Book of Common Prayer

1 In-as-much-as many undertook^[a] to compile a narrative about the things having been fulfilled^[b] among us, ² just as the eyewitnesses from the first^[c] and ones having become servants of the word handed-down to us, ³ it seemed good to me also, having closely-followed^[d] everything carefully from-the-beginning^[e], to write it for you in-order, most-excellent Theophilus, ⁴ in order that you may fully-know the certainty of the things about which you were instructed.

1 I made the first account about everything, O Theophilus, which Jesus began both to do and teach ² until which day He was taken-up [after] having given-commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He chose— ³ to whom He indeed presented Himself alive after His suffering by many convincing-proofs, appearing^[a] to them during forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Jesus Ascends After Directing His Apostles To Be His Witnesses By The Spirit’s Power

⁴ And being assembled-with^[b] them, He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait-for the promise of the Father “which you heard from Me. ⁵ Because John baptized with^[c] water, but you will be baptized with^[d] the Holy Spirit after these not many days!” ⁶ So indeed the ones having come together were asking Him, saying “Lord, are You restoring^[e] the kingdom to Israel at this time?”. ⁷ And He said to them, “It is not yours to know the times or seasons which the Father appointed^[f] by His own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you. And you will be My witnesses— both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and as far as the last place of the earth”.