Acts 1

English Standard Version

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In the first book, O ^(A)Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began ^(B)to do and teach, ²until the day when ^(C)he was taken up, after he ^(D)had given commands ^(E)through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. ³^(F)He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

⁴And while staying^[a] with them ^(G)he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵for ^(H)John baptized with water, ^(I)but you will be baptized ^(J)with^[b] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Ascension

⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, ^(K)will you at this time ^(L)restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He said to them, ^(M)“It is not for you to know ^(N)times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive ^(O)power ^(P)when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and ^(Q)you will be ^(R)my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and ^(S)Samaria, and ^(T)to the end of the earth.” ⁹And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, ^(U)he was lifted up, and ^(V)a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, ^(W)two ^(X)men stood by them in ^(Y)white robes, ¹¹and said, ^(Z)“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, ^(AA)will ^(AB)come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

¹²Then ^(AC)they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. ¹³And when they had entered, they went up to ^(AD)the upper room, where they were staying, ^(AE)Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon ^(AF)the Zealot and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴All these ^(AG)with one accord ^(AH)were devoting themselves to prayer, together with ^(AI)the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and ^(AJ)his brothers.^[c]

¹⁵In those days Peter stood up among ^(AK)the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, ¹⁶“Brothers, ^(AL)the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, ^(AM)who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷For ^(AN)he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in ^(AO)this ministry.” ¹⁸(Now this man ^(AP)acquired a field with ^(AQ)the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong^[d] he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called ^(AR)in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰“For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

^(AS)“‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

and

^(AT)“‘Let another take his office.’

²¹So one of the men who have accompanied us during ^(AU)all the time that the Lord Jesus ^(AV)went in and out among us, ²²^(AW)beginning from the baptism of John until the day when ^(AX)he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us ^(AY)a witness to his resurrection.” ²³And they put forward two, Joseph called ^(AZ)Barsabbas, who was also called ^(BA)Justus, and ^(BB)Matthias. ²⁴And ^(BC)they prayed and said, “You, Lord, ^(BD)who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen ²⁵to take the place in ^(BE)this ministry and ^(BF)apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Footnotes

Acts 1:4 Or eating
Acts 1:5 Or in
Acts 1:14 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 15
Acts 1:18 Or swelling up

Acts 28

English Standard Version

Paul on Malta

28 After we were brought safely through, ^(A)we then learned that ^(B)the island was called Malta. ²^(C)The native people^[a] showed us unusual ^(D)kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. ³When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. ⁴When ^(E)the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ^(F)“No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, ^(G)Justice^[b] has not allowed him to live.” ⁵He, however, ^(H)shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, ^(I)they changed their minds and ^(J)said that he was a god.

⁷Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. ⁸It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and ^(K)prayed, and ^(L)putting his hands on him, healed him. ⁹And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. ¹⁰They also honored us greatly,^[c] and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

Paul Arrives at Rome

¹¹After three months we set sail in ^(M)a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods^[d] as a figurehead. ¹²Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. ¹³And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ¹⁴There we found ^(N)brothers^[e] and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. ¹⁵And ^(O)the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, ^(P)Paul thanked God and took courage. ¹⁶And when we came into Rome, ^(Q)Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul in Rome

¹⁷After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, ^(R)though I had done nothing against our people or ^(S)the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. ¹⁸When they had examined me, they ^(T)wished to set me at liberty, ^(U)because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. ¹⁹But because the Jews objected, I was compelled ^(V)to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against ^(W)my nation. ²⁰For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is ^(X)because of ^(Y)the hope of Israel that I am wearing ^(Z)this ^(AA)chain.” ²¹And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of ^(AB)the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. ²²But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this ^(AC)sect we know that everywhere ^(AD)it is spoken against.”

²³When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening ^(AE)he expounded to them, testifying to ^(AF)the kingdom of God and ^(AG)trying to convince them about Jesus ^(AH)both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. ²⁴And ^(AI)some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. ²⁵And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: ^(AJ)“The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

²⁶^(AK)“‘Go to this people, and say,
^(AL)“You will indeed hear but never understand,
    and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
²⁷^(AM)For this people's heart has grown dull,
    and with their ears they can barely hear,
    and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
    and ^(AN)turn, and I would heal them.’

²⁸Therefore let it be known to you that ^(AO)this ^(AP)salvation of God ^(AQ)has been sent to the Gentiles; ^(AR)they will listen.”^[f]

³⁰He lived there two whole years at his own expense,^[g] and ^(AS)welcomed all who came to him, ³¹^(AT)proclaiming ^(AU)the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ ^(AV)with all boldness and ^(AW)without hindrance.

Footnotes

Acts 28:2 Greek barbaroi (that is, non–Greek speakers); also verse 4
Acts 28:4 Or justice
Acts 28:10 Greek honored us with many honors
Acts 28:11 That is, the Greek gods Castor and Pollux
Acts 28:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 15, 21
Acts 28:28 Some manuscripts add verse 29: And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, having much dispute among themselves
Acts 28:30 Or in his own hired dwelling