Acts 1

Introduction

1The first account I 1composed, 2Theophilus, about all that Jesus 3began to do and teach, 2until the day when He 4was taken up to heaven, after He 5had 6by the Holy Spirit given orders to 7the apostles whom He had 8chosen. 3To 9these 10He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of 11the things concerning the kingdom of God. 412Gathering them together, He commanded them 13not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for 1415what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5for 16John baptized with water, but you will be baptized 17with the Holy Spirit 1819not many days from now.”

6So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, 20is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which 21the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8but you will receive power 22when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be 23My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and 24Samaria, and even to 25the remotest part of the earth.”

The Ascension

9And after He had said these things, 26He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10And as they were gazing intently into 27the sky while He was going, behold, 28two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11They also said, “29Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into 30the sky? This Jesus, who 31has been taken up from you into heaven, will 32come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

The Upper Room

12Then they 33returned to Jerusalem from the 3435mount called 36Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a 37Sabbath day’s journey away. 13When they had entered the city, they went up to 38the upper room where they were staying; 39that is, Peter and John and 40James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, 41James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and 42Judas the 43son of 44James. 14These all with one mind 45were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with 46the women, and Mary the 47mother of Jesus, and with His 48brothers.

1549At this time Peter stood up in the midst of 50the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty 51persons was there together), and said, 16“Brethren, 52the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, 53who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17For he was 54counted among us and received his share in 55this ministry.” 18(Now this man 56acquired a field with 57the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in 58their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20“For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘59Let his homestead be made desolate, And let no one dwell in it’; and, ‘60Let another man take his 61office.’ 21Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that 62the Lord Jesus went in and out 63among us-- 2264beginning 65with the baptism of John until the day that He 66was taken up from us--one of these must become a 67witness with us of His resurrection.” 23So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and 68Matthias. 24And they 69prayed and said, “You, Lord, 70who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen 25to 71occupy 72this ministry and 73apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26And they 7475drew lots for them, and the lot fell 76to 77Matthias; and he was 78added to 79the eleven apostles.