Luke 24:29-53
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
29 But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. 31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 32 Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” 33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”(A) 35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
The Appearance to the Disciples in Jerusalem. 36 [a]While they were still speaking about this,(B) he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”(C) 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.(D) 38 Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39 [b]Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” 40 (E)And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish;(F) 43 he took it and ate it in front of them.
44 He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”(G) 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.(H) 46 [c]And he said to them,(I) “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.(J) 48 You are witnesses of these things.(K) 49 And [behold] I am sending the promise of my Father[d] upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”(L)
The Ascension.[e] 50 (M)Then he led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. 51 As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. 52 They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,(N) 53 and they were continually in the temple praising God.[f]
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- 24:36–43, 44–49 The Gospel of Luke, like each of the other gospels (Mt 28:16–20; Mk 16:14–15; Jn 20:19–23), focuses on an important appearance of Jesus to the Twelve in which they are commissioned for their future ministry. As in Lk 24:6, 12, so in Lk 24:36, 40 there are omissions in the Western text.
- 24:39–42 The apologetic purpose of this story is evident in the concern with the physical details and the report that Jesus ate food.
- 24:46 See note on Lk 24:26.
- 24:49 The promise of my Father: i.e., the gift of the holy Spirit.
- 24:50–53 Luke brings his story about the time of Jesus to a close with the report of the ascension. He will also begin the story of the time of the church with a recounting of the ascension. In the gospel, Luke recounts the ascension of Jesus on Easter Sunday night, thereby closely associating it with the resurrection. In Acts 1:3, 9–11; 13:31 he historicizes the ascension by speaking of a forty-day period between the resurrection and the ascension. The Western text omits some phrases in Lk 24:51, 52 perhaps to avoid any chronological conflict with Acts 1 about the time of the ascension.
- 24:53 The Gospel of Luke ends as it began (Lk 1:9), in the Jerusalem temple.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.