Jesus said to them, "What are you talking about to each other, as you walk along?" They stood still, with sad faces.

"What things?" he asked. "The things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth," they answered. "This man was a prophet and was considered by God and by all the people to be powerful in everything he said and did.

And we had hoped that he would be the one who was going to set Israel free! Besides all that, this is now the third day since it happened.

And at the end of that time God's chosen leader will be killed unjustly. The city and the Temple will be destroyed by the invading army of a powerful ruler. The end will come like a flood, bringing the war and destruction which God has prepared.

The LORD Almighty says, "Wake up, sword, and attack the shepherd who works for me! Kill him, and the sheep will be scattered. I will attack my people

You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me."

My children, I shall not be with you very much longer. You will look for me; but I tell you now what I told the Jewish authorities, 'You cannot go where I am going.'

And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am.

You know the way that leads to the place where I am going."

But I have told you this, so that when the time comes for them to do these things, you will remember what I told you. "I did not tell you these things at the beginning, for I was with you.

And now that I have told you, your hearts are full of sadness.

"In a little while you will not see me any more, and then a little while later you will see me."

What does this 'a little while' mean? We don't know what he is talking about!"

I am telling you the truth: you will cry and weep, but the world will be glad; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into gladness.

That is how it is with you: now you are sad, but I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you.

I did come from the Father, and I came into the world; and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father."

And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one just as you and I are one.

And now I am coming to you, and I say these things in the world so that they might have my joy in their hearts in all its fullness.

After saying this, he was taken up to heaven as they watched him, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

He must remain in heaven until the time comes for all things to be made new, as God announced through his holy prophets of long ago.

The Sovereign LORD Almighty was calling you then to weep and mourn, to shave your heads and wear sackcloth.

When you go without food, wash your face and comb your hair,

so that others cannot know that you are fasting---only your Father, who is unseen, will know. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.

While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, to do the work to which I have called them."

They fasted and prayed, placed their hands on them, and sent them off.

In each church they appointed elders, and with prayers and fasting they commended them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Do not deny yourselves to each other, unless you first agree to do so for a while in order to spend your time in prayer; but then resume normal marital relations. In this way you will be kept from giving in to Satan's temptation because of your lack of self-control.

There has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing.