Acts 1-2
Contemporary English Version
1 (A) Theophilus, I first wrote to you[a] about all that Jesus did and taught from the very first 2 until he was taken up to heaven. But before he was taken up, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen with the help of the Holy Spirit.
3 For 40 days after Jesus had suffered and died, he proved in many ways that he had been raised from death. He appeared to his apostles and spoke to them about God's kingdom. 4 (B) While he was still with them, he said:
Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do. 5 (C) John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Is Taken to Heaven
6 While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?”[b]
7 Jesus said to them, “You don't need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. 8 (D) But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” 9 (E) After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him, 10 but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky.
Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them. 11 They said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way you have seen him go.”
Someone To Take the Place of Judas
12-13 (F) The Mount of Olives was about a kilometer from Jerusalem. The apostles who had gone there were Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon, known as the Eager One,[c] and Judas the son of James.
After the apostles returned to the city, they went upstairs to the room where they had been staying.
14 The apostles often met together and prayed with a single purpose in mind.[d] The women and Mary the mother of Jesus would meet with them, and so would his brothers. 15 One day there were about 120 of the Lord's followers meeting together, and Peter stood up to speak to them. 16-17 He said:
My friends, long ago by the power of the Holy Spirit, David said something about Judas, and what he said has now happened. Judas was one of us and had worked with us, but he brought the mob to arrest Jesus. 18 (G) Then Judas bought some land with the money he was given for doing that evil thing. He fell headfirst into the field. His body burst open, and all his insides came out. 19 When the people of Jerusalem found out about this, they called the place Akeldama, which in the local language means “Field of Blood.”
20 (H) In the book of Psalms it says,
“Leave his house empty,
and don't let anyone
live there.”
It also says,
“Let someone else
have his job.”
21-22 (I) So we need someone else to help us tell others that Jesus has been raised from death. He must also be one of the men who was with us from the very beginning. He must have been with us from the time the Lord Jesus was baptized by John until the day he was taken to heaven.
23 Two men were suggested: One of them was Joseph Barsabbas, known as Justus, and the other was Matthias. 24 Then they all prayed, “Lord, you know what everyone is like! Show us the one you have chosen 25 to be an apostle and to serve in place of Judas, who got what he deserved.” 26 They drew names, and Matthias was chosen to join the group of the eleven apostles.
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 (J) On the day of Pentecost[e] all the Lord's followers were together in one place. 2 Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. 3 Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. 4 The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak.
5 Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem. 6 And when they heard this noise, a crowd gathered. But they were surprised, because they were hearing everything in their own languages. 7 They were excited and amazed, and said:
Don't all these who are speaking come from Galilee? 8 Then why do we hear them speaking our very own languages? 9 Some of us are from Parthia, Media, and Elam. Others are from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, 11 Crete, and Arabia. Some of us were born Jews, and others of us have chosen to be Jews. Yet we all hear them using our own languages to tell the wonderful things God has done.
12 Everyone was excited and confused. Some of them even kept asking each other, “What does all this mean?”
13 Others made fun of the Lord's followers and said, “They are drunk.”
Peter Speaks to the Crowd
14 Peter stood with the eleven apostles and spoke in a loud and clear voice to the crowd:
Friends and everyone else living in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I have to say! 15 You are wrong to think that these people are drunk. After all, it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 But this is what God told the prophet Joel to say,
17 (K) “When the last days come,
I will give my Spirit
to everyone.
Your sons and daughters
will prophesy.
Your young men
will see visions,
and your old men
will have dreams.
18 In those days I will give
my Spirit to my servants,
both men and women,
and they will prophesy.
19 “I will work miracles
in the sky above
and wonders
on the earth below.
There will be blood and fire
and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will turn dark,
and the moon
will be as red as blood
before the great
and wonderful day
of the Lord appears.
21 Then the Lord
will save everyone
who asks for his help.”
22 Now, listen to what I have to say about Jesus from Nazareth. God proved he sent Jesus to you by having him work miracles, wonders, and signs. All of you know this. 23 (L) God had already planned and decided that Jesus would be handed over to you. So you took him and had evil men put him to death on a cross. 24 (M) But God set him free from death and raised him to life. Death could not hold him in its power. 25 (N) What David said are really the words of Jesus,
“I always see the Lord
near me,
and I will not be afraid
with him at my right side.
26 Because of this,
my heart will be glad,
my words will be joyful,
and I will live in hope.
27 The Lord won't leave me
in the grave.
I am his holy one,
and he won't let
my body decay.
28 He has shown me
the path to life,
and he makes me glad
by being near me.”
29 My friends, it is right for me to speak to you about our ancestor David. He died and was buried, and his tomb is still here. 30 (O) But David was a prophet, and he knew that God had made a promise he would not break. He had told David someone from his own family would someday be king.
31 David knew this would happen, and so he told us Christ would be raised to life. He said God would not leave him in the grave or let his body decay. 32 All of us can tell you that God has raised Jesus to life!
33 Jesus was taken up to sit at the right side[f] of God, and he was given the Holy Spirit, just as the Father had promised. Jesus is also the one who has given the Spirit to us, and this is what you are now seeing and hearing.
34 (P) David didn't go up to heaven. So he wasn't talking about himself when he said, “The Lord told my Lord to sit at his right side, 35 until he made my Lord's enemies into a footstool for him.” 36 Everyone in Israel should then know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, even though you put him to death on a cross.
37 When the people heard this, they were very upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Friends, what should we do?”
38 Peter said to them, “Turn to God and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live.”
40 Peter told them many other things as well. Then he said, “I beg you to save yourselves from what will happen to all these evil people.” 41 On that day about 3,000 believed his message and were baptized. 42 They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread[g] and prayed together.
Life among the Lord's Followers
43 Everyone was amazed by the many miracles and wonders that the apostles worked. 44 (Q) All the Lord's followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. 45 They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever was in need. 46 Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread[h] together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, 47 while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved.
Footnotes
- 1.1 I first wrote to you: The Gospel of Luke.
- 1.6 are you now going to give Israel its own king again: Or “Are you now going to rule Israel as its king?”
- 1.12,13 known as the Eager One: The Greek text has “Zealot,” a name later given to the members of a Jewish group that resisted and fought against the Romans.
- 1.14 met together and prayed with a single purpose in mind: Or “met together in a special place for prayer.”
- 2.1 Pentecost: A Jewish festival that came fifty days after Passover and celebrated the wheat harvest. Jews later celebrated Pentecost as the time when they were given the Law of Moses.
- 2.33 right side: The place of honor and power.
- 2.42 broke bread: They ate together and celebrated the Lord's Supper.
- 2.46 broke bread: See the note at 2.42.
Acts 1-2
New King James Version
Prologue
1 The former account I made, O (A)Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 (B)until the day in which [a]He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit (C)had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 (D)to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many [b]infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
The Holy Spirit Promised
4 (E)And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have (F)heard from Me; 5 (G)for John truly baptized with water, (H)but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, (I)“It is not for you to (J)know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 (K)But you shall receive power (L)when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and (M)you shall be [c]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and (N)Samaria, and to the (O)end of the earth.”
Jesus Ascends to Heaven(P)
9 (Q)Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, (R)He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them (S)in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, (T)will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
The Upper Room Prayer Meeting
12 (U)Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up (V)into the upper room where they were staying: (W)Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and (X)Simon the Zealot; and (Y)Judas the son of James. 14 (Z)These all continued with one [d]accord in prayer [e]and supplication, with (AA)the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with (AB)His brothers.
Matthias Chosen(AC)
15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the [f]disciples (altogether the number (AD)of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, (AE)which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, (AF)who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 17 for (AG)he was numbered with us and obtained a part in (AH)this ministry.”
18 (AI)(Now this man purchased a field with (AJ)the [g]wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his [h]entrails gushed out. 19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms:
and,
21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when (AM)He was taken up from us, one of these must (AN)become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
23 And they proposed two: Joseph called (AO)Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, (AP)who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 (AQ)to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When (AR)the Day of Pentecost had fully come, (AS)they were all [k]with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and (AT)it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them [l]divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And (AU)they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began (AV)to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Crowd’s Response
5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, (AW)devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the (AX)multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak (AY)Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own [m]language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and (AZ)Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and [n]Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
Peter’s Sermon(BA)
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, (BB)since it is only [o]the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And(BC) it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
(BD)That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and (BE)your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
(BF)And they shall prophesy.
19 (BG)I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20 (BH)The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
21 And it shall come to pass
That (BI)whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you (BJ)by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, (BK)being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, (BL)you [p]have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 (BM)whom God raised up, having [q]loosed the [r]pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him:
(BN)‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see (BO)corruption.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you (BP)of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, (BQ)and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, [s]according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, (BR)that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 (BS)This Jesus God has raised up, (BT)of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore (BU)being exalted [t]to (BV)the right hand of God, and (BW)having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He (BX)poured out this which you now see and hear.
34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
(BY)‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37 Now when they heard this, (BZ)they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
38 Then Peter said to them, (CA)“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the [u]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and (CB)to your children, and (CC)to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
A Vital Church Grows
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this [v]perverse generation.” 41 Then those who [w]gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 (CD)And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ [x]doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and (CE)many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and (CF)had all things in common, 45 and [y]sold their possessions and goods, and (CG)divided[z] them among all, as anyone had need.
46 (CH)So continuing daily with one accord (CI)in the temple, and (CJ)breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And (CK)the Lord added [aa]to the church daily those who were being saved.
Footnotes
- Acts 1:2 He ascended into heaven.
- Acts 1:3 unmistakable
- Acts 1:8 NU My witnesses
- Acts 1:14 purpose or mind
- Acts 1:14 NU omits and supplication
- Acts 1:15 NU brethren
- Acts 1:18 reward of unrighteousness
- Acts 1:18 intestines
- Acts 1:20 deserted
- Acts 1:20 Gr. episkopen, position of overseer
- Acts 2:1 NU together
- Acts 2:3 Or tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each
- Acts 2:8 dialect
- Acts 2:11 Arabians
- Acts 2:15 9 a.m.
- Acts 2:23 NU omits have taken
- Acts 2:24 destroyed or abolished
- Acts 2:24 Lit. birth pangs
- Acts 2:30 NU He would seat one on his throne,
- Acts 2:33 Possibly by
- Acts 2:38 forgiveness
- Acts 2:40 crooked
- Acts 2:41 NU omits gladly
- Acts 2:42 teaching
- Acts 2:45 would sell
- Acts 2:45 distributed
- Acts 2:47 NU omits to the church
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
