⁹ Jesus rose from the dead early on the first day of the week. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene. He had driven seven demons out of her. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him. She found them crying. They were very sad. ¹¹ They heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him. But they did not believe it.

¹² After that, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them. This happened while they were walking out in the country. ¹³ The two returned and told the others about it. But the others did not believe them either.

¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples as they were eating. He spoke firmly to them because they had no faith. They would not believe those who had seen him after he rose from the dead.

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world. Preach the good news to everyone. ¹⁶ Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who does not believe will be punished. ¹⁷ Here are the miraculous signs that those who believe will do. In my name they will drive out demons. They will speak in languages they had not known before. ¹⁸ They will pick up snakes with their hands. And when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all. They will place their hands on sick people. And the people will get well.”

¹⁹ When the Lord Jesus finished speaking to them, he was taken up into heaven. He sat down at the right hand of God.

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.”