Acts 1
1
Jesus Is Taken Up Into Heaven
1Theophilus, I wrote about Jesus in my earlier book. I wrote about all he did and taught 2until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before Jesus left, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen. He did this through the Holy Spirit. 3After his suffering and death, he appeared to them. In many ways he proved that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days. During that time he spoke about God’s kingdom. 4One day Jesus was eating with them. He gave them a command. “Do not leave Jerusalem,” he said. “Wait for the gift my Father promised. You have heard me talk about it. 5John baptized with water. But in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6Then the apostles gathered around Jesus and asked him a question. “Lord,” they said, “are you going to give the kingdom back to Israel now?”
7He said to them, “You should not be concerned about times or dates. The Father has set them by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will tell people about me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria. And you will even tell other people about me from one end of the earth to the other.”
9After Jesus said this, he was taken up to heaven. The apostles watched until a cloud hid him from their sight.
10While he was going up, they kept on looking at the sky. Suddenly two men dressed in white clothing stood beside them. 11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. But he will come back in the same way you saw him go.”
Matthias Is Chosen to Take the Place of Judas Iscariot
12The apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives. It is just over half a mile from the city. 13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Here is a list of those who were there.
Peter, John, James and Andrew,
Philip and Thomas,
Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James
14They all came together regularly to pray. The women joined them too. So did Jesus’ mother Mary and his brothers.
15In those days Peter stood up among the believers. About 120 of them were there. 16Peter said, “Brothers and sisters, a long time ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David. He spoke about Judas Iscariot. What the Scripture said would happen had to come true. Judas was the guide for the men who arrested Jesus. 17But Judas was one of us. He shared with us in our work for God.”
18Judas bought a field with the payment he received for the evil thing he had done. He fell down headfirst in the field. His body burst open. All his insides spilled out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this. So they called that field Akeldama. In their language, Akeldama means the Field of Blood.
20Peter said, “Here is what is written in the Book of Psalms. It says,
“ ‘May his home be deserted.
May no one live in it.’ (Psalm 69:25)
The Psalms also say,
“ ‘Let someone else take his place as leader.’ (Psalm 109:8)
21So we need to choose someone to take his place. It will have to be a man who was with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us. 22That time began when John was baptizing. It ended when Jesus was taken up from us. The one we choose must join us in telling people that Jesus rose from the dead.”
23So they suggested the names of two men. One was Joseph, who was called Barsabbas. He was also called Justus. The other man was Matthias. 24Then the believers prayed. They said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen. 25Show us who should take the place of Judas as an apostle. He gave up being an apostle to go where he belongs.” 26Then they cast lots. Matthias was chosen. So he was added to the 11 apostles.
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Acts 1: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Acts 1
1
Prologue
1The former account I made, O #Luke 1:3Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2#Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9, 11, 22until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit #Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Acts 10:42had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3#Matt. 28:17; Mark 16:12, 14; Luke 24:34, 36; John 20:19, 26; 21:1, 14; 1 Cor. 15:5–7to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many 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#Luke 24:49And 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 #(John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26); Acts 2:33heard from Me; 5#Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 11:16for John truly baptized with water, #(Joel 2:28)but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7And He said to them, #1 Thess. 5:1“It is not for you to #Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8#(Acts 2:1, 4)But you shall receive power #Luke 24:49when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and #Luke 24:48; John 15:27you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and #Acts 8:1, 5, 14Samaria, and to the #Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:23; (Rev. 14:6)end of the earth.”
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
9#Luke 24:50, 51Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, #Ps. 68:18; 110:1; Mark 16:19; Luke 23:43; John 20:17; Acts 1:2; (Heb. 4:14; 9:24; 1 Pet. 3:22)He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them #Matt. 28:3; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4; John 20:12; Acts 10:3, 30in white apparel, 11who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, #Dan. 7:13; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27; (John 14:3); 2 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 1:7will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
The Upper Room Prayer Meeting
12#Luke 24:52Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13And when they had entered, they went up #Mark 14:15; Luke 22:12; Acts 9:37, 39; 20:8into the upper room where they were staying: #Matt. 10:2–4Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and #Luke 6:15Simon the Zealot; and #Jude 1Judas the son of James. 14#Acts 2:1, 46These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with #Luke 23:49, 55the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with #Matt. 13:55His brothers.
Matthias Chosen
15And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number #Luke 22:32; Rev. 3:4of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16“Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, #Ps. 41:9which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, #Matt. 26:47; Mark 14:43; Luke 22:47; John 18:3who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 17for #Matt. 10:4he was numbered with us and obtained a part in #Acts 1:25this ministry.”
18#Matt. 27:3–10(Now this man purchased a field with #Matt. 18:7; 26:14, 15, 24; Mark 14:21; Luke 22:22; John 17:12the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. 19And 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:
#Ps. 69:25‘Let his dwelling place be desolate,
And let no one live in it’;
and,
#Ps. 109:8‘Let another take his office.’
21“Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from the baptism of John to that day when #Acts 1:9He was taken up from us, one of these must #Acts 1:8; 2:32become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
23And they proposed two: Joseph called #Acts 15:22Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, #1 Sam. 16:7; Jer. 17:10; Acts 1:2who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25#Acts 1:17to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 26And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.