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The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 1 -

(Luke 1:1–4)
1
In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,
2
until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.
3
After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
4
And while they were gathered together,(a) He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss.
5
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.(b)”

The Ascension

(Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53)
6
So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7
Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.
8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9
After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
10
They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
11
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

Matthias Replaces Judas

12
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.(c)
13
When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
14
With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
15
In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,
16
“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.
17
He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”
18
(Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.
19
This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20
“For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’(d) and, ‘May another take his position.’(e)
21
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22
beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
23
So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
24
And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen
25
to take up this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.”
26
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Footnotes

(a)1:4 Or eating together
(b)1:5 Or For John baptized in water, but in a few days you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit; cited in Acts 11:16
(c)1:12 A Sabbath day’s journey is 2,000 cubits (approximately 3,000 feet or 914.4 meters)
(d)1:20 Psalms 69:25
(e)1:20 Psalms 109:8
(Luke 1:1–4)
1
The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,
2
until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3
To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about God’s Kingdom.
4
Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me.
5
For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Ascension

(Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53)
6
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
7
He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.
8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
9
When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10
While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold,(a) two men stood by them in white clothing,
11
who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.”

Matthias Replaces Judas

12
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13
When they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were staying, that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
14
All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15
In these days, Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred twenty), and said,
16
“Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus.
17
For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry.
18
Now this man obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness; and falling headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines gushed out.
19
It became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called ‘Akeldama,’ that is, ‘The field of blood.’
20
For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation be made desolate. Let no one dwell in it;’(b) and, ‘Let another take his office.’(c)
21
“Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22
beginning from the baptism of John to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
23
They put forward two: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
24
They prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen
25
to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.”
26
They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

Footnotes

(a)1:10 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
(b)1:20 ℘ Psalms 69:25
(c)1:20 ℘ Psalms 109:8
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