The Acts of the Apostles
1
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.”
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,
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.”
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;’
and,
‘Let another take
his office.’
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.