(45) The ascension of Jesus

 

When the disciples were with Jesus,

they kept asking Jesus,

"Lord, are you going to free Israel now

and restore our kingdom?"

 

"They are not for you to know. But when the Holy Spirit

has come upon you, you will receive power and

will tell people about me everywhere."

 

It was not long after he said this

that he was taken up into the sky

and he disappeared into a cloud.

(44) The resurrection

 

Early on sunday morning, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb

and found that the stone had been rolled away.

 

Mary was standing outside the tomb crying,

She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone

standing behind her.

 

It was Jesus, but she did not recognize him.

 

"Why are you crying? who are you looking for?" Jesus asked her.

 

She thought he was the gardener,

"if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him."

 

"Mary!" Jesus said.

She turned toward him and shouted, "Teacher!"

 

"Go find my brothers and tell them

that I am ascending to my Father and

your Father, my God and your God."

 

Mary found the disciples and told them,

"I have seen the Lord!"

(43) The death of Jesus

 

Jesus was crucified.

 

and 2 criminals were crucified with him,

their crosses were either side of his.

 

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until 3 o'clock.

 

Jesus shouted out, and he gave up his spirit.

At that moment, the curtain in the Temple was torn in two,

from top to bottom.

 

As evening approached,

Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea went to take

Jesus' body and wrapped it in a long linen cloth.

 

He placed the body in his new tomb.

(42) Peter denies Jesus

 

Meanwhile, as Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard

where Jesus was being held,

a servant girl came over and said to him

"You were one of those with Jesus!"

 

But Peter denied it in front of everyone,

"I don't know what you're talking about."

 

Later, another servant girl noticed him and said,

"This man was with Jesus."

 

Again Peter denied it,

"I don't even know the man."

 

A little later, some other bystanders came over and said,

"You must be one of them!"

 

"I dont know the man!"

Peter said to them.

 

And immediately the rooster crowed.

Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind

"Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."

And Peter went away, crying bitterly.

(41) Jesus is arrested

 

Judas, one of the 12 disciples, arrived with a mob

that was armed with swords and clubs.

They had been sent out by the leading priests and

other leaders of the people.

 

Then they grabbed Jesus and arrested him.

 

At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.

(40) Jesus prays in Gethsemane

 

Jesus brought his disciples to an olive grove called Gethsemane.

and he told them to sit there while he prays.

 

Jesus went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground,

praying, "Father, If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken

away from me. Yet I want you will, not mine."

 

Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep.

 

"Couldn't you stay awake and watch with me even one hour?"

(39) The last supper

 

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened bread,

the disciples came to Jesus and asked,

"Where do you want us to prepare the Passover supper?"

 

"Go into the city and you will see a certian man,

Tell him, The teacher says, my time has come,

I will eat the Passover meal at your house."

 

So they did as Jesus told them and prepared the supper.

 

As they were eating,

Jesus took a loaf of bread and told them,

"Take it and eat it, for this is my body."

 

And he took a cup of wine and told them,

"Each of you drink from it,

for this is my blood."

 

Then they sang a hymn a and went out to the Mount of Olives.