Ascension Scripture References

NOTE THAT THE STORY WE MOST ASSOCIATE WITH THE ASCENSION IS NOT IN ANY OF THE GOSPELS, BUT IS IN ACTS OF THE APOSTLES:

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1:6-11

6 When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going* to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority.

8 But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.

10 While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.

11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

THE ENDINGS OF THE THREE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WERE WRITTEN

MATTHEW 26: 16-20

16 The eleven* disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.

17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.

18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19 Go, therefore,* and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,

20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.* And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

MARK 16:15-20

i15 He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.

16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages.

18 They will pick up serpents [with their hands], and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.

20 But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

LUKE 24:46-53 

46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 

47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 

48 You are witnesses of these things. 

49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 

51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 

52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

NB: The Gospel of John ends with the little breakfast barbecue by the lake after a little night fishing. It does not reference the Ascension at all and may have been appended later:

JOHN 21:

1 After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way.

2 Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.

3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5 Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.”

6 So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.

7 So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea.

8 The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.

9 When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

11 So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three* large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

12Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him,* “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord.

13Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish.

14 This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”* He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

16 He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep.

18*  Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”

19 He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

20 Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?”

21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come?* What concern is it of yours? You follow me.”

23  So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just “What if I want him to remain until I come? [What concern is it of yours?]”

24 It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them,* and we know that his testimony is true.

25 There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.