Actuum Apostolorum 1
1 primum quidem sermonem feci de omnibus o Theophile quae coepit Iesus facere et docere
The first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first,
2 usque in diem qua praecipiens apostolis per Spiritum Sanctum quos elegit adsumptus est
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.
3 quibus et praebuit se ipsum vivum post passionem suam in multis argumentis per dies quadraginta apparens eis et loquens de regno Dei
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.
4 et convescens praecepit eis ab Hierosolymis ne discederent sed expectarent promissionem Patris quam audistis per os meum
And once, when he had gathered them together, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfilment of the Father’s promise – ‘that promise,’ he said, ‘of which you have heard me speak;
5 quia Iohannes quidem baptizavit aqua vos autem baptizabimini Spiritu Sancto non post multos hos dies
for, while John baptized with water, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit before many days have passed.’
6 igitur qui convenerant interrogabant eum dicentes Domine si in tempore hoc restitues regnum Israhel
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?’
7 dixit autem eis non est vestrum nosse tempora vel momenta quae Pater posuit in sua potestate
His answer was, ‘It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;
8 sed accipietis virtutem supervenientis Spiritus Sancti in vos et eritis mihi testes in Hierusalem et in omni Iudaea et Samaria et usque ad ultimum terrae
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.’
9 et cum haec dixisset videntibus illis elevatus est et nubes suscepit eum ab oculis eorum
No sooner had Jesus said this than he was caught up before their eyes, and a cloud received him from their sight.
10 cumque intuerentur in caelum eunte illo ecce duo viri adstiterunt iuxta illos in vestibus albis
While they were still gazing up into the heavens, as he went, suddenly two men, clothed in white, stood beside them,
11 qui et dixerunt viri galilaei quid statis aspicientes in caelum hic Iesus qui adsumptus est a vobis in caelum sic veniet quemadmodum vidistis eum euntem in caelum
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.’
12 tunc reversi sunt Hierosolymam a monte qui vocatur Oliveti qui est iuxta Hierusalem sabbati habens iter
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called Olivet, which is about three quarters of a mile from the city.
13 et cum introissent in cenaculum ascenderunt ubi manebant Petrus et Iohannes Iacobus et Andreas Philippus et Thomas Bartholomeus et Mattheus Iacobus Alphei et Simon Zelotes et Iudas Iacobi
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.
14 hii omnes erant perseverantes unianimiter in oratione cum mulieribus et Maria matre Iesu et fratribus eius
They all united in devoting themselves to prayer, and so did some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
15 et in diebus illis exsurgens Petrus in medio fratrum dixit erat autem turba nominum simul fere centum viginti
About this time, at a meeting of the Lord’s followers, when there were about a hundred and twenty present, Peter rose to speak.
16 viri fratres oportet impleri scripturam quam praedixit Spiritus Sanctus per os David de Iuda qui fuit dux eorum qui conprehenderunt Iesum
‘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,
17 quia connumeratus erat in nobis et sortitus est sortem ministerii huius
for he was one of our number and had his part allotted him in this work of ours.’
18 et hic quidem possedit agrum de mercede iniquitatis et suspensus crepuit medius et diffusa sunt omnia viscera eius
(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.
19 et notum factum est omnibus habitantibus Hierusalem ita ut appellaretur ager ille lingua eorum Acheldemach hoc est ager Sanguinis
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.”)
20 scriptum est enim in libro Psalmorum fiat commoratio eius deserta et non sit qui inhabitet in ea et episcopatum eius accipiat alius
‘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.”
21 oportet ergo ex his viris qui nobiscum congregati sunt in omni tempore quo intravit et exivit inter nos Dominus Iesus
Therefore, from among the men who have been with us all the time that Jesus, our Master, went in and out among us –
22 incipiens a baptismate Iohannis usque in diem qua adsumptus est a nobis testem resurrectionis eius nobiscum fieri unum ex istis
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.’
23 et statuerunt duos Ioseph qui vocabatur Barsabban qui cognominatus est Iustus et Matthiam
So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas, whose other name was Justus, and Matthias;
24 et orantes dixerunt tu Domine qui corda nosti omnium ostende quem elegeris ex his duobus unum
and they offered this prayer – ‘Lord, who reads all hearts, show which of these two men you have chosen
25 accipere locum ministerii huius et apostolatus de quo praevaricatus est Iudas ut abiret in locum suum
to take the place in this apostolic work, which Judas has abandoned, to go to his proper place.’
26 et dederunt sortes eis et cecidit sors super Matthiam et adnumeratus est cum undecim apostolis
Then they drew lots between them; and, the lot having fallen to Matthias, he was added to the number of the eleven apostles.
