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 account I compiled, O Theophilus, was about all that Jesus began 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 he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
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].
He presented himself alive to them, after his suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking about 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.
While he was with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “Which,” he said, “you heard about from 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].”
For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
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?”)
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are yoʋ going to restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?”
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 to them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by 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 you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
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].
After he said this, he was lifted up as they looked on, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
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].
As he went, they were gazing up into the sky, when behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.
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].”
They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen him go 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 they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.
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.
After entering the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, 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.
With one accord they were all devoting themselves to prayer and supplication, along with Jesus' brothers and several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus.
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,
In those days Peter stood up among the disciples (a crowd of about one hundred twenty people who were gathered together). He said,
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.
“Brothers, it was necessary for this Scripture to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested 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 he was numbered with us and received his share in 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.
(Now this man Judas had acquired a field with the wages of unrighteousness, and falling headfirst, his body burst open, and all his intestines gushed out.
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].
This became known to all who were dwelling in Jerusalem, so that in their language the field was called 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.’”
Peter continued, “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘May his homestead become desolate; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position as overseer.’
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.
Therefore, one of the men who have accompanied us during the entire time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among 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 baptism of John up to the day when Jesus was taken up from us, must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
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.
So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabas (who was given the name 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.”
Then they prayed, “Lord, yoʋ know the hearts of all; show us which of these two men yoʋ have chosen
to receive the share of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned away to go to 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.
Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias, so he was added to the eleven apostles.
