6. When the apostles met together, they asked Jesus a question. "Lord," they said, "are you going to give the kingdom back to Israel now?"
7. He said to them, "You should not be concerned about times or dates. The Father has set them by his own authority.
8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem. You will be my witnesses in all Judea and Samaria. And you will be my witnesses from one end of the earth to the other."
9. After Jesus said this, he was taken up to heaven. They watched until a cloud hid him from their sight.
10. While he was going up, they kept on looking at the sky. Suddenly two men dressed in white clothing stood beside them.
11. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. But he will come back in the same way you saw him go."
12. The apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. It is almost a mile from the city.
13. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Peter, John, James and Andrew were there. Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew were there too. So were James, son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas, son of James.
14. They all came together regularly to pray. The women joined them too. So did Jesus' mother Mary and his brothers.