Matthew 28:18–20

Mark 16:15–18

Luke 24:46–47

^<18>Then Jesus came close to us and said, “My Father has given me all authority over everything and everyone in heaven and on earth. ^<19>So go, and using my authority, teach my message to people of all ethnic groups so that they may become my disciples. Baptize them to be under the authority of my Father, and of me, his Son, and of the Holy Spirit. ^<20>Teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember that by the Spirit I will be with you always, until the end of this age.”

^<15>Later he said to them, “Go into the whole world and preach the good message to everyone! ^<16>Everyone who believes your message and who is baptized will be saved. But everyone who does not believe it will be condemned. ^<17>Those who believe my good message will perform miracles. Specifically, by my power they will expel evil spirits. They will speak in languages that they have not learned. ^<18>If they pick up snakes accidentally or if they drink any poisonous liquid accidentally, they will not be hurt. Whenever they put their hands on sick people in order that God will heal them, those sick people will become well.”

^<46>He said to them, “This is what they wrote: That the Messiah would suffer and die, but on the third day after that he would become alive again. ^<47>They also wrote that the message must be preached everywhere that people must turn from their sinful ways for God to forgive their sins. They wrote that his followers should preach that message, claiming his authority. They wrote that they should start preaching it in Jerusalem, and then go and preach it to all ethnic groups.

Luke 24:44–49

Acts 1:3–8

1 Corinthians 15:7

^<44>Then he said to them, “I will repeat what I told you while I was still with you: Everything that was written about me by Moses and the other prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled!” ^<45>Then he enabled them to understand the things that had been written about him in the Scriptures. ^<46>He said to them, “This is what they wrote: That the Messiah would suffer and die, but on the third day after that he would become alive again. ^<47>They also wrote that the message must be preached everywhere, that people must turn from their sinful ways for God to forgive their sins. They wrote that his followers should preach that message, claiming his authority. They wrote that they should start preaching it in Jerusalem, and then go and preach it to all ethnic groups. ^<48>You apostles must tell people that you know that those things that happened to me are true. ^<49>And I want you to know that I will send the Holy Spirit to you, as my Father promised that he would do. But you must stay in this city until God fills you with the power of his Spirit.”

^<3>After he had suffered and died on the cross, he became alive again. As he appeared to them often during the next 40 days, the apostles saw him many times. He proved to them in many ways that he was alive again. He talked with them about how God would rule the lives of people who accepted him as their king.
^<4>One time while he was with them, he told them, “Do not leave Jerusalem yet. Instead, wait here until my Father sends his Spirit to you, as he promised to do. You have heard me speak to you about that. ^<5>John baptized people in water because they said that they wanted to change their lives, but after a few days God will put the Holy Spirit within you to truly change your lives.”
^<6>One day when the apostles met together with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, will you now become the King over us Israelite people like King David, who ruled long ago?” ^<7>He replied to them, “You do not need to know the time periods and days when that will happen. My Father alone has decided when he will make me king. ^<8>But you do need to know that the Holy Spirit will make you spiritually strong when he comes to live in you. Then you will powerfully tell people about me in Jerusalem and in all the other places in Judea district, in Samaria district, and in places far away all over the world.”

^<7>Then he was seen by his younger brother James, who became the leader of the congregation in Jerusalem. Then he appeared to all of the apostles.

Mark 16:19–20

Luke 24:50–53

Acts 1:9–12

^<19>After the Lord Jesus had said this to the disciples, he was taken up into heaven. Then he sat down on his throne beside God to rule with him. ^<20>As for the disciples, they went out from Jerusalem, and then they preached everywhere. Wherever they went, the Lord enabled them to perform miracles. By doing that, he showed people that God’s message is true.

^<50>Then Jesus led them outside the city until they came near Bethany village. There he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ^<51>As he was doing that, he left them and went up to heaven. ^<52>They worshipped him. And then they returned to Jerusalem very joyfully. ^<53>Each day they went into the Temple courtyard, and spent a lot of time praising God.

^<9>After he said that, he was taken up to heaven, while they were watching. He went up into a cloud, which prevented them from seeing him any more.
^<10>While the apostles were still staring towards the sky as he was going up, suddenly two men who were wearing white clothes stood beside them. They were angels. ^<11>One of them said, “You men from Galilee district, why do you still stand here looking up at the sky? Some day this same Jesus, whom God took from you up to heaven, will come back to earth. He will return in the same manner as you just now saw him when he went up to heaven, but he will not return now.”
^<12>Then after the two angels left, the apostles returned to Jerusalem from Olive Tree Hill, which was about a half mile from Jerusalem.