should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.

And He said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth, and is baptised, shall be saved: but he that believeth not, shall be condemned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In My name they shall cast out devils they shall speak with new tongues: they shall take up serpents: and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover.

CHAP. XLIV. The Incredulity of Thomas. Jesus appears at the Sea of Tiberias. Christ's Charge to Peter.

ONE of the apostles, Thomas, called Didymus, was not with the others when Jesus appeared to them. And when they told him, We have seen the Lord, he replied: 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. And after eight days, His disciples were again within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the door being shut, and stood in the midst; and said: Peace be to you. 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 incredulous, but faithful. Thomas answered, and said to Him: My Lord, and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.

After this Jesus shewed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. And He shewed Himself after this manner. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus, and Nathanael who was of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples. 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 a ship: and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was come, Jesus stood on the shore: yet the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. And Jesus said to them: Children, have you any meat? They answered Him: No. He saith to 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. That disciple, therefore, whom Jesus loved, said to Peter: It is the Lord. Simon Peter, when he heard that it was the Lord, girded his coat about him (for he was naked), and cast himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the ship (for they were not far from the land, but as it were two hundred cubits), drawing the net with fishes. As soon, then, as they came to land, they saw hot coals lying, and a fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith to them: Bring hither of the fishes which you have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, one hundred and fifty-three. And although there were so many, the net was not broken. 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. And Jesus cometh and taketh bread, and giveth them: and fish in like manner. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to His disciples, after He was risen from the dead.

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 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. He saith to him the third time: Simon son of John, lovest thou Me? Peter was grieved, because He 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. 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. And this He said, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had said this, He saith to him: Follow Me.

CHAP. XLV. The Ascension.

AFTER this the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to a mountain which Jesus had appointed. And when they saw Him they adored Him, but some doubted. And Jesus said to them: All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth. Go, therefore, and teach all nations; baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

And 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. For John indeed baptized with water: but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence. They, therefore, who were come together, asked Him, saying: Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 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: 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. And the forty days which were to pass between His resurrection and ascension being now accomplished, He led them out as far as Bethania; and while they looked on He was lifted up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

And while they were beholding Him going up to

heaven, behold, two men stood by them, in white garments. Who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, so shall He come as you have seen Him going into heaven. Then they returned to Jerusalem, from the mount that is called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, within a sabbath-day's journey.

BOOK VII.

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

CHAP. I. The Gift of the Holy Ghost. Peter preaches to the People.

THE disciples of our blessed Lord now remained in Jerusalem, waiting for the fulfilment of His promised gift of the Holy Ghost, before they commenced the work of preaching the gospel. They were in number about one hundred and twenty. Mary, His blessed Mother, continued with them, with one mind in prayer. She dwelt with the apostle St. John, according to her divine Son's command, Joseph her husband being now dead.

The first duty of the apostles was to fill up the place in their number which was vacant by the death of Judas Iscariot the traitor. They chose two men from those who had followed Jesus from the time He began to preach, and who were witnesses of His resurrection, by name Barsabas and Matthias. And when they had prayed, they cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

And on the fiftieth day after the resurrection, on the feast of Pentecost, they were all together in the same place and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming: and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them cloven tongues as it were of fire: and it sat upon each of them: 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. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. And

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