So far you have not asked for anything, in my Name; ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

I have spoken to you of all this in figures; a time is coming, however, when I shall not speak any longer to you in figures, but shall tell you about the Father plainly.

For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from the Father.

I came out from the Father, and have come into the world; and now I am to leave the world, and go to the Father."

I have spoken to you in this way, so that in me you may find peace. In the world you will find trouble; yet, take courage! I have conquered the world."

I have honored thee on earth by completing the work which thou has given me to do;

I have revealed thee to those whom thou gavest me from the world; they were thy own, and thou gavest them to me; and they have laid thy Message to heart.

For I have given them the teaching which thou gavest me, and they received it, and clearly understood that I came from thee, and they believed that thou has sent me as thy Messenger.

Whilst I was with them, I kept them by that revelation, and I have guarded them; and not one of them has been lost, except that lost soul--in fulfillment of Scripture.

But now I am to come to thee; and I am speaking thus, while still in the world, that they may have my own joy, in all its fullness, in their hearts.

I have given them thy Message; and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, even as I do not belong to the world.

I have given them the honor which thou has given me, that they may be one as we are one--

I have made thee known to them, and will do so still; that the love that thou has had for me may be in their hearts, and that I may be in them also."

"I have already told you that I am he," replied Jesus, "so, if it is for me that you are looking, let these men go."

This was in fulfillment of his words-- 'Of those whom thou hast given me I have not lost one.'

"For my part," answered Jesus, "I have spoken to all the world openly. I always taught in some Synagogue, or in the Temple Courts, places where all the Jews assemble, and I never spoke of anything in secret.

Why question me? Question those who have listened to me as to what I have spoken about to them. They must know what I said."

"If he had not been a criminal, we should not have given him up to you," they answered.

"Take him yourselves," said Pilate, "and try him by your own Law." "We have no power to put any one to death," the Jews replied- -

"Do you take me for a Jew?" was Pilate's answer. "It is your own nation and the Chief Priests who have given you up to me. What have you done?"

"So you are a King after all!" exclaimed Pilate. "Yes, it is true I am a King," answered Jesus. "I was born for this, I have come into the world for this--to bear testimony to the Truth. Every one who is on the side of Truth listens to my voice."

"But we," replied the Jews, "have a Law, under which he deserves death for making himself out to be the Son of God."

But Jesus made no reply. So Pilate said to him: "Do you refuse to speak to me? Do not you know that I have power to release you, and have power to crucify you?"

"You would have no power over me at all," answered Jesus, "if it had not been given you from above; and, therefore, the man who betrayed me to you is guilty of the greater sin."

At that the people shouted: "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!" "What! shall I crucify your King?" exclaimed Pilate. "We have no King but the Emperor," replied the Chief Priests;

But Pilate answered: "What I have written, I have written."

So they said to one another: "Do not let us tear it, but let us cast lots for it, to see who shall have it." This was in fulfillment of the words of Scripture--'They shared my clothes among them, And over my clothing they cast lots.' That was what the soldiers did.

It was the Preparation Day, and so, to prevent the bodies from remaining on the crosses during the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a great day), the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.

So she came running to Simon Peter, and to that other disciple who was Jesus' friend, and said to them: "They have taken away the Master out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him!"

"Why are you weeping?" asked the angels. "They have taken my Master away," she answered, "and I do not know where they have laid him."

"Why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" he asked. Supposing him to be the gardener, Mary answered: "If it was you, Sir, who carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away myself."

"Do not hold me," Jesus said; "for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my Brothers, and tell them that I am ascending to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God."

If you remit any one's sins, they have been remitted; and, if you retain them, they have been retained."

So the rest of the disciples said to him: "We have seen the Master!" "Unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands," he exclaimed, "and put my finger into the marks, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

"Is it because you have seen me that you have believed?" said Jesus. "Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed!"

But these have been recorded that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God--and that, through your belief in his Name, you may have Life.

"My children," he said, "have you anything to eat?" "No," they answered.

"Bring some of the fish which you have just caught," said Jesus.

"In truth I tell you," he continued, "when you were young, you used to put on your own girdle, and walk wherever you wished; but, when you have grown old, you will have to stretch out your hands, while some one else puts on your girdle, and takes you where you do not wish."

And once, when he had gathered them together, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfillment of the Father's promise-- "that promise," he said, "of which you have heard me speak;

For, while John baptized with water, you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit before many days have passed."

But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit shall have descended upon you, and shall be witnesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

And said: "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the heavens? This very Jesus, who has been taken from you into the heavens, will come in the very way in which you have seen him go into the heavens."

Therefore, from among the men who have been with us all the time that Jesus, our Master, went in and out among us--

And they offered this prayer--"O Lord, who reads all hearts, show which of these two men you have chosen

But there were some who said with a sneer: "They have had too much new wine."

Indeed it was to him that David was referring when he said-- 'I have had the Lord ever before my eyes, For he stands at my right hand, that I should not be disquieted.

Thou have shown me the path to life, you wilt fill me with gladness in your presence.'

But Peter added: "I have no gold or silver, but I give you what I have. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I bid you walk."

They had Peter and John brought before them, and questioned them. "By what power," they asked, "Or in whose name have men like you done this thing?"

Judge for yourselves, for we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard."

And who, by the lips of our ancestor, your servant David, who spoke under the influence of the Holy Spirit, have said-- 'Why did the nations rage, and the peoples form vain designs?

There have indeed gathered together in this city against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you has consecrated the Christ, not Herod and Pontius Pilate only, but the nations and the people of Israel besides--

"Ananias," Peter exclaimed, "how is it that Satan has so taken possession of your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit, and kept back a part of the money paid for the land?

While it was unsold, was not it your own? and after it was sold, was not the money at your own disposal? How did you come to think of such a thing? You have lied, not to men, but to God!"

Then Peter said: "How did you come to agree to provoke the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The foot-steps of those who have buried your husband are at the door; and they will carry you out too."

"We gave you strict orders," he said, "not to teach in this Name. Yet you have actually flooded Jerusalem with your teaching, and you want to make us responsible for the death of this man."

Indeed, we have heard him declare that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this Place, and change the customs handed down to us by Moses."

And, upon that, Stephen spoke as follows: "Brothers and Fathers, hear what I have to say. God, who manifests himself in the Glory, appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, and before he settled in Haran, and said to him--

I have seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and heard their groans, and I have come down to deliver them. Come now and I will send you into Egypt.'

Which of the Prophets escaped persecution at their hands? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One; of whom you, in your turn, have now become the betrayers and murderers--

You have no share or part in our Message, for your 'heart is not right with God.'

For I see that you have fallen into the 'bitterness of envy' and the 'fetters of sin.'"

"Pray to the Lord for me, all of you," Simon answered, "so that none of the things you have spoken of may befall me."

And asked him to give him letters to the Jewish congregations at Damascus, authorizing him, if he found there any supporters of the Cause, whether men or women, to have them put in chains and brought to Jerusalem.

"Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I have heard from many people about this man--how much harm he has done at Jerusalem to your People there.

So Ananias went, entered the house, and, placing his hands on Saul, said: "Saul, my Brother, I have been sent by the Lord--by Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here--so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Cornelius fixed his eyes on him and, in great alarm, said: "What is it, Lord?" "Your prayers and your charities," the angel answered, "have been an acceptable offering to God.

"No, Lord, I cannot," answered Peter, "for I have never eaten anything 'defiled' and 'unclean'."

Go down at once and do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."

The men replied: "Our captain, Cornelius, a pious man who reverences God and is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, has been instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to listen to what you have to say."

'Cornelius,' he said, 'your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been accepted, by God.

Accordingly I sent to you at once, and you have been so good as to come. And now we are all here in the presence of God, to listen to all that you have been instructed by the Lord to say."

"Can any one refuse the water for the baptism of these people, now that they have received the Holy Spirit as we did ourselves?"

Then Peter came to himself and said: "Now I know beyond all doubt that the Lord has sent his angel, and has rescued me from Herod's hands and from all that the Jewish people have been expecting."

In the morning there was a great stir among the soldiers-- what could have become of Peter!

While they were engaged in the worship of the Lord and were fasting, the Holy Spirit said: "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them."

After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the President of the Synagogue sent them this message--"Brothers, if you have any helpful words to address to the people, now is the time to speak."

So Paul rose and, motioning with his hand, spoke as follows: "Men of Israel and all here who reverence God, hear what I have to say.

After removing him, he raised David to the throne, and bore this testimony to him--'In David, the son of Jesse, I have found a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my purposes.'

We also have good news to tell you, about the promise made to our ancestors--

That our children have had this promise completely fulfilled to them by God, by his raising Jesus. That is just what is said in the second Psalm--'Thou art my Son; this day I have become thy Father.'

I would, therefore, have you know, brothers, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you,

For this is the Lord's command to us--'I have destined thee for a Light to the Gentiles, a means of Salvation to the ends of the earth'."

And the crowd, seeing what Paul had done, called out in the Lycaonian language: "The Gods have made themselves like men and have come down to us."

"We are only men like yourselves, and we have come with the Good News that you should turn away from these follies to a living God, 'who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them.'

No, it is through the loving-kindness of the Lord Jesus that we, just as they do, believe that we have been saved."

After they had finished speaking, James addressed the Council. "Brothers," he began, "hear what I have to say.

For in every town, for generations past, there have been those who preach Moses, read as he is in the Synagogues every Sabbath."

Who have sacrificed themselves for the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

We have, therefore, decided, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to lay no further burden upon you beyond these necessary conditions--

Some time after this, Paul said to Barnabas: "Let us go back and visit the Brethren in every town in which we have told the Lord's Message, and see how they are prospering."

And, when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us to become her guests. "Since you have shown your conviction," she said, "that I really am a believer in the Lord, come and stay in my house." And she insisted on our doing so.

The Governor of the Jail told Paul of his instructions. "The Magistrates have sent an order for your discharge," he said, "so you had better leave the place at once and go quietly away."

But Paul's answer to them was: "They have flogged us in public without trial, though we are Roman citizens, and they have put us in prison, and now they are for sending us out secretly! No, indeed! Let them come and take us out themselves."

And, not finding them there, they proceeded to drag Jason and some of the Brethren before the City Magistrates, shouting out: "These men, who have turned the world upside down, have now come here,

And have been harbored by Jason! They say that some one else is king--a man called Jesus!"

One night the Lord said to Paul, in a vision: "Have no fear, but continue to speak, and refuse to be silenced;

For I am with you, and no one shall do you harm, for I have many People in this city."

Sometime after these events Paul resolved to go through Macedonia and Greece, and then make his way to Jerusalem. "And after I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also."