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Io ho fatto il primo trattato, o Teofilo, circa tutte le cose che Gesú prese a fare e ad insegnare,

fino al giorno in cui fu portato in cielo dopo aver dato dei comandamenti per mezzo dello Spirito Santo agli apostoli che egli aveva scelto.

Ad essi, dopo aver sofferto, si presentò vivente con molte prove convincenti, facendosi da loro vedere per quaranta giorni e parlando delle cose riguardanti il regno di Dio.

E, ritrovandosi assieme a loro, comandò loro che non si allontanassero da Gerusalemme, ma che aspettassero la promessa del Padre: «Che, egli disse, voi avete udito da me.

Perché Giovanni battezzò con acqua, ma voi sarete battezzati con lo Spirito Santo, fra non molti giorni».

Cosí quelli che erano riuniti assieme lo interrogarono, dicendo: «Signore, è in questo tempo che ristabilirai il regno a Israele?».

Ma egli disse loro: «Non sta a voi di sapere i tempi e i momenti adatti, che il Padre ha stabilito di sua propria autorità.

Ma voi riceverete potenza quando lo Spirito Santo verrà su di voi, e mi sarete testimoni in Gerusalemme e in tutta la Giudea, in Samaria e fino all'estremità della terra».

Dette queste cose, mentre essi guardavano, fu sollevato in alto; e una nuvola lo accolse e lo sottrasse dai loro occhi.

10 Come essi avevano gli occhi fissi in cielo, mentre egli se ne andava, ecco due uomini in bianche vesti si presentarono loro,

11 e dissero: «Uomini Galilei, perché state a guardare verso il cielo? Questo Gesú, che è stato portato in cielo di mezzo a voi, ritornerà nella medesima maniera in cui lo avete visto andare in cielo».

12 Allora essi ritornarono a Gerusalemme, dal monte chiamato dell'Uliveto, che è vicino a Gerusalemme quanto un cammin di sabato.

13 Rientrati in città, salirono nella sala di sopra, dove si trattenevano Pietro e Giacomo, Giovanni e Andrea, Filippo e Tommaso, Bartolomeo e Matteo, Giacomo d'Alfeo e Simone lo Zelota, e Giuda di Giacomo.

14 Tutti costoro perseveravano con una sola mente nella preghiera e supplica con le donne, con Maria, madre di Gesú, e con i fratelli di lui.

15 In quei giorni Pietro, alzatosi in mezzo ai discepoli (or il numero delle persone riunite era di circa centoventi), disse:

16 «Fratelli, era necessario che si adempisse questa Scrittura, che lo Spirito Santo predisse per bocca di Davide riguardo a Giuda, che fu la guida di coloro che arrestarono Gesú.

17 Perché egli era stato annoverato tra noi e aveva avuto parte in questo ministero.

18 Egli dunque acquistò un campo col compenso dell'iniquità e, essendo caduto in avanti, si squarciò in mezzo, e tutte le sue viscere si sparsero.

19 Questo divenne noto a tutti gli abitanti di Gerusalemme, cosicché quel campo nel loro proprio linguaggio è chiamato Akeldama, che vuol dire: "Campo di sangue".

20 E' scritto infatti nel libro dei Salmi: «Divenga la sua abitazione deserta e non vi sia chi abiti in essa», e: «Un altro prenda il suo ufficio».

21 Bisogna dunque che tra gli uomini che sono stati in nostra compagnia per tutto il tempo in cui il Signor Gesú è andato e venuto tra noi,

22 cominciando dal battesimo di Giovanni fino al giorno in cui egli fu portato in cielo da mezzo a noi, uno di questi diventi testimone con noi della sua risurrezione».

23 Or ne furono presentati due: Giuseppe, detto Barsaba, che era soprannominato Giusto, e Mattia.

24 E pregando, dissero: «Tu, Signore, che conosci i cuori di tutti, mostra quale di questi due hai scelto,

25 per ricevere la sorte di questo ministero e apostolato, dal quale Giuda si è sviato per andare al suo luogo».

26 Cosí tirarono a sorte, e la sorte cadde su Mattia; ed egli fu aggiunto agli undici apostoli.

The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach,

Until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up.

To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God.

And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith he) by my mouth.

For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence.

They therefore who were come together, asked him, saying: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

But he said to them: It is not for you to know the times or moments, which the Father hath put in his own power:

But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth.

And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments.

11 Who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, as you have seen him going into heaven.

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount that is called Olivet, which is nigh Jerusalem, within a sabbath day's journey.

13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Jude the brother of James.

14 All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

15 In those days Peter rising up in the midst of the brethren, said: (now the number of persons together was about an hundred and twenty:)

16 Men, brethren, the scripture must needs be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was the leader of them that apprehended Jesus:

17 Who was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

18 And he indeed hath possessed a field of the reward of iniquity, and being hanged, burst asunder in the midst: and all his bowels gushed out.

19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: so that the same field was called in their tongue, Haceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

20 For it is written in the book of Psalms: Let their habitation become desolate, and let there be none to dwell therein. And his bishopric let another take.

21 Wherefore of these men who have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us,

22 Beginning from the baptism of John, until the day wherein he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection.

23 And they appointed two, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24 And praying, they said: Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

25 To take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas hath by transgression fallen, that he might go to his own place.

26 And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Luke Writes Another Book

Dear Theophilus,

The first book I wrote was about everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day he was carried up into heaven. Before he went, he talked to the apostles he had chosen. With the help of the Holy Spirit, he told them what they should do. This was after his death, but he showed them that he was alive, proving it to them in many ways. The apostles saw Jesus many times during the 40 days after he was raised from death. He spoke to them about God’s kingdom. One time when Jesus was eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, “Wait here until you receive what the Father promised to send. Remember, I told you about it before. John baptized people with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus Is Carried Up Into Heaven

The apostles were all together. They asked Jesus, “Lord, is this the time for you to give the people of Israel their kingdom again?”

Jesus said to them, “The Father is the only one who has the authority to decide dates and times. They are not for you to know. But the Holy Spirit will come on you and give you power. You will be my witnesses. You will tell people everywhere about me—in Jerusalem, in the rest of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.”

After Jesus said this, he was lifted up into the sky. While they were watching, he went into a cloud, and they could not see him. 10 They were staring into the sky where he had gone. Suddenly two men wearing white clothes were standing beside them. 11 They said, “Men from Galilee, why are you standing here looking into the sky? You saw Jesus carried away from you into heaven. He will come back in the same way you saw him go.”

A New Apostle Is Chosen

12 Then the apostles went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. This mountain is about a half mile[a] from Jerusalem. 13 When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. These are the ones who were there: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (the son of Alphaeus), Simon, the Zealot, and Judas (the son of James).

14 The apostles were all together. They were constantly praying with the same purpose. Some women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers were there with the apostles.

15 After a few days there was a meeting of the believers. There were about 120 of them. Peter stood up and said, 16-17 “Brothers and sisters, in the Scriptures the Holy Spirit said through David that something must happen. He was talking about Judas, one of our own group. Judas served together with us. The Spirit said that Judas would lead men to arrest Jesus.”

18 (Judas was paid money for doing this. His money was used to buy him a field. But he fell on his head, his body broke open, and all his intestines poured out. 19 And all the people of Jerusalem learned about this. That is why they named that field Akeldama, which in their language means “field of blood.”)

20 Peter said, “In the book of Psalms, this is written about Judas:

‘People should not go near his land;
    no one should live there.’ (A)

And it is also written:

‘Let another man have his work.’ (B)

21-22 “So now another man must join us and be a witness of Jesus’ resurrection. He must be one of those men who were part of our group during all the time the Lord Jesus was with us. He must have been with us from the time John was baptizing people until the day when Jesus was carried up from us into heaven.”

23 They put two men before the group. One was Joseph Barsabbas. He was also called Justus. The other man was Matthias. 24-25 They prayed, “Lord, you know the minds of all people. Show us which one of these two men you choose to do this work. Judas turned away from it and went where he belongs. Lord, show us which man should take his place as an apostle!” 26 Then they used lots to choose one of the two men. The lots showed that Matthias was the one the Lord wanted. So he became an apostle with the other eleven.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 1:12 half a mile Literally, “a Sabbath day’s journey.”