Acts of the Apostles 1

The Promise of the Spirit

1In my first book, Theophilus, I set down all that Jesus began to do and to teach, 2up to the day he was taken up, after he had given his instructions, through the Holy Spirit, to the apostles he had chosen. 3To these same men he presented himself alive after his suffering, with proof upon proof: over forty days he let them see him, and he spoke to them about the kingdom of God. 4While he was at table with them he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised. “You heard it from my own lips: 5John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6So when they had come together they put this to him: “Lord, is this the time when you restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He answered, “It is not for you to know times or seasons; the Father has fixed them by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Taken Up into Heaven

9When he had said this, while they watched, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10They were still staring into the sky as he went, when two men in white clothes stood beside them 11and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go.” 12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called Olivet, which lies near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s walk away. 13When they arrived they went up to the upstairs room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James. 14All of them devoted themselves with one mind to prayer, together with the women, and with Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

A Successor for Judas

15In those days Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters — the whole company numbered about a hundred and twenty — and said: 16“Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David about Judas, who guided the men who arrested Jesus. 17He was counted as one of us and was given his share in this ministry.” 18Now this man bought a field with the wages of his crime; he fell headlong, his body burst open, and all his insides spilled out. 19Everyone living in Jerusalem came to hear of it, so that in their own language the field was called Akeldama, which means Field of Blood. 20“For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let his home be left deserted, with no one living in it,’ and, ‘Let someone else take over his charge.’ 21So of the men who kept us company the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John’s baptism until the day he was taken up from us — one of these must become, with us, a witness of his resurrection.” 23They put forward two: Joseph called Barsabbas, also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24Then they prayed: “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25to take the place of this ministry and apostleship that Judas abandoned to go where he belonged.” 26They drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.