…The two disciples and Jesus drew near unto the village, where they went: and Jesus made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, "Remain with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And Jesus went in to stay with them.

And it came to pass, as he reclined at the table with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and broke, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?"

And the two rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Peter." And the two told what things were done on the road, and how Jesus was recognized of them in breaking of bread.

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, "Peace be unto you." But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

And Jesus said unto them, "Why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Look my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see me have."

And when he had thus spoken, Jesus showed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, "Have you here any food?" And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.

Then said Jesus to them again, "Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, "Receive you the Holy Spirit: Whose ever sins you forgive, they are forgiven unto them; and whose ever sins you retain, they are retained."

But Thomas, one of the twelve…was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, "We have seen the Lord."

But Thomas said unto them, "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."

And after eight days again Jesus’ disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be unto you." Then said he to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see my hands; and reach here your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing."

And Thomas answered and said unto him, "My Lord and my God."

Jesus said unto him, "Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and in this manner showed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas…and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter said unto them, "I go a fishing."

The others said unto him, "We also go with you." They went out, and entered into a boat immediately; and that night they caught nothing. And when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was him.

Then Jesus said unto them, "Children, have you any food?"

They answered him, "No."

And he said unto them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you shall find." They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the number of fish.

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter, "It is the Lord." Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his fisher's coat unto him, for he was naked, and did plunge himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little boat, for they were not far from land…dragging the net with fish.

As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said unto them, "Bring of the fish which you have now caught." Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fish, a hundred and fifty-three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

Jesus said unto them, "Come and dine." And none of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came, and took bread, and gave them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonas, love you me more than these?"

Peter said unto him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."

Jesus said unto him, "Feed my lambs." And he said to Peter again the second time, "Simon, son of Jonas, love you me?"

Peter said unto Jesus, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."

Jesus said unto him, "Feed my sheep." And he said unto Peter the third time, "Simon, son of Jonas, love you me?

Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, "Love you me?" And he said unto him, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said unto him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say unto you, when you were young, you clothed yourself, and walked where you would: but when you shall be old, you shall stretch out your hands, and another shall cloth you, and carry you where you would not." (This spoke he, signifying by what death Peter should glorify God.) And when Jesus had spoken this, he said unto Peter, "Follow me."

Then Peter, turning about, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following; (which also leaned on Jesus chest at the Passover supper, and had said, "Lord, which is he that betray you?" ) Peter seeing John said to Jesus, "Lord, and what shall this man do?"

Jesus said unto Peter, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? Follow you me." Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, "He shall not die." …This is the disciple who testified of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written everyone, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. So be it.

Afterward Jesus appeared unto the eleven as they reclined at the table, and reproved them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was raised. And Jesus said unto them, "Go…into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new languages; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. So be it."

And Jesus said unto them, "These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."

Then opened Jesus their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.

"And, look, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but stay…in the city of Jerusalem, until you be transfused with power from on high." And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, "You have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

When they therefore were come together, they asked of Jesus, saying, "Lord, will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"

And Jesus said unto them, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in his own power. But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the farthest part of the earth."

And when he had spoken these things, while they watched, Jesus was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, look, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, "You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven." Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where stayed both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. To whom also Jesus showed himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number…together were about a hundred and twenty,) "Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘…His office let another take.’

"Therefore, of these men which have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of Jesus resurrection."

And they appointed two…and they prayed, and said, "You, Lord, which know the hearts of all men, show which of these two you have chosen." And…the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

REFERENCES

Luke 24: 28-35; John 20:19; Luke 24:37-43; John 20:21-29; John 21:1-25; Mark 16:14-18; Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:44-50; Acts 1:4-14; Acts 1:3; Acts 1:15-16, 20-24, 26.

CHAPTER 91