Ascension of the Lord

1Certainly, O Theophilus, I composed the first discourse about everything that Jesus began to do and to teach, 2instructing the Apostles, whom he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, even until the day on which he was taken up. 3He also presented himself alive to them, after his Passion, appearing to them throughout forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God with many elucidations. 4And dining with them, he instructed them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but that they should wait for the Promise of the Father, “about which you have heard,” he said, “from my own mouth. 5For John, indeed, baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now.” 6Therefore, those who had assembled together questioned him, saying, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom of Israel?” 7But he said to them: “It is not yours to know the times or the moments, which the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit, passing over you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” 9And when he had said these things, while they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10And while they were watching him going up to heaven, behold, two men stood near them in white vestments. 11And they said: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall return in just the same way that you have seen him going up to heaven.”

2All nations, clap your hands. Shout joyfully to God with a voice of exultation.

3For the Lord is exalted and terrible: a great King over all the earth.

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6God ascends with jubilation, and the Lord with the voice of the trumpet.

7Sing psalms to our God, sing psalms. Sing psalms to our King, sing psalms.

8For God is the King of all the earth. Sing psalms wisely.

9God will reign over the peoples. God sits upon his holy throne.

17so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give a spirit of wisdom and of revelation to you, in knowledge of him. 18May the eyes of your heart be illuminated, so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and the wealth of the glory of his inheritance with the saints, 19and the preeminent magnitude of his virtue toward us, toward we who believe in accord with the work of his powerful virtue, 20which he wrought in Christ, raising him from the dead and establishing him at his right hand in the heavens, 21above every principality and power and virtue and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age, but even in the future age. 22And he has subjected all things under his feet, and he has made him the head over the entire Church, 23which is his body and which is the fullness of him who accomplishes everything in everyone.

15And he said to them: “Go forth to the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature. 16Whoever will have believed and been baptized will be saved. Yet truly, whoever will not have believed will be condemned. 17Now these signs will accompany those who believe. In my name, they shall cast out demons. They will speak in new languages. 18They will take up serpents, and, if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them. They shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they will be well.” 19And indeed, the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and he sits at the right hand of God. 20Then they, setting out, preached everywhere, with the Lord cooperating and confirming the word by the accompanying signs.