The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 722

21:12. 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.

21:13. And Jesus cometh and taketh bread and giveth them: and fish in like manner.

21:14. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to his disciples, after he was risen from the dead.

21:15. 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.

21:16. He saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith to him: yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs.

21:17. 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.

Feed my sheep... Our Lord had promised the spiritual supremacy to St.

Peter; St. Matt. 16. 19; and here he fulfils that promise, by charging him with the superintendency of all his sheep, without exception; and consequently of his whole flock, that is, of his own church.

21:18. Amen, amen, I say to thee, 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.

21:19. And this he said, signifying by what death he should glorify G.o.d.

And when he had said this, he saith to him: Follow me.

21:20. Peter turning about, saw that disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also leaned on his breast at supper and said: Lord, who is he that shall betray thee?

21:21. Him therefore when Peter had seen, he saith to Jesus: Lord, and what shall this man do?

21:22. Jesus saith to him: So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? Follow thou me.

21:23. 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?

21:24. This is that disciple who giveth testimony of these things and hath written these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

21:25. But 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.

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 action 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 ends in the year sixty-three, being a brief account of the Church for the s.p.a.ce of about thirty years.

Acts Chapter 1

The ascension of Christ. Matthias is chosen in place of Judas.

1:1. The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach,

1:2. Until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up.

1:3. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his pa.s.sion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of G.o.d.

1:4. And eating together with them, 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.

1:5. For John indeed baptized with water: but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence.

1:6. They therefore who were come together, asked him, saying: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?

1:7. But he said to them: It is not for you to know the time or moments, which the Father hath put in his own power:

1:8. But 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.

1:9. And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight.

1:10. And while they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments.

1:11. 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.

1:12. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount that is called Olivet, which is nigh Jerusalem, within a sabbath day's journey.

1:13. 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.

1:14. All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

1:15. 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):

1:16. 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:

1:17. Who was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

1:18. And he indeed hath possessed a field of the reward of iniquity, and being hanged, burst asunder in the midst: and all his bowels gushed out.

1:19. 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.

1:20. For it is written in the book of Psalms: Let their habitation become desolate, and let there be none to dwell therein. And his bishopric let another take.

1:21. Wherefore of these men who have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us,

1:22. 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.

1:23. And they appointed two, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

1:24. And praying, they said: Thou, Lord, who knowest the heart of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

1:25. To take the place of this ministry and apostles.h.i.+p, from which Judas hath by transgression fallen, that he might go to his own place.

1:26. And they gave them lot, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Acts Chapter 2