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He appeareth to Mary

Chap. xx.

10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre, weeping; and, as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou ? She saith unto them, because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou ? whom seekest thou? She supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples, that she

and his disciples.

had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

19 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 saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you; as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

22 And when he had said this, breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost;

23 Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples, therefore, said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he 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.

26 ¶ And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them; then

Thomas' unbelief.

S. John.

came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, & behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, & thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.

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

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

31 But these are written, that ye might believe, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his

name.

CHAP. XXI. 1 Christ appeareth to his disciples: 18 he foretelleth Peter's death.

AFTER these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

3 Simon Peter saith unto

Miracle of the fishes.

them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast, therefore; and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

11 Simon Peter went up, & drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three; and for all

The apostles assemble:

Chap. xxi. Christ instructs them.

there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of his disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

13 Jesus, then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

15 So when they had din ed, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, Lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto them, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest;

but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And, when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

21 Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die; yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die ; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Introduction

Acts.

PREFATORY REMARKS

to the Acts.

TO THE ACTS OR TRANSACTIONS OF THE APOSTLES.

THE Acts of the Apostles was written by St. Luke, as ap pears from the first verse, where, in addressing his friend Theophilus, he mentions his former treatise, the Gospel of St. Luke, in which he had given an account of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which, from the mount of Olives, he ascended into heaven.

This, the last of the historical books, may be considered as a useful appendix to the Gospels, and a proper introduction to the Epistles. There is perhaps no history more interesting and extraordinary. It gives an account of the principal events relat ing to the church from the ascension of our Lord to thirty or thirty one years after, about which time it probably was written. The two principal objects, for which St. Luke seems to have written this book, were first, to give an authentic account of the effusion of the Holy Ghost, which Christ had frequently promised to his disciples, and which took place on the day of Pen tecost, and of the first miracles by which the truth of the Christian religion was established; and secondly, to establish the claim of the Gentiles to the privileges and blessings of the church of Christ, a claim particularly contested by the Jews about this time; for they had no idea, that a religion, revealed to them, could ever be designed for the Gentiles or heathen nations; but we find by the accounts here given, that the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him, whether they be Jews or Gentiles.

In treating these subjects St. Luke gives an account of the wonderful perseverance, fidelity, sufferings, and success of the Apostles in the service of their Master; and the labours and journeys they performed in order to carry the glad tidings of the Gospel into every country. Here we see examples of piety and zeal, which it becomes all, who profess the name of Jesus, to study and imitate.

¶ THE ACTS OF 1A repetition of part of Christ's history after his passion. 9 Of his ascension.

T

HE former treatise a have I made, O Theophilus, a Former treatise, St. Luke's Gospel, which was also addressed to his friend Theophilus.

THE APOSTLES.
of all that Jesus began both to
do and teach.

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

To whom also he shewed

Chap. i.

A repetition of part himself alive after his passion b by many infallible proofs,c being seen of them forty days, & speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled to gether with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father,d which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they, therefore, were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel Pe

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons ;f which

b Passion here means death.

The infallible proofs, which our Saviour, after his death and resurrection, gave his apostles of his real person and presence, were walking, conversing, and eating with them, and requesting them to handle him.

d The promise of the Father, the gift of the Holy Spirit.

e Restare again the kingdom to Israel, the kingdom of Israel, or the government of the Jews being at this time in the hands of the Romans. This expression shows, that even the disciples of Jesus were yet ignorant of the nature of that kingdom, which he came to establish; for they were expecting he would vanquish the Romans, and reestablish their own goy

ernment.

f Times and seasons of restoring to the Jews their kingdom.

of Christ's history.

the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me,g both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up ; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath-day's journey.h

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

14 These all continued with

g Witnesses unto me, that I am indeed the Saviour.

b Sabbath-day's journey, nearly three quarters of a mile.

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