Alexander the Great

1 After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated^[a] King Darius of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.)^{(A) 2} He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and slaughtered the kings of the earth. ³ He advanced to the ends of the earth and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up.^{(B) 4} He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they paid him tribute.

⁵ After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying. ⁶ So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. ⁷ And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.

⁸ Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place. ⁹ They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their descendants after them for many years, and they caused many evils on the earth.^(C)

Antiochus Epiphanes and Renegade Jews

¹⁰ From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.^(D)

¹¹ In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the nations around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.”^{(E) 12} This proposal pleased them, ¹³ and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the nations.^{(F) 14} So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the customs of the nations,^{(G) 15} and made foreskins for themselves, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the nations and sold themselves to do evil.^(H)

Antiochus in Egypt

¹⁶ When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. ¹⁷ So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet.^{(I) 18} He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell.^{(J) 19} They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach^{(A) 2} until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.^{(B) 3} After his suffering^[a] he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.^{(C) 4} While staying^[b] with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me;^{(D) 5} for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with^[c] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”^(E)

The Ascension of Jesus

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”^{(F) 7} He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.^{(G) 8} But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”^{(H) 9} When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.^{(I) 10} While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them.^{(J) 11} They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”^(K)

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of^[d] James.^{(L) 14} All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.^(M)

¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, ¹⁶ “Brothers and sisters,^[e] the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus,^{(N) 17} for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”^{(O) 18} (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out.^{(P) 19} This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ “For it is written in the book of Psalms,

and

²¹ “So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.”^{(R) 23} So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴ Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen^{(S) 25} to take the place^[f] in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Persecution of the Jews

²⁰ After subduing Egypt, Antiochus turned back in the one hundred forty-third year and went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force.^{(A) 21} He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils.^{(B) 22} He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off.^{(C) 23} He took the silver and the gold and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found.^{(D) 24} Taking them all, he went into his own land.

The Occupation of Jerusalem

²⁹ Two years later the king sent to the cities of Judah a chief collector of tribute, and he came to Jerusalem with a large force.^{(G) 30} Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed him, but he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed many people of Israel.^{(H) 31} He plundered the city, burned it with fire, and tore down its houses and its surrounding walls. ³² They took captive the women and children and seized the livestock. ³³ Then they fortified the city of David with a large strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel.^{(I) 34} They stationed there a sinful nation, men who were renegades. These strengthened their position;^{(J) 35} they stored up arms and food, and, collecting the spoils of Jerusalem, they stored them there and became a great menace,

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.^{(A) 2} And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.^{(B) 3} Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.^(C)

⁵ Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶ And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. ⁷ Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” ¹² All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews^[a] and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. ¹⁵ Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.^{(D) 16} No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: