That time began when John was baptizing. It ended when Jesus was taken up from us. The one we choose must join us in telling people that Jesus rose from the dead.”

就是从约翰施洗起，直到主离开我们被接上升的日子为止，必须从那常与我们作伴的人中立一位与我们同作耶稣复活的见证。”

就是從約翰施洗起，直到主離開我們被接上升的日子為止，必須從那常與我們作伴的人中立一位與我們同作耶穌復活的見證。」

從約翰之施洗起、到主從我們中間被接上升的日子為止，所有同我們來往的這些人中間、必須有一位、同我們作他復活的見證。』

自約翰施洗始、至其別我接昇之日、須於常與我儕偕者、選舉一人、同證其復起也、

自約翰施洗至耶穌升天之日宜更有一人、共證耶穌復生、

自約翰施洗、至其別我升天之日、有常與我偕者、必由其中選一人、可與我儕同證耶穌復活、

即自如望施洗、至其昇天之日、與我同處之人中、遴選一人、共為耶穌復活之見證。』

beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us— one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”

from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”

beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us— from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us— one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection.

beginning from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up from us— from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

beginning from his baptism by John until the day he was taken up from us– one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.”

beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before Jesus left, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen. He did this through the Holy Spirit.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will tell people about me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria. And you will even tell other people about me from one end of the earth to the other.”After Jesus said this, he was taken up to heaven. The apostles watched until a cloud hid him from their sight.

With great power the apostles continued their teaching. They were telling people that the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead. And God’s grace was working powerfully in all of them.

Tiberius Caesar had been ruling for 15 years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod was the ruler of Galilee. His brother Philip was the ruler of Iturea and Traconitis. Lysanias was ruler of Abilene.Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. At that time God’s word came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert.He went into all the countryside around the Jordan River. There he preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them.Here is what is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet. It says,“ A messenger is calling out in the desert,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.Every valley will be filled in. Every mountain and hill will be made level. The crooked roads will become straight. The rough ways will become smooth.And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3–5)John spoke to the crowds coming to be baptized by him. He said,“ You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger?Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins. And don’t start saying to yourselves,‘ Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones.The ax is already lying at the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.”“ Then what should we do?” the crowd asked.John answered,“ Anyone who has extra clothes should share with the one who has none. And anyone who has extra food should do the same.”Even tax collectors came to be baptized.“ Teacher,” they asked,“ what should we do?”“ Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” John told them.Then some soldiers asked him,“ And what should we do?” John replied,“ Don’t force people to give you money. Don’t bring false charges against people. Be happy with your pay.”The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah.John answered them all,“ I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”John said many other things to warn the people. He also announced the good news to them.

This is the beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.Long ago Isaiah the prophet wrote,“ I will send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare your way.”( Malachi 3:1)“ A messenger is calling out in the desert,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3)And so John the Baptist appeared in the desert. He preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them.All the people from the countryside of Judea went out to him. All the people from Jerusalem went too. When they admitted they had sinned, John baptized them in the Jordan River.John wore clothes made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. And he ate locusts and wild honey.Here is what John was preaching.“ After me, there is someone coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not good enough to bend down and untie his sandals.I baptize you with water. But he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Then how will we escape if we don’t pay attention to God’s great salvation? The Lord first announced this salvation. Those who heard him gave us the message about it.

Before Jesus came, John preached that we should turn away from our sins and be baptized. He preached this to all Israel.John was coming to the end of his work.‘ Who do you suppose I am?’ he said.‘ I am not the one you are looking for. But there is someone coming after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.’

This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. That was where John was baptizing.The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said,“ Look! The Lamb of God! He takes away the sin of the world!This is the one I was talking about. I said,‘ A man who comes after me is more important than I am. That’s because he existed before I was born.’I did not know him. But God wants to make it clear to Israel who this person is. That’s the reason I came baptizing with water.”Then John told them,“ I saw the Holy Spirit come down from heaven like a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus.I myself did not know him. But the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,‘ You will see the Spirit come down and remain on someone. He is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’I have seen it happen. I am a witness that this is God’s Chosen One.”The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.He saw Jesus walking by. John said,“ Look! The Lamb of God!”The two disciples heard him say this. So they followed Jesus.Then Jesus turned around and saw them following. He asked,“ What do you want?” They said,“ Rabbi, where are you staying?” Rabbi means Teacher.“ Come,” he replied.“ You will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying. They spent the rest of the day with him. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.Andrew was Simon Peter’s brother. Andrew was one of the two disciples who heard what John had said. He had also followed Jesus.The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon. He told him,“ We have found the Messiah.” Messiah means Christ.And he brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said,“ You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas.” Cephas means Peter, or Rock.The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him,“ Follow me.”Philip was from the town of Bethsaida. So were Andrew and Peter.Philip found Nathanael and told him,“ We have found the one whom Moses wrote about in the Law. The prophets also wrote about him. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”“ Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.“ Come and see,” said Philip.Jesus saw Nathanael approaching. Here is what Jesus said about him.“ He is a true Israelite. Nothing about him is false.”“ How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered,“ I saw you while you were still under the fig tree. I saw you there before Philip called you.”Nathanael replied,“ Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the king of Israel.”Jesus said,“ You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.”Then he said to the disciples,“ What I’m about to tell you is true. You will see heaven open. You will see the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man.”

You must also be witnesses about me. That’s because you have been with me from the beginning.

In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the Desert of Judea.He said,“ Turn away from your sins! The kingdom of heaven has come near.”John is the one Isaiah the prophet had spoken about. He had said,“ A messenger is calling out in the desert,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3)John’s clothes were made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea. They also came from the whole area around the Jordan River.When they confessed their sins, John baptized them in the Jordan.John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing. He said to them,“ You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger?Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins.Don’t think you can say to yourselves,‘ Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones.The ax is ready to cut the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.“ I baptize you with water, calling you to turn away from your sins. But after me, someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.His pitchfork is in his hand to clear the straw from his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the storeroom. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He wanted to be baptized by John.But John tried to stop him. So he told Jesus,“ I need to be baptized by you. So why do you come to me?”Jesus replied,“ Let it be this way for now. It is right for us to do this. It carries out God’s holy plan.” Then John agreed.As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened. Jesus saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove.A voice from heaven said,“ This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him.”