Acts 1
1
Luke Writes Another Book
1To Theophilus.
The first book I wrote was about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2until the day he was taken up into heaven. Before this, with the help of the Holy Spirit, Jesus told the apostles he had chosen what they should do. 3After his death, he showed himself to them and proved in many ways that he was alive. The apostles saw Jesus during the forty days after he was raised from the dead, and he spoke to them about the kingdom of God. 4Once when he was eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, “Wait here to receive the promise from the Father which I told you about. 5John baptized people with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus Is Taken Up into Heaven
6When the apostles were all together, they asked Jesus, “Lord, are you now going to give the kingdom back to Israel?”
7Jesus said to them, “The Father is the only One who has the authority to decide dates and times. These things are not for you to know. 8But when the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses—in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.”
9After he said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10As he was going, they were looking into the sky. Suddenly, two men wearing white clothes stood beside them. 11They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking into the sky? Jesus, whom you saw taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go.”
A New Apostle Is Chosen
12Then they went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. (This mountain is about half a mile from Jerusalem.) 13When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon (known as the Zealot), and Judas son of James were there. 14They all continued praying together with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus’ brothers.
15During this time there was a meeting of the believers (about one hundred twenty of them). Peter stood up and said, 16-17“Brothers and sisters, in the Scriptures the Holy Spirit said through David something that must happen involving Judas. He was one of our own group and served together with us. He led those who arrested Jesus.” 18(Judas bought a field with the money he got for his evil act. But he fell to his death, his body burst open, and all his intestines poured out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem learned about this so they named this place Akeldama. In their language Akeldama means “Field of Blood.”) 20“In the Book of Psalms,” Peter said, “this is written:
‘May his place be empty;
leave no one to live in it.’#Psalm 69:25
And it is also written:
‘Let another man replace him as leader.’#Psalm 109:8
21-22“So now a man must become a witness with us of Jesus’ being raised from the dead. He must be one of the men who were part of our group during all the time the Lord Jesus was among us—from the time John was baptizing people until the day Jesus was taken up from us to heaven.”
23They put the names of two men before the group. One was Joseph Barsabbas, who was also called Justus. The other was Matthias. 24-25The apostles prayed, “Lord, you know the thoughts of everyone. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to do this work. Show us who should be an apostle in place of Judas, who turned away and went where he belongs.” 26Then they used lots to choose between them, and the lots showed that Matthias was the one. So he became an apostle with the other eleven.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Acts 1
1
1The former account, indeed, I made concerning all things, O Theophilus, that Jesus began both to do and to teach,
2till the day in which, having given command, through the Holy Spirit, to the apostles whom he did choose out, he was taken up,
3to whom also he did present himself alive after his suffering, in many certain proofs, through forty days being seen by them, and speaking the things concerning the reign of God.
4And being assembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he,] ‘Ye did hear of me;
5because John, indeed, baptized with water, and ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit — after not many days.’
6They, therefore, indeed, having come together, were questioning him, saying, ‘Lord, dost thou at this time restore the reign to Israel?’
7and he said unto them, ‘It is not yours to know times or seasons that the Father did appoint in His own authority;
8but ye shall receive power at the coming of the Holy Spirit upon you, and ye shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the end of the earth.’
9And these things having said — they beholding — he was taken up, and a cloud did receive him up from their sight;
10and as they were looking stedfastly to the heaven in his going on, then, lo, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11who also said, ‘Men, Galileans, why do ye stand gazing into the heaven? this Jesus who was received up from you into the heaven, shall so come in what manner ye saw him going on to the heaven.’
12Then did they return to Jerusalem from the mount that is called of Olives, that is near Jerusalem, a sabbath's journey;
13and when they came in, they went up to the upper room, where were abiding both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James, of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zelotes, and Judas, of James;
14these all were continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication, with women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
15And in these days, Peter having risen up in the midst of the disciples, said, (the multitude also of the names at the same place was, as it were, an hundred and twenty,)
16‘Men, brethren, it behoved this Writing that it be fulfilled that beforehand the Holy Spirit spake through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who became guide to those who took Jesus,
17because he was numbered among us, and did receive the share in this ministration,
18this one, indeed, then, purchased a field out of the reward of unrighteousness, and falling headlong, burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed forth,
19and it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem, insomuch that that place is called, in their proper dialect, Aceldama, that is, field of blood,
20for it hath been written in the book of Psalms: Let his lodging-place become desolate, and let no one be dwelling in it, and his oversight let another take.
21‘It behoveth, therefore, of the men who did go with us during all the time in which the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us,
22beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day in which he was received up from us, one of these to become with us a witness of his rising again.’
23And they set two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias,
24and having prayed, they said, ‘Thou, Lord, who art knowing the heart of all, shew which one thou didst choose of these two
25to receive the share of this ministration and apostleship, from which Judas, by transgression, did fall, to go on to his proper place;’
26and they gave their lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
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