For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them."

It was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them. "Peace be with you," he said.

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you."

If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!"

Jesus said to him, "Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!"

They entered the city and went up to the room where they were staying: Peter, John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Patriot, and Judas son of James.

They gathered frequently to pray as a group, together with the women and with Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers.

When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one place.

They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers.

One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a young servant woman who had an evil spirit that enabled her to predict the future. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.

On Saturday evening we gathered together for the fellowship meal. Paul spoke to the people and kept on speaking until midnight, since he was going to leave the next day.

(SEE 5:3)

In the following instructions, however, I do not praise you, because your meetings for worship actually do more harm than good.

In the first place, I have been told that there are opposing groups in your meetings; and this I believe is partly true.

When you meet together as a group, it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat.

If, then, the whole church meets together and everyone starts speaking in strange tongues---and if some ordinary people or unbelievers come in, won't they say that you are all crazy?

These are the people who cause divisions, who are controlled by their natural desires, who do not have the Spirit.

Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good.

Instead, in order that none of you be deceived by sin and become stubborn, you must help one another every day, as long as the word "Today" in the scripture applies to us.

if it is to encourage others, we should do so. Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully.

But those who proclaim God's message speak to people and give them help, encouragement, and comfort.

So then, encourage one another with these words.

And so encourage one another and help one another, just as you are now doing.

In the same way, when you see all these things, you will know that the time is near, ready to begin.

Remember that all these things will happen before the people now living have all died.

In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that the time is near, ready to begin.

Remember that all these things will happen before the people now living have all died.

You must do this, because you know that the time has come for you to wake up from your sleep. For the moment when we will be saved is closer now than it was when we first believed.

Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of day---no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy.

Show a gentle attitude toward everyone. The Lord is coming soon.

You also must be patient. Keep your hopes high, for the day of the Lord's coming is near.

The end of all things is near. You must be self-controlled and alert, to be able to pray.

The Lord is not slow to do what he has promised, as some think. Instead, he is patient with you, because he does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins.

Since all these things will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people should you be? Your lives should be holy and dedicated to God,

And so, my friends, as you wait for that Day, do your best to be pure and faultless in God's sight and to be at peace with him.