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The Promise of the Holy Spirit

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach(A) 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) 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) 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) 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

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”(F) He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.(G) 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) 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,

‘Let his house become desolate,
    and let there be no one to live in it’;

and

‘Let another take his position of overseer.’(Q)

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.

Footnotes

  1. 1.3 Or death
  2. 1.4 Or eating
  3. 1.5 Or by
  4. 1.13 Or the brother of
  5. 1.16 Gk Men, brothers
  6. 1.25 Other ancient authorities read the share

Introduction

In my first book, Theophilus, I wrote about everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning, up to the day when he was taken up to heaven[a] after giving orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After he had suffered, he had shown himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during a period of 40 days and telling them about the kingdom of God.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

While he was meeting with them, he ordered them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem. Instead, wait for what the Father has promised, about which you heard me speak, because John baptized with[b] water, but you will be baptized with[c] the Holy Spirit a few days from now.”

Now those who had gathered together began to ask Jesus,[d] “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It isn’t for you to know what times or periods the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you’ll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus Goes Up to Heaven

After saying this, Jesus[e] was taken up while those who had gathered together[f] were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, two men in white robes stood right beside them. 11 They asked, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go up into heaven.”

A New Apostle Takes the Place of Judas

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives,[g] which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.[h] 13 When they came into the city, these men[i] went to the upstairs room where they had been staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son[j] of James. 14 With one mind, all of them kept devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women (including Mary the mother of Jesus) and his brothers.

15 At that time,[k] Peter got up among the brothers (there were about 120 people present) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the voice of David about Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus, 17 because he was one of our number and was appointed[l] to share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man bought a field with the money he got for his crime. Falling on his face, he burst open in the middle, and all his intestines gushed out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that this field is called in their language Hakeldama, that is, “The Field of Blood”.) 20 “For in the Book of Psalms it is written, ‘Let his estate be desolate, and let no one live on it,’[m] and, ‘Let someone else take over his office,’[n] 21 who was one of the men associated with us all the time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, 22 beginning when he was baptized by John until the day he was taken up from us. Therefore, someone like this[o] must become a witness with us to his resurrection.”

23 So they nominated two men—Joseph called Barsabbas, who also was called Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know the hearts of all people. Show us which one of these two men you have chosen 25 to serve in this office of apostle,[p] from which Judas left to go to his own place.”

26 So they drew lots for them, and when the lot fell on Matthias, he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 1:2 The Gk. lacks to heaven
  2. Acts 1:5 Or in
  3. Acts 1:5 Or in
  4. Acts 1:6 Lit. him
  5. Acts 1:9 Lit. he
  6. Acts 1:9 Lit. while they
  7. Acts 1:12 Lit. from the mountain called Olives
  8. Acts 1:12 I.e. about a half mile away
  9. Acts 1:13 The Gk. lacks men
  10. Acts 1:13 Or brother
  11. Acts 1:15 Lit. In those days
  12. Acts 1:17 Lit. was chosen by lot; i.e. by an ostensibly random lottery, the outcome of which was entrusted to God’s providence; cf. v. 26
  13. Acts 1:20 Cf. Ps 69:25
  14. Acts 1:20 Cf. Ps 109:8
  15. Acts 1:22 The Gk. lacks like this
  16. Acts 1:25 Lit. to receive the place of this service and apostleship