Scripture, that he must rise again | Peace be to you. As the Father from the dead. hath sent me, I also send you. 10 The disciples therefore departed again to their home. 11 But2 Mary stood at the sepulehre without, weeping: Now as she was weeping, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre: 12 And she saw two Angels in white, sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of JESUS had been laid. 13 They say to her: Woman, why weepest thou? She saith to them: Because they have taken away my Lord: and I know not where they have laid him. 14 When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw JESUS standing: and she knew not that it was JESUS. 15 JESUS saith to her: Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She thinking that it was the gardener, saith to him: Sir, if thou hast taken him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him: and I will take him away. 16 JESUS saith to her: Mary. She turning saith to him: Rabboni (which is to say, Master.) 17 JESUS saith to her: Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my breth. ren, and say to them: I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene cometh and telleth the disciples: I have seen the Lord, and these things he said to me. 19 Now 3 when it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews, JESUS came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. 20 And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands, and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 He said therefore to them again: CHAP. 20, ver. 19. The doors were shut. The same power which could bring Christ's whole body, entire in all its dimensions, through the doors, can without the least question make the same body really present in the Sacrament; 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them: and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose 4 sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. 24 Now Thomas one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when JESUS came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days, again his disciples were within: and Thomas with them. JESUS Cometh the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you. 27 Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands, and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God. 29 JESUS saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed. 30 Many 5 other signs also did JESUS in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that JESUS is the CHRIST the Son of God: and that believing you may have life in his name. CHAP. 20.-1. Matt. 28, 1; Mark 16. 1; Luke 24, 1.-2. Matt. 28, 1; Mark 16, 5: Luke 24, 4.-3. Mark 16, 14; Luke 24, 36; 1 Cor. 15, 5.-4. Matt. 18, 18.-5. John 21, 25. CHAPTER XXI. Christ manifesteth himself to his disciples by the sea side, and giveth Peter the charge of his sheep. FTER this JESUS shewed himself again to the disciples at the though both the one and the other be above our comprehension. Ver. 23. Whose sins, &c. See here the commission, stamped by the broad seal of heaven, by virtue of which the pastors of Christ's church, absolve repenting sinners upon their confession. sea of Tiberias. And he suewed himself after this manner: 2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didy. mus, and Nathanael who was of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disci ples. 3 Simon Peter saith to them: I go a fishing. They say to him: We also come with thee. And they went forth and entered into the ship: and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning was come, JESUS stood on the shore: yet the disciples knew not that it was JESUS. 5 JESUS therefore said to them: Children, have you any meat? They answered him: No. 6 He saith them: Cast the net on the right side of the ship: and you shall find. They cast therefore: and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. 7 That disciple therefore whom JESUS loved, said to Peter: It is the Lord. Simon Peter, when he heard that it was the Lord, girt his coat about him (for he was naked) and cast himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the ship: (for they were not far from the land, but as it were two hundred cubits) dragging the net with fishes. 9 As soon then as they came to land, they saw hot coals lying, and a fish laid thereon, and bread. 10 JESUS saith to them: Bring hither of the fishes which you have now caught. 11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, one hundred fifty-three. And although there were so many, the net was not broken. 12 JESUS Saith to them: Come, and dine. And none of them who were at meat, durst ask him: Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13 And JESUS cometh and taketh bread and giveth them and fish in like manner. CHAP. 21, ver. 17. Feed my sheep. Our Lord had promised the spiritual supremacy to St. Peter; St. Matt. 16, 19: and here fulfilleth that promise, by 14 This is now the third time that JESUS was manifested to his disciples, after he was risen from the dead. 15 When therefore they had dined, JESUS saith to Simon Peter: Simon son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith to him: Yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee, He saith to him: Feed my lambs. He 16 He saith to him again: Simon son of John, lovest thou me? saith to him: Yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs. 17 He said to him the third time: Simon son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved, because he had said to him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said to him: Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee. He said to him: Feed my sheep. 18 Amen, amen I say to thee: 1 When thou wast younger, thou didst gird thyself, and didst walk where thou wouldst: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldst not. 19 And this he said, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had said this, he saith to him: Follow me. 20 Peter turning about, saw that disciple, whom JESUS loved, following,2 who also leaned on his breast at supper, and said: Lord, who is he that shall betray thee? 21 Him therefore when Peter had seen, he saith to JESUS: Lord and what shall this man do? 22 JESUS saith to him: So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? follow thou me. 23 This saying therefore went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die. And JESUS did not say to him: He should not die; but: So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? 24 This is that disciple who giv charging him with the superintendency of all his sheep, without exception; and consequently of his whole flock, that is, of his whole church. eth testimony of these things, and hath written these things: and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But 3 there are also many other things which JESUS did: which if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written. CHAP. 21.-1. 2 Peter 1, 14.-2. John 13, 23.-3. John 13, 30. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [THIS BOOK, which from the first ages hath been called, The Acts of the Apostles, is not to be considered as a history of what was done by all the Apostles, who were dispersed into different nations; but only a short view of the first establishment of the Christian Church. A part of the preaching and actions of St. Peter are related in the first twelve chapters; and a particular account of St. Paul's Apostolical labours in the subsequent chapters. It was written by St. Luke the Evangelist, and the original in Greek. Its history commences from the Ascension of Christ our Lord, and endeth in the year sixty-three, being a brief account of the Church for the space of about thirty years.] CHAPTER I. The ascension of Christ. Matthias is 2 Until the day 1 on which giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the Apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God. 4 And eating together with them, 2 he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith he) by my mouth: 5 For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not manydays hence. 6 They therefore who were come together, asked him, saying: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 But he said to them: It is not for you to know the times or moments, which the Father hath put in his own power: 8 But 4 you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they were behold. ing him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments, 11 Who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This JESUS who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven. 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount that is called Olivet, which is nigh Jerusalem within a sabbath-day's journey. 13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes, and Jude the brother of James; 14 All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of JESUS, and with his brethren. 15 In those days Peter rising up in the midst of the brethren, said: (now the number of persons together, was about an hundred and twenty). 16 Men brethren, the Scripture must needs be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was the leader of them that apprehended JESUS: en that he might go to his own place. 26 And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. CHAP. 1.-1. A. D. 33.-2. Luke 24, 49; John 14, 26.-3. Matt. 3, 11; Mark 1, 8; Luke 3, 16; John 1 26.-4. Acts 2, 2.-5. Luke 24, 48.-6. Psal. 40, 10; John 13, 18. -7. Matt. 27, 7.-8. Psal. 68, 26.-9. Psal. 108, 8. CHAPTER II. The discipies receive the Holy Ghost. Peter's sermon to the people. The piety of the first converts. ND when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place: a 2 And suddenly there came sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole 17 Who was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this min-house where they were sitting. istry. 18 And he indeed hath possessed a field of the reward of iniquity, and being hanged burst asunder in the midst; and all his bowels gush ed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the same field was called in their tongue, Haceldama, that is to say the field of blood, 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms: Let their habitation become desolate, and let there be none to dwell therein: and his bishop ric let another take. 21 Wherefore of these men who have companied with us, all the time that the Lord JESUS came in and went out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John until the day wherein he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 And they appointed two, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus: and Matthias.. 24 And praying they said: Thou Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two, thou hast chosen, 25 To take the place of this min istry, and apostleship, from which Judas hath by transgression fall 3 And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak. 5 Now there were dwelling at Je rusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven. 6 And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue. 7 And they were all amazed and wondered saying: Behold are not all these, that speak, Galileans, 8 And how have we heard, every man our own tongue wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Põn tus and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphilia, Egypt and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, 11 Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians we have heard them speak in our Own tongues the wonderful works of, God. 12 And they were all astonished, and wondered saying one to another: What meaneth this? 13 But others mocking said: These men are full of new wine. 14 But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you and with your ears receive my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day: 16 But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel: 17 2 And it shall come to pass, in the last days (saith the Lord) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord come. 21 3 And it shall come to pass: that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be sav ed. 22 Ye men of Israel hear these words: JESUS of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you also know: 23 This same being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up having loosed the sorrows of hell, CHAP. 2, ver. 23. By the determinate, &c. God delivered up his Son; and his Son delivered up himself, for the love of us, and for the sake of our salvation: and so Christ's being delivered up was holy, and was God's own determination, But they who betrayed and crucified him, did wickedly, following therein their own malice and the instigation of as it was impossible that he should be holden by it. 25 For David saith concerning him: 4 I foresaw the Lord before my face always because he is at my right hand that I may not be moved: 26 For this my heart hath been glad, and my tongue hath rejoiced: moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy Holy one to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life: and thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29 Ye men brethren, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch David, 5 that he died, and was buried: and his sepulchre is with us to this present day. 30 Whereas therefore he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that of the fruit of his loins one should sit upon his throne: 31 Foreseeing this, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, 7 for neither was he left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption." 32 This JESUS hath God raised again, whereof all we are witnesses. 33 Being exalted therefore by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath poured forth this which you see and hear. 34 For David ascended not into heaven: but he himself said: The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy enemies thy foot-stool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know most certainly, that God hath made him both Lord, and CHRIST, this same Jesus, whom you have crucified. 37 Now when they had heard these the devil; not the will and determination of God, who was by no means the author of their wickedness; though he permitted it; because he could and did draw out of it so great a good, viz. the salvation of man. Ver. 24. Having loosed the sorrows, &c. Having overcome the grievous pains of death, and all the power of hell. |