not believe that Jesus was alive again.

"Unless," he said, "I see in his hands the marks that the nails made
when they crucified him, and unless I put my finger into those marks,
I will not believe."

Eight days later the disciples were all together. This time Thomas was
with the others. The doors were shut.

Suddenly Jesus appeared again, and said as he had said before,

"Peace be with you."

Then Jesus turned to Thomas, and said,

"Put your finger into the nail holes in my hand, and doubt no more,
but believe in me!"

Thomas fell down on his knees. He cried out, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to him:

"You believe in me because you have seen me with your own eyes. It is
still better when people believe even though they have not seen me."

After this the disciples saw Jesus many times and at many places. But
a day came at last after which they did not see him on earth again.

On this day Jesus appeared to them outside Jerusalem, and said:

"All power has been given to me in heaven and earth. I am Lord and
King of all men. Go and tell people of every nation about me, so that
they will believe in me. Baptize everybody in my name. Teach them
everything that I have taught you. You will not be alone, for although
you do not see me, I shall be with you always."

Then Jesus said to them: "Wait a little while. Wait in Jerusalem, and
someday soon you will know that the time has come to go out and
preach. God will give you the power to make other people believe in me
as their Saviour. You shall tell about me in Jerusalem, and in the
country all around; in Samaria, and in the farthest parts of the
earth."

He lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And as he blessed them, a
cloud covered him, and they did not see him any more.

Jesus had gone home to his Father.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

They stared up into the sky, where he seemed to have gone. As they
looked, they heard voices saying:

"You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into the sky? The
Lord Jesus will come again!"

Then they remembered that they had work to do before they again would
see Jesus. They had to go and preach, as Jesus had told them. They had
to tell about him to all people everywhere.

They walked back into Jerusalem. They had to wait; but now they were
not waiting for Christ the Saviour to come. They were waiting only for
the sign that would tell them it was time to go out and preach that
Christ had already come