Study Desk

(The one who saw this happen has told about it. He told about it so that you also can believe. The things he says are true. He knows that he tells the truth.)

Later, a man named Joseph from Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but he did not tell anyone, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders.) Pilate said Joseph could take Jesus' body, so he came and took it away.

So she ran to Simon Peter and the other follower (the one Jesus loved very much). She said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they put him."

So Peter and the other follower started going to the tomb.

He asked her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" She thought he was the man in charge of the garden. So she said to him, "Did you take him away, sir? Tell me where you put him. I will go and get him."

But these are written so that you can believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Then, by believing, you can have life through his name.

Simon Peter said, "I am going out to fish." The other followers said, "We will go with you." So all of them went out and got into the boat. They fished that night but caught nothing.

He said, "Throw your net into the water on the right side of your boat. You will find some fish there." So they did this. They caught so many fish that they could not pull the net back into the boat.

So a story spread among the followers of Jesus. They were saying that this follower would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He only said, "Maybe I want him to live until I come. That should not matter to you."

"So now another man must join us and be a witness of Jesus' resurrection. He must be one of those men who were part of our group during all the time the Lord Jesus was with us. He must have been with us from the time John was baptizing people until the day when Jesus was carried up from us into heaven."

Then they used lots to choose one of the two men. The lots showed that Matthias was the one the Lord wanted. So he became an apostle with the other eleven.

Then Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles. He spoke loudly so that all the people could hear. He said, "My Jewish brothers and all of you who live in Jerusalem, listen to me. I will tell you something you need to know. Listen carefully.

"My fellow Israelites, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a very special man. God clearly showed this to you. He proved it by the miracles, wonders, and miraculous signs he did through Jesus. You all saw these things, so you know this is true.

So my heart is happy, and the words I speak are words of joy. Yes, even my body will live with hope,

So Jesus is the one God raised from death. We are all witnesses of this. We saw him.

Jesus was lifted up to heaven. Now he is with God, at God's right side. The Father has given the Holy Spirit to him, as he promised. So Jesus has now poured out that Spirit. This is what you see and hear.

"So, all the people of Israel should know this for certain: God has made Jesus to be Lord and Messiah. He is the man you nailed to the cross!"

And so you killed the one who gives life! But God raised him from death. We are witnesses of this—we saw it with our own eyes.

So you must change your hearts and lives. Come back to God, and he will forgive your sins.

The Jewish leaders arrested Peter and John and put them in jail. It was already night, so they kept them in jail until the next day.