Prologue

1 The former account I made, O aTheophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 buntil the day in which 1He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit chad given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 dto whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many 2infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

The Holy Spirit Promised

4 eAnd 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 fheard from Me; 5 gfor John truly baptized with water, hbut 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 jknow times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 kBut you shall receive power lwhen the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and myou shall be 3witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and nSamaria, and to the oend of the earth.”

Jesus Ascends to Heaven

9 pNow when He had spoken these things, while they watched, qHe 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 rin 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, swill so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The Upper Room Prayer Meeting

12 tThen 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 uinto the upper room where they were staying: vPeter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and wSimon the Zealot; and xJudas the son of James. 14 yThese all continued with one 4accord in prayer 5and supplication, with zthe women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with aHis brothers.

Matthias Chosen

15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the 6disciples (altogether the number bof names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, cwhich the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, dwho became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 17 for ehe was numbered with us and obtained a part in fthis ministry.”

18 g(Now this man purchased a field with hthe 7wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his 8entrails 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:

i‘Let his dwelling place be 9desolate,

And let no one live in it’;

and,

j‘Let another take his 1office.’

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 kHe was taken up from us, one of these must lbecome a witness with us of His resurrection.”

23 And they proposed two: Joseph called mBarsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, nwho know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 oto 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.