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Introduction

The first [a]account I made, Theophilus, was [a continuous report] about all the things that Jesus began to do and to [b]teach(A) until the day when He ascended to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given instruction to the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen. To these [men] He also showed Himself alive after His suffering [in Gethsemane and on the cross], by [a series of] many infallible proofs and unquestionable demonstrations, appearing to them over a period of forty days and talking to them about the things concerning the kingdom of God. While being together and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak.(B) For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked Him repeatedly, “Lord, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”

The Ascension

And after He said these things, He was caught up as they looked on, and a cloud took Him up out of their sight. 10 While they were looking intently into the sky as He was going, two men in white clothing suddenly stood beside them, 11 who said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

The Upper Room

12 Then the disciples returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet (Olive Grove), which is near Jerusalem, [only] a Sabbath day’s journey (less than one mile) away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went upstairs to the upper room where they were staying [indefinitely]; that is, Peter, and John and [his brother] James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew (Nathanael) and Matthew, [c]James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas (Thaddaeus) the son of James. 14 All these with one mind and one purpose were continually devoting themselves to prayer, [waiting together] along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

15 Now on one of these days Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty believers was there) and he said, 16 “Brothers and sisters, it was necessary that the Scripture be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the lips of David [king of Israel] about Judas [Iscariot], who acted as guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he (Judas) was counted among us and received his share [by divine allotment] in this ministry.” 18 (Now Judas Iscariot [d]acquired a piece of land [indirectly] with the [money paid him as a] reward for his treachery, and falling headlong, his body burst open in the middle and all his intestines poured out. 19 All the people in Jerusalem learned about this, so in their own dialect—Aramaic—they called the piece of land Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For in the book of Psalms it is written,

Let his place of residence become desolate,
And let there be no one to live in it’;

and [again],

Let another take his position as overseer.’(C)

21 So of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus spent with us, 22 beginning with the baptism by John [at the outset of Jesus’ ministry] until the day when He was taken up from us—one of these men must become a witness with us [to testify] of His resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two men, Joseph, the one called Barsabbas (who was surnamed Justus), and Matthias. 24 They prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know all hearts [their thoughts, motives, desires], show us which one of these two You have chosen 25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship which Judas left to go to his own place [of evil].” 26 And they [e]cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 1:1 Luke is referring to his gospel.
  2. Acts 1:1 As the gospel tells us what Jesus began to do and teach, so Acts tells what He continued to do and teach by His Holy Spirit (F. F. Bruce).
  3. Acts 1:13 Also known as James the Less or James the Younger. His mother, Mary (Gr Maria), may have been either a sister or sister-in-law of Mary (Gr Mariam), the mother of Jesus.
  4. Acts 1:18 Peter means that the chief priests purchased the field in Judas’ name. He had returned to them with the money, and when they refused to accept it, he threw it into the temple sanctuary (Matt 27:3 ff). Afterwards they decided to buy the field for use as a burial ground for strangers. Peter goes on to say that Judas was disemboweled in a fall, while Matthew reports that Judas hanged himself (Matt 27:5). One explanation for the apparent discrepancy is that the rope or line that Judas was using broke, and the body fell in such a way as to be disemboweled (Matt 27:3 ff).
  5. Acts 1:26 The custom of the Jews was to write the names on stones, place them in a container and shake it until one stone fell out.

La promesa del Espíritu Santo

En el primer tratado, oh Teófilo,(A) hablé acerca de todas las cosas que Jesús comenzó a hacer y a enseñar, hasta el día en que fue recibido arriba, después de haber dado mandamientos por el Espíritu Santo a los apóstoles que había escogido; a quienes también, después de haber padecido, se presentó vivo con muchas pruebas indubitables, apareciéndoseles durante cuarenta días y hablándoles acerca del reino de Dios. Y estando juntos, les mandó que no se fueran de Jerusalén, sino que esperasen la promesa del Padre,(B) la cual, les dijo, oísteis de mí. Porque Juan ciertamente bautizó con agua, mas vosotros seréis bautizados con el Espíritu Santo(C) dentro de no muchos días.

La ascensión

Entonces los que se habían reunido le preguntaron, diciendo: Señor, ¿restaurarás el reino a Israel en este tiempo? Y les dijo: No os toca a vosotros saber los tiempos o las sazones, que el Padre puso en su sola potestad; pero recibiréis poder, cuando haya venido sobre vosotros el Espíritu Santo, y me seréis testigos en Jerusalén, en toda Judea, en Samaria, y hasta lo último de la tierra.(D) Y habiendo dicho estas cosas, viéndolo ellos, fue alzado, y le recibió una nube que le ocultó de sus ojos.(E) 10 Y estando ellos con los ojos puestos en el cielo, entre tanto que él se iba, he aquí se pusieron junto a ellos dos varones con vestiduras blancas, 11 los cuales también les dijeron: Varones galileos, ¿por qué estáis mirando al cielo? Este mismo Jesús, que ha sido tomado de vosotros al cielo, así vendrá como le habéis visto ir al cielo.

Elección del sucesor de Judas

12 Entonces volvieron a Jerusalén desde el monte que se llama del Olivar, el cual está cerca de Jerusalén, camino de un día de reposo.[a] 13 Y entrados, subieron al aposento alto, donde moraban Pedro y Jacobo, Juan, Andrés, Felipe, Tomás, Bartolomé, Mateo, Jacobo hijo de Alfeo, Simón el Zelote y Judas hermano de Jacobo.(F) 14 Todos estos perseveraban unánimes en oración y ruego, con las mujeres, y con María la madre de Jesús, y con sus hermanos.

15 En aquellos días Pedro se levantó en medio de los hermanos (y los reunidos eran como ciento veinte en número), y dijo: 16 Varones hermanos, era necesario que se cumpliese la Escritura en que el Espíritu Santo habló antes por boca de David acerca de Judas, que fue guía de los que prendieron a Jesús, 17 y era contado con nosotros, y tenía parte en este ministerio. 18 Este, pues, con el salario de su iniquidad adquirió un campo, y cayendo de cabeza, se reventó por la mitad, y todas sus entrañas se derramaron. 19 Y fue notorio a todos los habitantes de Jerusalén, de tal manera que aquel campo se llama en su propia lengua, Acéldama, que quiere decir, Campo de sangre.(G) 20 Porque está escrito en el libro de los Salmos:

Sea hecha desierta su habitación,

Y no haya quien more en ella;(H)

y:

Tome otro su oficio.(I)

21 Es necesario, pues, que de estos hombres que han estado juntos con nosotros todo el tiempo que el Señor Jesús entraba y salía entre nosotros, 22 comenzando desde el bautismo de Juan(J) hasta el día en que de entre nosotros fue recibido arriba,(K) uno sea hecho testigo con nosotros, de su resurrección. 23 Y señalaron a dos: a José, llamado Barsabás, que tenía por sobrenombre Justo, y a Matías. 24 Y orando, dijeron: Tú, Señor, que conoces los corazones de todos, muestra cuál de estos dos has escogido, 25 para que tome la parte de este ministerio y apostolado, de que cayó Judas por transgresión, para irse a su propio lugar. 26 Y les echaron suertes, y la suerte cayó sobre Matías; y fue contado con los once apóstoles.

Footnotes

  1. Hechos 1:12 Aquí equivale a sábado.