵ John baptized with water. But in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

⁶ Then the apostles gathered around Jesus and asked him a question. “Lord,” they said, “are you going to give the kingdom back to Israel now?”

⁷ He said to them, “You should not be concerned about times or dates. The Father has set them by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will tell people about me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria. And you will even tell other people about me from one end of the earth to the other.”

⁹ After Jesus said this, he was taken up to heaven. The apostles watched until a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ While he was going up, they kept on looking at the sky. Suddenly two men dressed in white clothing stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. But he will come back in the same way you saw him go.”

Matthias Is Chosen to Take the Place of Judas Iscariot

¹² The apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives. It is just over half a mile from the city. ¹³ When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Here is a list of those who were there.

¹⁴ They all came together regularly to pray. The women joined them too. So did Jesus’ mother Mary and his brothers.

¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the believers. About 120 of them were there. ¹⁶ Peter said, “Brothers and sisters, a long time ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David. He spoke about Judas Iscariot. What the Scripture said would happen had to come true. Judas was the guide for the men who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ But Judas was one of us. He shared with us in our work for God.”

¹⁸ Judas bought a field with the payment he received for the evil thing he had done. He fell down headfirst in the field. His body burst open. All his insides spilled out. ¹⁹ Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this. So they called that field Akeldama. In their language, Akeldama means the Field of Blood.

²⁰ Peter said, “Here is what is written in the Book of Psalms. It says,

The Psalms also say,

²¹ So we need to choose someone to take his place. It will have to be a man who was with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us. ²² That time began when John was baptizing. It ended when Jesus was taken up from us. The one we choose must join us in telling people that Jesus rose from the dead.”

²³ So they suggested the names of two men. One was Joseph, who was called Barsabbas. He was also called Justus. The other man was Matthias. ²⁴ Then the believers prayed. They said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen. ²⁵ Show us who should take the place of Judas as an apostle. He gave up being an apostle to go where he belongs.” ²⁶ Then they cast lots. Matthias was chosen. So he was added to the 11 apostles.

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers gathered in one place. ² Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw something that looked like fire in the shape of tongues. The flames separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this.

⁵ Godly Jews from every country in the world were staying in Jerusalem. ⁶ A crowd came together when they heard the sound. They were bewildered because each of them heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ The crowd was really amazed. They asked, “Aren’t all these people who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then why do we each hear them speaking in our own native language? ⁹ We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites. We live in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia. We are from Pontus, Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia. Others of us are from Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Still others are visitors from Rome. ¹¹ Some of the visitors are Jews. Others have accepted the Jewish faith. Also, Cretans and Arabs are here. We hear all these people speaking about God’s wonders in our own languages!” ¹² They were amazed and bewildered. They asked one another, “What does this mean?”

¹³ But some people in the crowd made fun of the believers. “They’ve had too much wine!” they said.

Peter Speaks to the Crowd

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the 11 apostles. In a loud voice he spoke to the crowd. “My fellow Jews,” he said, “let me explain this to you. All of you who live in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ You think these people are drunk. But they aren’t. It’s only nine o’clock in the morning! ¹⁶ No, here is what the prophet Joel meant. ¹⁷ He said,

²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this! Jesus of Nazareth was a man who had God’s approval. God did miracles, wonders and signs among you through Jesus. You yourselves know this. ²³ Long ago God planned that Jesus would be handed over to you. With the help of evil people, you put Jesus to death. You nailed him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead. He set him free from the suffering of death. It wasn’t possible for death to keep its hold on Jesus. ²⁵ David spoke about him. He said,

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites, you can be sure that King David died. He was buried. His tomb is still here today. ³⁰ But David was a prophet. He knew that God had made a promise to him. God had promised that he would make someone in David’s family line king after him. ³¹ David saw what was coming. So he spoke about the Messiah rising from the dead. He said that the Messiah would not be left in the place of the dead. His body wouldn’t rot in the ground. ³² God has raised this same Jesus back to life. We are all witnesses of this. ³³ Jesus has been given a place of honor at the right hand of God. He has received the Holy Spirit from the Father. This is what God had promised. It is Jesus who has poured out what you now see and hear. ³⁴ David did not go up to heaven. But he said,

³⁶ “So be sure of this, all you people of Israel. You nailed Jesus to the cross. But God has made him both Lord and Messiah.”

³⁷ When the people heard this, it had a deep effect on them. They said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

³⁸ Peter replied, “All of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children. It is also for all who are far away. It is for all whom the Lord our God will choose.”

⁴⁰ Peter said many other things to warn them. He begged them, “Save yourselves from these evil people.” ⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized. About 3,000 people joined the believers that day.

The Believers Share Their Lives Together

⁴² The believers studied what the apostles taught. They shared their lives together. They ate and prayed together. ⁴³ Everyone was amazed at what God was doing. They were amazed when the apostles performed many wonders and signs. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together. They shared everything they had. ⁴⁵ They sold property and other things they owned. They gave to anyone who needed something. ⁴⁶ Every day they met together in the temple courtyard. They ate meals together in their homes. Their hearts were glad and sincere. ⁴⁷ They praised God. They were respected by all the people. Every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

Peter Heals a Beggar Who Can’t Walk

3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple. It was three o’clock in the afternoon. It was the time for prayer. ² A man unable to walk was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful. He had been that way since he was born. Every day someone put him near the gate. There he would beg from people going into the temple courtyards. ³ He saw that Peter and John were about to enter. So he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked straight at him, and so did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man watched them closely. He expected to get something from them.

⁶ Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold. But I’ll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.” ⁷ Then Peter took him by the right hand and helped him up. At once the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ He jumped to his feet and began to walk. He went with Peter and John into the temple courtyards. He walked and jumped and praised God. ⁹ All the people saw him walking and praising God. ¹⁰ They recognized him as the same man who used to sit and beg at the temple gate called Beautiful. They were filled with wonder. They were amazed at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks to the People at the Temple

¹¹ The man was holding on to Peter and John. All the people were amazed. They came running to them at the place called Solomon’s Porch. ¹² When Peter saw this, he said, “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us? It’s not as if we’ve made this man walk by our own power or godliness. ¹³ The God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has done this. God has brought glory to Jesus, who serves him. But you handed Jesus over to be killed. Pilate had decided to let him go. But you spoke against Jesus when he was in Pilate’s court. ¹⁴ You spoke against the Holy and Blameless One. You asked for a murderer to be set free instead. ¹⁵ You killed the one who gives life. But God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. ¹⁶ This man whom you see and know was made strong because of faith in Jesus’ name. Faith in Jesus has healed him completely. You can see it with your own eyes.

¹⁷ “My fellow Israelites, I know you didn’t realize what you were doing. Neither did your leaders. ¹⁸ But God had given a promise through all the prophets. And this is how he has made his promise come true. He said that his Messiah would suffer. ¹⁹ So turn away from your sins. Turn to God. Then your sins will be wiped away. The time will come when the Lord will make everything new. ²⁰ He will send the Messiah. Jesus has been appointed as the Messiah for you. ²¹ Heaven must receive him until the time when God makes everything new. He promised this long ago through his holy prophets. ²² Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me. He will be one of your own people. You must listen to everything he tells you. ²³ Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’ (Deuteronomy 18:15,18,19)

²⁴ “Beginning with Samuel, all the prophets spoke about this. They said these days would come. ²⁵ What the prophets said was meant for you. The covenant God made with your people long ago is yours also. He said to Abraham, ‘All nations on earth will be blessed through your children.’ (Genesis 22:18; 26:4) ²⁶ God raised up Jesus, who serves him. God sent him first to you. He did it to bless you. He wanted to turn each of you from your evil ways.”

Peter and John Are Taken to the Sanhedrin

4 Peter and John were speaking to the people. The priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to the apostles. ² They were very upset by what the apostles were teaching the people. The apostles were saying that people can be raised from the dead. They said this can happen because Jesus rose from the dead. ³ So the temple authorities arrested Peter and John. It was already evening, so they put them in prison until the next day. ⁴ But many who heard the message believed. The number of men who believed grew to about 5,000.

⁵ The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. ⁶ Annas, the high priest, was there. So were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and other people in the high priest’s family. ⁷ They had Peter and John brought to them. They wanted to question them. “By what power did you do this?” they asked. “And through whose name?”

⁸ Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹ Are you asking us to explain our actions today? Do you want to know why we were kind to a man who couldn’t walk? Are you asking how he was healed? ¹⁰ Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised him from the dead. It is through Jesus’ name that this man stands healed in front of you. ¹¹ Scripture says that Jesus is

¹² You can’t be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given people no other name under heaven that will save them.”

¹³ The leaders saw how bold Peter and John were. They also realized that Peter and John were ordinary men with no training. This surprised the leaders. They realized that these men had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ The leaders could see the man who had been healed. He was standing there with them. So there was nothing they could say. ¹⁵ They ordered Peter and John to leave the Sanhedrin. Then they talked things over. ¹⁶ “What can we do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed an unusual miracle. We can’t say it didn’t happen. ¹⁷ We have to stop this thing. It must not spread any further among the people. We have to warn these men. They must never speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”

¹⁸ Once again the leaders called in Peter and John. They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in Jesus’ name. ¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Which is right from God’s point of view? Should we listen to you? Or should we listen to God? You be the judges! ²⁰ There’s nothing else we can do. We have to speak about the things we’ve seen and heard.”

²¹ The leaders warned them again. Then they let them go. They couldn’t decide how to punish Peter and John. They knew that all the people were praising God for what had happened. ²² The man who had been healed by the miracle was over 40 years old.

The Believers Pray

²³ Peter and John were allowed to leave. They went back to their own people. They reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ The believers heard this. Then they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Lord and King,” they said, “you made the heavens, the earth and the sea. You made everything in them. ²⁵ Long ago you spoke by the Holy Spirit. You spoke through the mouth of our father David, who served you. You said,

²⁷ In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate met with the Gentiles in this city. They also met with the people of Israel. All of them made plans against your holy servant Jesus. He is the one you anointed. ²⁸ They did what your power and purpose had already decided should happen. ²⁹ Now, Lord, consider the bad things they say they are going to do. Help us to be very bold when we speak your word. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal. Do signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They were bold when they spoke God’s word.

The Believers Share What They Own

³² All the believers were agreed in heart and mind. They didn’t claim that anything they had was their own. Instead, they shared everything they owned. ³³ With great power the apostles continued their teaching. They were telling people that the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead. And God’s grace was working powerfully in all of them. ³⁴ So there were no needy persons among them. From time to time, those who owned land or houses sold them. They brought the money from the sales. ³⁵ They put it down at the apostles’ feet. It was then given out to anyone who needed it.

³⁶ Joseph was a Levite from Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas. The name Barnabas means Son of Help. ³⁷ Barnabas sold a field he owned. He brought the money from the sale. He put it down at the apostles’ feet.

Ananias and Sapphira

5 A man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, also sold some land. ² He kept part of the money for himself. Sapphira knew he had kept it. He brought the rest of it and put it down at the apostles’ feet.

³ Then Peter said, “Ananias, why did you let Satan fill your heart? He made you lie to the Holy Spirit. You have kept some of the money you received for the land. ⁴ Didn’t the land belong to you before it was sold? After it was sold, you could have used the money as you wished. What made you think of doing such a thing? You haven’t lied just to people. You’ve also lied to God.”

⁵ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. All who heard what had happened were filled with fear. ⁶ Some young men came and wrapped up his body. They carried him out and buried him.

⁷ About three hours later, the wife of Ananias came in. She didn’t know what had happened. ⁸ Peter asked her, “Tell me. Is this the price you and Ananias sold the land for?”

“Yes,” she said. “That’s the price.”

⁹ Peter asked her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! You can hear the steps of the men who buried your husband. They are at the door. They will carry you out also.”

¹⁰ At that moment she fell down at Peter’s feet and died. Then the young men came in. They saw that Sapphira was dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ The whole church and all who heard about these things were filled with fear.

The Apostles Heal Many People

¹² The apostles did many signs and wonders among the people. All the believers used to meet together at Solomon’s Porch. ¹³ No outsider dared to join them. But the people thought highly of them. ¹⁴ More and more men and women believed in the Lord. They joined the other believers. ¹⁵ So people brought those who were sick into the streets. They placed them on beds and mats. They hoped that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he walked by. ¹⁶ Crowds even gathered from the towns around Jerusalem. They brought their sick people. They also brought those who were suffering because of evil spirits. All of them were healed.

The Apostles Are Treated Badly

¹⁷ The high priest and all his companions were Sadducees. They were very jealous of the apostles. ¹⁸ So they arrested them and put them in the public jail. ¹⁹ But during the night an angel of the Lord came. He opened the doors of the jail and brought the apostles out. ²⁰ “Go! Stand in the temple courtyard,” the angel said. “Tell the people all about this new life.”

²¹ Early the next day they did as they had been told. They entered the temple courtyard. There they began to teach the people.

The high priest and his companions arrived. They called the Sanhedrin together. The Sanhedrin was a gathering of all the elders of Israel. They sent for the apostles who were in jail. ²² The officers arrived at the jail. But they didn’t find the apostles there. So they went back and reported it. ²³ “We found the jail locked up tight,” they said. “The guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors, we didn’t find anyone inside.” ²⁴ When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were bewildered. They wondered what would happen next.

²⁵ Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courtyard. They are teaching the people.” ²⁶ So the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles back. But they didn’t use force. They were afraid the people would kill them by throwing stones at them.

²⁷ They brought the apostles to the Sanhedrin. The high priest questioned them. ²⁸ “We gave you clear orders not to teach in Jesus’ name,” he said. “But you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. You want to make us guilty of this man’s death.”

²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God instead of people! ³⁰ You had Jesus killed by nailing him to a cross. But the God of our people raised Jesus from the dead. ³¹ Now Jesus is Prince and Savior. God has proved this by giving Jesus a place of honor with him. He did it to turn Israel away from their sins and forgive them. ³² We are telling people about these things. And so is the Holy Spirit. God has given the Spirit to those who obey him.”

³³ When the leaders heard this, they became very angry. They wanted to put the apostles to death. ³⁴ But a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up in the Sanhedrin. He was a teacher of the law. He was honored by all the people. He ordered the apostles to be taken outside for a little while. ³⁵ Then Gamaliel spoke to the Sanhedrin. “Men of Israel,” he said, “think carefully about what you plan to do to these men. ³⁶ Some time ago Theudas appeared. He claimed he was really somebody. About 400 people followed him. But he was killed. All his followers were scattered. So they accomplished nothing. ³⁷ After this, Judas from Galilee came along. This was in the days when the Romans made a list of all the people. Judas led a gang of men against the Romans. He too was killed. All his followers were scattered. ³⁸ So let me give you some advice. Leave these men alone! Let them go! If their plans and actions only come from people, they will fail. ³⁹ But if their plans come from God, you won’t be able to stop these men. You will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

⁴⁰ His speech won the leaders over. They called the apostles in and had them whipped. The leaders ordered them not to speak in Jesus’ name. Then they let the apostles go.

⁴¹ The apostles were full of joy as they left the Sanhedrin. They considered it an honor to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. ⁴² Every day they taught in the temple courtyards and from house to house. They never stopped telling people the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true vine. My Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch joined to me that does not bear fruit. He trims every branch that does bear fruit. Then it will bear even more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain joined to me, just as I also remain joined to you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain joined to the vine. In the same way, you can’t bear fruit unless you remain joined to me.

⁵ “I am the vine. You are the branches. If you remain joined to me, and I to you, you will bear a lot of fruit. You can’t do anything without me. ⁶ If you don’t remain joined to me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain joined to me and my words remain in you, ask for anything you wish. And it will be done for you. ⁸ When you bear a lot of fruit, it brings glory to my Father. It shows that you are my disciples.

⁹ “Just as the Father has loved me, I have loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that you will have the same joy that I have. I also want your joy to be complete. ¹² Here is my command. Love one another, just as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than the one who gives their life for their friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I do not call you slaves anymore. Slaves do not know their master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends. I have told you everything I learned from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me. Instead, I chose you. I appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit that will last. I also appointed you so that the Father will give you what you ask for. He will give you whatever you ask for in my name. ¹⁷ Here is my command. Love one another.

The World Hates the Disciples

¹⁸ “My disciples, does the world hate you? Remember that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you like one of its own. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you. I said, ‘A slave is not more important than his master.’ (John 13:16) If people hated me and tried to hurt me, they will do the same to you. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you like that because of my name. They do not know the one who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father also. ²⁴ I did works among them that no one else did. If I hadn’t, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen those works. And still they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ This has happened so that what is written in their Law would come true. It says, ‘They hated me without any reason.’ (Psalms 35:19; 69:4)

The Work of the Holy Spirit

²⁶ “I will send the Friend to you from the Father. He is the Spirit of truth, who comes out from the Father. When the Friend comes to help you, he will be a witness about me. ²⁷ You must also be witnesses about me. That’s because you have been with me from the beginning.