259. The Tenth Appearance. Acts. 1:1–14; Mt. 28:19–20; Mk. 16:19–20; Lk. 24:49–53

To them He presented Himself alive after His passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them He charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, you heard from Me;

And on the same day he gathered them and commanded them: Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from Me. Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but stay in the city of Jerusalem, until you are clothed with power from on high. For John baptized with water; but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.

So when they had come together, they asked Him: Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them: It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the end of the earth.

Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

After these things Jesus led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them. And while He blessed them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. He was lifted up before their eyes, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said: Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.

Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they went up to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and James and John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.

All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer and petition, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. And they were continually in the temple, praising God.

So the Lord ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of God. And the Apostles, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the message by the signs that accompanied it.