Bible in 90 Days

The World’s Hatred

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, the world therefore hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My words, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ He who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴ If I had not performed among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin. But now have they seen and hated both My Father and Me. ²⁵ But that the word which is written in their law might be fulfilled, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’^[a]

²⁶ “But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

16 “I have spoken these things to you so that you will not fall away. ² They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he is offering a service to God. ³ They will do these things to you, because they have not known the Father nor Me. ⁴ I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them.

The Work of the Spirit

“I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you. ⁵ But now I am going to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ ⁶ Rather, sorrow has filled your heart because I have told you these things. ⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸ When He comes, He will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I am going to My Father, and you will see Me no more; ¹¹ and of judgment, because the ruler of this world stands condemned.

¹² “I have yet many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own authority. But He will speak whatever He hears, and He will tell you things that are to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will receive from Me and will declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is Mine. Therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and will declare it to you.

Sorrow Will Turn Into Joy

¹⁶ “In a little while you will not see Me. And then after a little while you will see Me, because I am going to the Father.”

¹⁷ Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this He is telling us: ‘In a little while you will not see Me; and then after a little while you will see Me,’ and, ‘because I am going to the Father’? ” ¹⁸ Then they said, “What is this He is telling us: ‘In a little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”

¹⁹ Then Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him. So He said to them, “Do you inquire among yourselves concerning what I said: ‘In a little while you will not see Me; and then after a little while you will see Me’? ²⁰ Truly, truly I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. ²¹ When a woman is giving birth, she has pain, because her hour has come. But as soon as she delivers the child, she no longer remembers the anguish for joy that a child is born into the world. ²² Therefore you now have sorrow. But I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. ²³ On that day you will ask Me nothing. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you. ²⁴ Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

I Have Overcome the World

²⁵ “I have told you these things in proverbs. But the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in proverbs, for I will speak to you plainly about the Father. ²⁶ On that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying to you that I shall ask the Father on your behalf. ²⁷ For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came from God. ²⁸ I came from the Father and have come into the world. As I said, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.”

²⁹ His disciples said to Him, “Yes! Now You are speaking plainly and with no figure of speech. ³⁰ Now we know that You know everything and do not need anyone to question You. By this we believe that You came from God.”

³¹ Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? ³² Listen, the hour is coming. Yes, it has now come that you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me.

³³ “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.”

The Prayer of Jesus

17 When Jesus spoke these words, He lifted His eyes toward heaven and said:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may also glorify You. ² As You have given Him authority over all flesh, He will give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. ³ This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. ⁴ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work You have given Me to do. ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.

⁶ “I have revealed Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. ⁷ Now they know that all things You have given Me are from You. ⁸ For I have given them the words which You gave Me. They have received them and certainly know that I came from You, and they have believed that You sent Me. ⁹ I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom You have given Me. For they are Yours. ¹⁰ All that are Mine are Yours, and all that are Yours are Mine. And I am glorified in them. ¹¹ I am to be no longer in the world, though these are in the world, for I am coming to You. Holy Father, through Your name keep those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are one. ¹² While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. I have kept those whom You have given Me. And none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

¹³ “But now I am coming to You, and I say these things in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴ I have given them Your word. And the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. ¹⁸ As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You. May they also be one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me. ²² I have given them the glory which You gave Me, that they may be one even as We are one: ²³ I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfect in unity, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

²⁴ “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may see My glory which You have given Me. For You loved Me before the creation of the world.

²⁵ “O righteous Father, the world has not known You, but I have known You, and these have known that You sent Me. ²⁶ I have declared Your name to them, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus^(A)

18 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley. There was a garden which He and His disciples entered.

² Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with His disciples. ³ So Judas, having taken a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

⁴ Jesus therefore, knowing everything that would happen to Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”

⁵ They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them. ⁶ When He said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷ Again Jesus asked them, “Whom do you seek?”

They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He. So then let these go their way if you are looking for Me.” ⁹ This was to fulfill the word which He had spoken, “I have lost none of those whom You have given Me.”

¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

¹¹ Then Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

Jesus Before the High Priest^(B)

¹² Then the detachment of soldiers and the commander and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. ¹³ First they led Him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. ¹⁴ Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

Peter’s Denial of Jesus^(C)

¹⁵ Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known to the high priest and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. ¹⁶ But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in.

¹⁷ Then the servant girl, being the doorkeeper, said to Peter, “Are you not also one of this Man’s disciples?”

He said, “I am not.”

¹⁸ Now the servants and officers stood there and warmed themselves, having made a fire of coals, for it was cold. Peter also stood with them and warmed himself.

The High Priest Questions Jesus^(D)

¹⁹ The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His teaching.

²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why do you ask Me? Ask those who heard Me and what I have said to them. Certainly they know what I said.”

²² When He had said this, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Is that how You answer the high priest?”

²³ Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you strike me?” ²⁴ Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter Denies Jesus Again^(E)

²⁵ Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “Are you not also one of His disciples?”

He denied it and said, “I am not!”

²⁶ One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of the man whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” ²⁷ Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

Jesus Before Pilate^(F)

²⁸ Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium. It was early. Yet they themselves did not enter the Praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. ²⁹ Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”

³⁰ They answered him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have handed Him over to you.”

³¹ Then Pilate said, “Take Him and judge Him according to your law.”

The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” ³² that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying what death He would die.

³³ Again Pilate entered the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

³⁴ Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking of your own accord, or did others tell you about Me?”

³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would fight, that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But now My kingdom is not from here.”

³⁷ Therefore Pilate said to Him, “Then are You a king?”

Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

³⁸ Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him at all.

Jesus Sentenced to Die^(G)

³⁹ “But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

⁴⁰ They all shouted again, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

19 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him. ² The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put a purple robe on Him. ³ They said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they hit Him with their hands.

⁴ Again Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” ⁵ Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the Man!”

⁶ When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.”

⁷ The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God!”

⁸ When Pilate heard these words, he was more afraid, ⁹ and entered the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to release You, and power to crucify You?”

¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all over Me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”

¹² From then on, Pilate tried to release Him. But the Jews cried out, “If you release this Man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!”

¹³ When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement (which in Hebrew is Gabbatha). ¹⁴ It was the Day of Preparation of the Passover and about the sixth hour.

He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”

¹⁵ But they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!”

Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”

The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

¹⁶ Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion^(H)

So they took Jesus and led Him away. ¹⁷ He went out, carrying His own cross, to a place called The Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. ¹⁸ There they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the middle.

¹⁹ Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. The writing was:

JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

²⁰ Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’ ”

²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

²³ When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier; and also His tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, woven from top to bottom.

²⁴ So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it shall be.”

This happened to fulfill the Scripture which says:

Therefore the soldiers did these things.

²⁵ But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” ²⁷ Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time, this disciple took her to his own home.

The Death of Jesus^(I)

²⁸ After this, Jesus, knowing that everything was now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst.” ²⁹ A bowl full of sour wine was placed there. So they put a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop and held it to His mouth. ³⁰ When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

The Piercing of Jesus’ Side

³¹ Since it was the Day of Preparation, to prevent bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath day (for that Sabbath day was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. ³² Therefore the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ However, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵ He who saw it has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, that you may believe. ³⁶ For these things happened so that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken,”^{[c] 37} and again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced.”^[d]

The Burial of Jesus^(J)

³⁸ After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body. ³⁹ Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about seventy-five pounds.^{[e] 40} Then they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. ⁴¹ Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb in which no one had ever been buried. ⁴² So because of the Jewish Day of Preparation, and since the tomb was nearby, they buried Jesus there.

The Resurrection of Jesus^(K)

20 Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him.”

³ So Peter came out with the other disciple and they went toward the tomb. ⁴ They both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. ⁵ Stooping down and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying. Yet he did not enter. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went inside the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the cloth that was around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but wrapped in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who came first to the tomb, went in also. He saw and believed. ⁹ For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

The Appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene^(L)

¹¹ But Mary stood outside at the tomb weeping. As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb, ¹² and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.

¹³ They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have put Him.” ¹⁴ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have put Him, and I will take Him away.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’ ”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had said these things to her.

The Appearance of Jesus to His Disciples^(M)

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples were then glad when they saw the Lord.

²¹ So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you.” ²² When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.”

Jesus and Thomas

²⁴ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called The Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail prints in His hands, and put my finger in the nail prints, and put my hand in His side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ After eight days His disciples were again inside with the doors shut, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand here and place it in My side. Do not be faithless, but believing.”

²⁸ Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have yet believed.”

The Purpose of the Book

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

The Appearance of Jesus to the Seven Disciples

21 After this, Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed Himself this way: ² Simon Peter; Thomas, called The Twin; Nathanael of Cana in Galilee; the sons of Zebedee; and two more of His disciples were together. ³ Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” Then they said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and immediately entered the boat. But that night they caught nothing.

⁴ When the morning came, Jesus stood on the shore. But the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

⁵ Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?”

They answered Him, “No.”

⁶ He said to them, “Throw the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they threw it, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the abundance of fish.

⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea. ⁸ The other disciples came in the little boat, dragging the net full of fish. For they were not far from land, but about three hundred feet away.^{[f] 9} When they came to land, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish lying on it, and bread.

¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.” ¹¹ Simon Peter went up and dragged the net, full of one hundred and fifty-three large fish, to land. Although there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Jesus and Peter

¹⁵ So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.”

He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

¹⁶ He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.”

He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

Peter was grieved because He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Lord, You know everything. You know that I love You.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. ¹⁸ Truly, truly I say to you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you desired. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ He said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When He had said this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Jesus and the Beloved Disciple

²⁰ Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who also leaned against His bosom at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray You?” ²¹ When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”

²² Jesus said to him, “If it is My will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow Me!” ²³ The saying went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If it is My will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”

²⁴ This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and wrote these things. We know that his testimony is true.

²⁵ There are also many other things which Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written. Amen.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and teach, ² until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commandments through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen, ³ to whom He presented Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, appearing to them for forty days, and speaking concerning the kingdom of God. ⁴ Being assembled with them, He commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, of which you have heard from Me.^{[g] 5} For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Ascension

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the dates, which the Father has fixed by His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ When He had spoken these things, while they looked, He was taken up. And a cloud received Him from their sight.

¹⁰ While they looked intently toward heaven as He ascended, suddenly two men stood by them in white garments. ¹¹ They said, “Men of Galilee, why stand looking toward heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you to heaven, will come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Judas’ Successor

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is a Sabbath day’s walk^[h] from Jerusalem. ¹³ When they had entered, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the disciples (the number of people together was about a hundred and twenty), and said, ¹⁶ “Brothers, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit previously spoke by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became the guide to those who seized Jesus. ¹⁷ For he was numbered with us and took part in this ministry.”

¹⁸ (Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity. And falling headlong, he burst asunder in the middle and all his organs spilled out. ¹⁹ It became known to all the residents of Jerusalem. So this field is called in their dialect Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

²⁰ “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

and,

²¹ Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us while the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John until the very day that He was taken up from us, one of these men must become with us a witness of His resurrection.”

²³ So they proposed two, Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴ Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show which of these two You have chosen ²⁵ to take the place in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, to go to his own place.” ²⁶ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. So he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, ⁴ and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

⁵ Now dwelling in Jerusalem were Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When this sound occurred, the crowd came together and were confounded, because each man heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷ They were all amazed and marveled, saying to each other, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ How is it that we hear, each in our own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages the mighty works of God.” ¹² They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other, “What does this mean?”

¹³ Others mocking said, “These men are full of new wine.”

Peter’s Speech at Pentecost

¹⁴ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. ¹⁵ For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with powerful works and wonders and signs, which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know. ²³ You have taken Him, who was handed over to you by the ordained counsel and foreknowledge of God, and by lawless hands have crucified and killed Him, ²⁴ whom God raised up by loosening the pull of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. ²⁵ For David says concerning Him:

²⁹ “Brothers, I may speak confidently to you concerning the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ But being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of his seed according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, ³¹ he foresaw this and spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. ³² God raised up this Jesus, of which we all are witnesses. ³³ Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David has not ascended to the heavens, yet he says:

³⁶ “Therefore, let all the house of Israel assuredly know that God has made this Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

³⁷ When they heard this, they were stung in the heart and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” ⁴¹ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

Life Among the Believers

⁴² They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers. ⁴³ Fear came to every soul. And many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ All who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ They sold their property and goods and distributed them to all, according to their need. ⁴⁶ And continuing daily with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

The Lame Man Healed at the Temple Gate

3 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. ² A man lame from birth was being carried, whom people placed daily at the gate of the temple called Beautiful to ask alms from those who entered the temple. ³ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. ⁴ Peter, gazing at him with John, said, “Look at us.” ⁵ So he paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.

⁶ Then Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” ⁷ He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened. ⁸ Jumping up, he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. ⁹ All the people saw him walking and praising God. ¹⁰ They knew that it was he who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what happened to him.

Peter’s Speech at Solomon’s Porch

¹¹ As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the entrance that is called Solomon’s Porch, greatly amazed. ¹² When Peter saw it, he answered the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Or why do you stare at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Son Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. ¹⁴ You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ¹⁵ and you killed the Creator of Life, whom God has raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. ¹⁶ And His name, by faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. And faith which comes through Him has given him perfect health in your presence.

¹⁷ “Now brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸ But what God foretold through all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He thus fulfilled. ¹⁹ Therefore repent and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, ²⁰ and that He may send the One who previously was preached to you, Jesus Christ, ²¹ whom the heavens must receive until the time of restoring what God spoke through all His holy prophets since the world began. ²² For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall hear whatever He may say to you. ²³ And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be utterly eliminated from the people.’^[n]

²⁴ “Indeed, all the prophets since Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold these days. ²⁵ You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’^{[o] 26} God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your iniquities.”

Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

4 As they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, ² being greatly troubled because they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ³ And they seized them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men grew to about five thousand.

⁵ On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes ⁶ were assembled at Jerusalem with Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John and Alexander, and all who were of the family of the high priest. ⁷ When they had stood them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: ⁹ If we today are being examined concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, how this man has been healed, ¹⁰ be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands before you whole. ¹¹ He is

¹² There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

¹³ When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were illiterate and uneducated men, they marveled. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ But seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against it. ¹⁵ So when they had commanded them to go outside of the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶ saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that an acknowledged miracle has been done through them is revealed to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But lest it spread further among the people, let us threaten them that they no longer speak to anyone in this name.”

¹⁸ Then they called them and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ²⁰ For we cannot help but declare what we have seen and heard.”

²¹ When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people. For all glorified God for what was done, ²² for the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was over forty years old.

The Believers Pray for Boldness

²³ On being released, they went to their own people and reported what the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they lifted their voices in unity to God and prayed, “Lord, You are God, who has made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, ²⁵ and who by the mouth of Your servant David said:

²⁷ Indeed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were assembled together against Your holy Son Jesus whom You have anointed, ²⁸ to do what Your hand and Your counsel had foreordained to be done. ²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats and grant that Your servants may speak Your word with great boldness, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be performed in the name of Your holy Son Jesus.”

³¹ When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

All Things in Common

³² All the believers were of one heart and one soul, and no one said that what he possessed was his own. But to them all things were in common. ³³ With great power the apostles testified to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. ³⁴ There was no one among them who lacked, for all those who were owners of land or houses sold them, and brought the income from what was sold, ³⁵ and placed it at the apostles’ feet. And it was distributed to each according to his need.

³⁶ Joseph, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means, Son of Encouragement), a Levite from the land of Cyprus, ³⁷ sold a field he owned, and brought the money and placed it at the apostles’ feet.

Ananias and Sapphira

5 Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. ² He kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet.

³ Then Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to deceive the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, was it not your own? And when it was sold, was it not under your authority? Why have you conceived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to men, but to God.”

⁵ On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came on all those who heard these things. ⁶ The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

⁷ About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for this amount?”

She said, “Yes, for that much.”

⁹ Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

¹⁰ At once she fell down at his feet and died. Upon entering, the young men found her dead and carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ Great fear came on the entire church and on all those who heard these things.

Signs and Wonders

¹² Many signs and wonders were performed among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Porch. ¹³ No one else dared join them, but the people respected them. ¹⁴ Believers were increasingly added to the Lord, crowds of both men and women, ¹⁵ so that they even brought the sick out into the streets and placed them on beds and mats, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might touch some of them. ¹⁶ Crowds also came out of the cities surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were afflicted by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

Persecution of the Apostles

¹⁷ Then the high priest and all those who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees) rose up and were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸ They seized the apostles and put them in the common prison. ¹⁹ But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led them out, and said, ²⁰ “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

²¹ Having heard this, they entered the temple at dawn and taught.

But the high priest and those who were with him came and called together the Sanhedrin and the senate of all the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought out. ²² But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, ²³ “We found the prison securely shut and the guards standing outside before the doors. But when we opened it, we found no one inside.” ²⁴ Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they were in doubt of what might become of this.

²⁵ Then one came and told them, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” ²⁶ Then the captain with his escorts went and brought them, without force lest they should be stoned, for they feared the people.

²⁷ When they had brought them, they stood them before the Sanhedrin. And the high priest questioned them, ²⁸ saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? Yet now you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring on us this Man’s blood.”

²⁹ Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging on a tree. ³¹ God exalted this Man to His right hand to be a Ruler and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² We are His witnesses to these words, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

³³ When they heard this, they were cut to the heart and took counsel to kill them. ³⁴ But a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law honored by all the people, stood and ordered the apostles to be put outside for a little while. ³⁵ Then he said to them, “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do concerning these men. ³⁶ For in previous days Theudas rose up, boasting to be somebody, to whom a number of about four hundred men joined themselves. He was killed, and all who obeyed him were dispersed and came to nothing. ³⁷ After Theudas, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him. This man also perished, and all who obeyed him were scattered. ³⁸ Now I tell you, keep away from these men and leave them alone, because if this intention or this activity is of men, it will come to nothing. ³⁹ But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them, lest perhaps you be found even fighting against God.”

⁴⁰ They agreed with him. When they had called in the apostles, they beat them, and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.

⁴¹ Then they departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. ⁴² Daily, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

The Seven Helpers

6 Now in those days, as the disciples were multiplied, there was murmuring among the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were overlooked in the daily distribution. ² So the twelve called the multitude of disciples together and said, “It is not reasonable for us to leave the word of God and serve tables. ³ Brothers, look among yourselves for seven men who are known to be full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over this duty. ⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

⁵ And what was said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, who was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Procorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, ⁶ whom they presented before the apostles. And when they had prayed, they placed their hands on them.

⁷ So the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples grew rapidly in Jerusalem, and a great number of the priests were obedient to the faith.