While the two disciples were
speaking, Jesus himself stood among them. And they were frightened
and believed that they saw a ghost; but he said to them, "Why are
you so frightened? Why do you doubt? See my hands and my feet, that
it is I myself. Touch me and see, for a ghost has not flesh and
bones as you see that I have." While they were still unable for very
joy and wonder to believe, he said to them, "Have you anything to
eat here?" And when they gave him a piece of broiled fish, he ate
before them.
Then he said to them, "This is what I told you when I was still with
you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the
prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then he helped them to
understand the scriptures, and said, "It is written that the Christ
must suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that in his
name all nations must be called upon to turn from their sins and
gain God's forgiveness. You yourselves, beginning at Jerusalem, are
to tell men about these things."
Now Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, who was called "The Twin,"
was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We
have seen the Master." But he said to them, "Unless I see the marks
of the nails in his hands and put my finger where they were and put
my hand in his side, I will not believe."
Eight days later Jesus' disciples were again together, and Thomas
was with them. Though the doors were closed, Jesus came and stood
among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas,
"Put your finger here and look at my hands, and put your hand here
in my side. Do not be a doubter but a believer." Thomas answered
him, "My Master and my God!" Jesus said to him, "You believe because
you have seen me? Blessed are those who believe though they have
never seen me!"
Later Jesus appeared to his disciples by the Sea of Galilee, and in
this way. As Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
and the sons of Zebedee, were together with two other of his
disciples, Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." "We will
go too," they said, and they set out and went on board the boat; but
that night they caught nothing. At daybreak Jesus stood on the
beach, though the disciples did not know that it was he.
He said to them, "Children, have you anything to eat?" They
answered, "No." And he said, "Throw your net over on the right side
of the boat and you will catch something." So they threw over the
net, and now they could not haul it in because of the great number
of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is
the Master." As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Master, he
put on his fisherman's coat (for he was stripped for his work), and
jumped into the water; but the other disciples, being only about one
hundred yards from the shore, came in the small boat dragging the
net full of fish.
When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire burning, and over it a
fish cooking, and some bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the
fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard the boat
and hauled the net ashore filled with large fish; and although there
were so many, the net was not torn. Then Jesus said to them, "Come
and eat breakfast." Not one of the disciples had courage to ask,
"Who are you?" for they knew that it was the Master. Jesus came and
gave them the bread and also the fish. This was the third time he
appeared to his disciples after he had risen from the dead.
After breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do
you love me more than these?" He said, "Surely, Master, you know I
love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." Then he asked him a
second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" And he answered,
"Surely, Master, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend
my sheep." Jesus said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do
you love me with all your heart?" Peter was grieved because Jesus
asked a third time, "Do you love me?" And he answered, "Master, you
know everything, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed
my sheep."
And Jesus said to them, "All authority has been given to me in
heaven and on earth. Go you, therefore, and make disciples of all
the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the world."
Jesus showed his disciples, by many proofs, that he still lived,
revealing himself to them during forty days and telling them about
the Kingdom of God. When he and his disciples were together he told
them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had
promised—"the promise," he said, "of which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water, but before many days have passed you
will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
While they were together they asked him, "Master, is this the time
when you are going to restore the rulership to Israel?" Jesus said
to them, "It is not for you to know the time or the season which the
Father has fixed by his own authority; but you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses at
Jerusalem, throughout all Judea and Samaria and to every part of the
earth." When he had said this and while they were still looking at
him, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And
while they were staring into heaven, as he went up, two men clothed
in white stood beside them, who said, "Men of Galilee, why do you
stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from
you into heaven, will come back in the same way as you have seen him
go."