Acts 1
1 The first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first,
The first narrative, indeed, made I, concerning all things, O Theophilus, which Jesus began both to do and teach, —
2 down to that day on which he was taken up to heaven, after he had, by the help of the Holy Spirit, given instructions to the apostles whom he had chosen.
Until the day when, having given command unto the apostles, whom through Holy Spirit he had chosen, he was taken up;
3 With abundant proofs, he showed himself to them, still living, after his death; appearing to them from time to time during forty days, and speaking of all that related to the kingdom of God.
Unto whom he also presented himself alive, after he had suffered, by many sure tokens, throughout forty days making himself visible unto them, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God.
4 And once, when he had gathered them together, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfillment of the Father’s promise – “that promise,” he said, “of which you have heard me speak;
And being in company with them he charged them, from Jerusalem, not to absent themselves, but—To abide around the promise of the Father which ye have heard of me,
5 for, while John baptized with water, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit before many days have passed.”
Because, John, indeed, immersed with water; but, ye, in Holy Spirit shall be immersed, —after not many of these days.
6 So, when the apostles had met together, they asked Jesus this question – “Master, is this the time when you intend to re-establish the kingdom for Israel?”
They, therefore, having come together, began to question him, saying—Lord! art thou at this time duly establishing the kingdom unto Israel?
7 His answer was, “It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;
He said unto them—It is not yours to get to know times or seasons which the Father hath put in his own authority;
8 but you will receive power, when the Holy Spirit will have descended on you, and will be witnesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
But ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit cometh upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and [in] all Judaea and Samaria and as far as the uttermost part of the land.
9 No sooner had Jesus said this than he was caught up before their eyes, and a cloud received him from their sight.
And having said these things, as they were beholding, he was lifted up, and a cloud caught him away from their eyes.
10 While they were still gazing up into the heavens, as he went, suddenly two men, clothed in white, stood beside them,
And, while they were looking steadfastly into heaven as he was going his way, then lo! two men had taken their stand beside them, in white garments, —
11 and said, “People of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the heavens? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into the heavens, will come in the same way in which you have seen him go into the heavens.”
Who also said—Men of Galilee! why stand ye looking into heaven? This Jesus who hath been taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, in like manner as ye yourselves have gazed upon him going into heaven.
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called Olivet, which is about three quarters of a mile from the city.
Then returned they into Jerusalem, from a mountain called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey.
13 When they reached Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room, where they were staying. There were there Peter, John, James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
And, when they had entered, into the upper-story went they up, where remained behind—both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the zealot, and Judas the son of James.
14 They all united in devoting themselves to prayer, and so did some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
These all were giving constant attention with one accord unto the prayer, with [certain] women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
15 About this time, at a meeting of the Lord’s followers, when there were about a hundred and twenty present, Peter rose to speak.
And, in these days, Peter, standing up in the midst of the brethren, said, —and there was a multitude of names, of one accord, about a hundred and twenty, —
16 “Friends,” he said, “it was necessary that the prediction of scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit made by the lips of David about Judas, who acted as guide to the men who arrested Jesus,
Brethren! It was needful for the Scripture to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spake beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, —who became guide unto them who apprehended Jesus;
17 for he was one of our number and had his part allotted him in this work of ours.”
For that he had come to be reckoned among us and obtained the lot of this ministry.—
18 (This man had bought a piece of land with the price of his treachery; and, falling heavily, his body had burst open, and all his bowels protruded.
This man therefore had possessed himself of a field out of the reward of unrighteousness, —and falling headlong burst asunder in the midst, and forth gushed all his bowels;
19 This became known to everyone living in Jerusalem, so that the field came to be called, in their language, ‘Akeldama,’ which means the ‘Field of Blood.’)
And it became known unto all them who were dwelling in Jerusalem, so that that field was called, in their language, Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.—
20 “For in the book of Psalms,” Peter continued, “it is said – ‘Let his home become desolate, and let no one live in it’; and also – ‘His office let another take.’
For it is written in the book of Psalms: Let his encampment become desolate, and let there be none to dwell therein! And—his overseership, let a different man take!
21 Therefore, from among the men who have been with us all the time that Jesus, our Master, went in and out among us –
It is needful then that, of the men who companied with us during all the time in which the Lord Jesus came in and went out over us,
22 from his baptism by John down to that day on which he was taken from us – someone must be found to join us as a witness of his resurrection.”
Beginning from the immersion by John until the day when he was taken up from us, that, a witness of his resurrection along with us, should one of these become.
23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas, whose other name was Justus, and Matthias;
And they appointed two, —Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 and they offered this prayer – “Lord, who reads all hearts, show which of these two men you have chosen
And, praying, they said—Thou Lord! observer of the hearts of all men! shew forth whom thou hast chosen, —of these two, one; —
25 to take the place in this apostolic work, which Judas has abandoned, to go to his proper place.”
To take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas went aside, to go his way unto his own place.
26 Then they drew lots between them; and, the lot having fallen to Matthias, he was added to the number of the eleven apostles.
And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
