Jesus Commissions His Disciples^(A)

¹⁴ Finally he appeared to his eleven disciples^[a] while they were eating. He rebuked them for their unbelief and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who had seen him after he had risen. ¹⁵ Then he told them, “As you go into the entire world, proclaim the gospel to everyone.^{[b] 16} Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever doesn’t believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ These are the signs that will accompany those who believe: In my name they’ll drive out demons. they’ll speak in new languages,^{[c] 18} and they’ll pick up snakes with their hands.^[d] Even if they drink any deadly poison, it won’t hurt them, and they’ll place their hands on the sick, and they’ll recover.”

Jesus Appears to the Disciples^(A)

³⁶ While they were all talking about this, Jesus^[a] himself stood among them and told them, “Peace be with you.”^[b]

³⁷ They were startled and terrified, thinking they were seeing a ghost. ³⁸ But Jesus^[c] told them, “What’s frightening you? And why are you doubting? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet, because it’s really me. Touch me and look at me, because a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰ After he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.^{[d] 41} Even though they were still skeptical due to their joy and astonishment, Jesus^[e] asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it in their presence. ⁴⁴ Then he told them, “These are the words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to be fulfilled.”

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so that they might understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is how it is written: the Messiah^[f] was to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and then repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ I am sending to you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Jesus Appears to the Disciples^(A)

¹⁹ It was the evening of the first day of the week,^[a] and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.^[b] Jesus came and stood among them. He told them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side, and when they saw the Lord, the disciples were overjoyed. ²¹ Jesus told them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and told them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain people’s sins, they are retained.”

⁶ Now those who had gathered together began to ask Jesus,^[a] “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He answered them, “It isn’t for you to know what times or periods the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸ But you’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you’ll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”