Acts 1
1 [Dear] Theophilus, In my first book [that I wrote for you], I wrote about many of the things that Jesus did and taught
The first narrative, indeed, made I, concerning all things, O Theophilus, which Jesus began both to do and teach, —
2 until the day on which he was taken {[God] took him} up [to heaven]. Before [he went to heaven], saying what the Holy Spirit [told him], he told the apostles whom he had chosen [the things that he wanted them to know].
Until the day when, having given command unto the apostles, whom through Holy Spirit he had chosen, he was taken up;
3 After he had suffered [and died on the cross], [he became alive again]. As he appeared to them [often] during [the next] 40 days, the apostles saw him many times. He proved to them in many ways that he was alive again. He talked [with them] about [how] God would rule [MET] [the lives of people who accepted him as their king].
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 [One time] while he was with them, he told them, “Do not leave Jerusalem [yet]. Instead, wait [here] until my Father sends [his Spirit] [MTY] [to you], as he promised [to do]. You have heard me speak [to you] about that.
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 John baptized people in water [because they said that they wanted to change their lives], but after a few days [LIT] [God] will put the Holy Spirit within you(pl) [to truly change your lives].”
Because, John, indeed, immersed with water; but, ye, in Holy Spirit shall be immersed, —after not many of these days.
6 One day when the [apostles] met together [with Jesus], they asked him, “Lord, will you [(sg)] now become the King [MET] over [us] Israelite people [like King David, who ruled long ago]?” (OR, “Lord, will you [(sg)] now [defeat the Romans and] restore the kingdom [to us] Israelite people?”)
They, therefore, having come together, began to question him, saying—Lord! art thou at this time duly establishing the kingdom unto Israel?
7 He replied to them, “You do not [need] to know the time [periods] and days [when that will happen]. My Father alone has decided [when he will make me king].
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 do need to know that] the Holy Spirit will make you [spiritually] strong when he comes to live in you. Then you will [powerfully] tell people about me in Jerusalem and in all [the other places in] Judea [district], in Samaria [district], and in places far away all over [IDM] the world.”
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 After he said that, he was taken {[God] took him} up [to heaven], while they were watching. [He went up into] a cloud [PRS], which prevented them from seeing him [any more].
And having said these things, as they were beholding, he was lifted up, and a cloud caught him away from their eyes.
10 While [the apostles] were [still] staring towards the sky as he was going up, suddenly two men who were wearing white clothes stood beside them. [They were angels].
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 One [of] them said, “You men from Galilee [district], (you do not need to stand [here any longer] looking up at the sky!/why do you still stand [here] looking up at the sky?) [RHQ] [Some day] this same Jesus, whom [God] took from you up to heaven, will come back [to earth]. He will return in the same manner as you [just now] saw him when he went up to heaven, [but he will not return now].”
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 [after the two angels left], the apostles returned to Jerusalem from Olive [Tree] Hill, which was about (a half mile/one kilometer) [MTY] from Jerusalem.
Then returned they into Jerusalem, from a mountain called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey.
13 When they entered [the city], they went upstairs to the room [in the house] where they were staying. [Those who were there included] Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, [another] James [the son] of Alphaeus, Simon who belonged to the group that wanted to expel the Romans, and Judas [the son] of [another man named] 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 All these apostles agreed concerning the things about which they continually were praying [together. Others who prayed with them] included the women [who had accompanied Jesus], Mary who was Jesus’ mother, and his [younger] 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 During those days Peter stood up among his fellow believers. There were [at that place] a group of about 120 of [Jesus’ followers]. Peter said,
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 “My fellow believers, [there are words that King] David wrote [MTY] in the Scriptures long ago that needed to be fulfilled {to happen [as he said they would]}. The Holy Spirit, [who knew that Judas would be the one who would fulfill those words], told David what to write.
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 [Although] Judas had been chosen {[Jesus] had chosen Judas}, along with [the rest of] us [(exc)] to serve [as an apostle], Judas was the person who led to Jesus the people who seized him.”
For that he had come to be reckoned among us and obtained the lot of this ministry.—
18 [The Jewish leaders] gave Judas money when he [promised to] treacherously/wickedly [betray Jesus. Later Judas returned that money to them]. When Judas [hanged himself], his body fell down [to the ground]. His abdomen burst open, and all his intestines spilled out. [So] the [Jewish leaders] bought a field [using] that money.
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 All the people who reside in Jerusalem heard [about that], so they called that field in their own [Aramaic] language, Akeldama, which means ‘Field of Blood’, [because it was where someone bled and died].
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 [Peter also said], “[I perceive that what happened to Judas is like what the writer of] Psalms [desired to happen]: ‘May his house become deserted, and may there be no one to live in it.’ (OR, ‘[Judge him, Lord, so that neither he nor] anyone [else] may live in his house!)’ And it seems that [these other words that David wrote also refer to Judas: ] ‘Let someone else take over his work as a leader.’”
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 “So it is necessary [for us apostles] to choose a man [to replace Judas. He must be one who] accompanied [MTY] us all the time when the Lord Jesus was with 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 [That would be] from [the time when] John [the Baptizer] baptized [Jesus] until the day when Jesus was taken {when [God] took Jesus} from us up [to heaven]. He must be one who saw Jesus alive again [after he died].”
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 the [apostles and other believers] suggested [the names of two men who qualified. One man was] Joseph, who was called {whom people called} Barsabbas (OR, Joseph Barsabbas) who [also] had the [Roman] name Justus. The other man was Matthias.
And they appointed two, —Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 Then they prayed like this: “Lord [Jesus], Judas stopped being an apostle. [He died and] went to the place where he [deserved to be] [EUP]. [So we(exc) need to choose someone] to replace [Judas in order] that he can serve [you(sg) by becoming] an apostle. You [(sg)] know what everyone is really like. So [please] show us 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; —
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 cast lots [to choose between the two of] them, and the lot fell for Matthias. (OR, Then [one of] the [apostles] shook [in a container] small objects/stones [that] they [had marked to determine which man God had chosen]. And the small object/stone [that they had marked] for Matthias fell [out of the container]). So Matthias was considered {they considered Matthias} [to be an apostle] along with the [other] eleven apostles.
And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
