15 ·During this time [L In those days] there was a meeting of the ·believers [L brothers (and sisters)] (about one hundred twenty of them). Peter stood up and said, “·Brothers and sisters [L Men, brothers; C Peter is probably specifically addressing the apostles], in the Scriptures the Holy Spirit ·said [foretold] through [L the mouth of] David ·something that must happen involving [L concerning] Judas. He was one of our own group and ·served together with us [shared part of this ministry]. He ·led [guided] those who arrested Jesus.” 18 (Judas bought a field with the ·money [wages; reward] he got for his ·evil [unjust] act. But he fell to his death, his body burst open, and all his ·intestines [bowels; guts] poured out [Matt. 27:3–10]. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem learned about this so they named this place Akeldama. In their language [C Aramaic] Akeldama means “Field of Blood.”) 20 “[L For] In the Book of Psalms,” Peter said, “this is written:
‘May his ·place [dwelling; home] be ·empty [deserted];
leave no one to live in it [Ps. 69:25].’
And it is also written:
‘Let another man ·replace him as leader [take his office/position of leadership; Ps. 109:8].’
“So now a man must become a witness with us of Jesus’ ·being raised from the dead [resurrection]. He must be one of the men who were part of our group during all the time the Lord Jesus ·was [L went in and out] among us—·from the time John was baptizing people [or from John’s baptism of Jesus; L from the baptism of John] until the day Jesus was taken up from us to heaven.”
23 They put the names of two men before the group. One was Joseph Barsabbas, who was also called Justus. The other was Matthias. The apostles prayed, “Lord, you know the ·thoughts [hearts] of everyone. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to ·do this work and to be an apostle [L take this position of ministry and apostleship] in place of Judas, who turned away and went where he belongs [C to death, destruction, or hell].” 26 Then they ·used [cast] lots to choose between them [C often used as a means to discern God’s will in the OT; Lev. 16:8; Num. 26:55; 33:54; Josh. 19:1–4; 1 Sam. 23:6], and the lots showed that Matthias was the one. So he ·became [was counted as] an apostle with the other eleven.
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