They all stood there, dumbfounded and astonished, saying to one another, “What is this phenomenon?”

On the day Pentecost was being fulfilled, all the disciples were gathered in one place. Suddenly they heard the sound of a violent blast of wind rushing into the house from out of the heavenly realm. The roar of the wind was so overpowering it was all anyone could bear!

The disciples left the Mount of Olives and returned to Jerusalem, which was less than a mile away. Arriving there, they went into a large second-floor room to pray.

Right after Jesus spoke those words, the disciples saw him being lifted into the sky, and disappearing into a cloud! As they stared into the sky, watching Jesus ascend, two men in white robes suddenly appeared beside them.

All seven stood before the apostles, who laid their hands on them and prayed for them, commissioning them to this ministry. God’s word reigned supreme and kept spreading.

With passion I pursue and cling to you. Because I feel your grip on my life, I keep my soul close to your heart.

The Spirit gives to one the gift of the word of wisdom. To another, the same Spirit gives the gift of the word of revelation knowledge.

And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.

And he has generously given each one of us supernatural grace, according to the size of the gift of Christ.

But I promise you this—the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and you will be seized with power.

After the sufferings of his cross, Jesus appeared alive many times to these same apostles over a forty-day period, proving to them with many convincing signs that he had been resurrected.

And when everything is ready, I will come back and take you to myself so that you will be where I am.

The benevolent man leaves an inheritance that endures to his children’s children, but the wealth of the wicked is treasured up for the righteous.

Meanwhile, the eleven disciples heard the wonderful news from the women and left for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them.

This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

So Peter waded into the water and helped pull the net to shore. It was full of many large fish, exactly one hundred and fifty-three, but even with so many fish, the net was not torn. “Come, let’s have some breakfast,” Jesus said to them.

But all that is recorded here is so that you will fully believe that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Son of God, and that through your faith in him you will experience eternal life by the power of his name!

Then the words spilled out of his heart—“You are my Lord, and you are my God!” Jesus responded, “Thomas, now that you’ve seen me, you believe. But there are those who have never seen me with their eyes but have believed in me with their hearts, and they will be blessed even more!”

Then, taking a deep breath, he blew on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. I send you to preach the forgiveness of sins—and people’s sins will be forgiven. But if you don’t proclaim the forgiveness of their sins, they will remain guilty.”

Listen, and I will tell you a divine mystery: not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed. It will happen in an instant —in the twinkling of his eye. For when the last trumpet is sounded, the dead will come back to life.