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Acts 1

New International Version



1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptised with[1] water, but in a few days you will be baptised with[2] the Holy Spirit.’ 6 Then they gathered round him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7 He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’ 



12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[3] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were: Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, ‘Brothers and sisters,[4] the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.’ 18 (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 ‘For,’ said Peter, ‘it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘ “May his place be deserted; let there be no-one to dwell in it,” and, ‘ “May another take his place of leadership.” (Ps 69:25; Ps 109:8) 21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.’ 23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.’ 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. 

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Acts 1

English Standard Version



1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, (Lu 1:3; Lu 24:19) 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. (Mt 28:19; Mr 16:15; Mr 16:19; Lu 4:1; Lu 4:18; Lu 24:47; Joh 20:21; Joh 20:22; Ac 10:38; Ac 10:42) 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. (Mt 28:17; Mr 16:14; Lu 24:34; Lu 24:36; Joh 20:19; Joh 20:21; Ac 10:40; Ac 13:31; 1Co 15:5) 4 And while staying[1] with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; (Lu 24:49) 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with[2] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Mt 3:11; Ac 2:1; Ac 11:16) 



6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Mic 4:8; Mt 17:11; Mr 9:12; Lu 17:20; Lu 19:11) 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. (Da 2:21; Mt 24:36; Mr 13:32; 1Th 5:1) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Isa 43:12; Mt 10:5; Mr 16:15; Lu 4:14; Lu 24:48; Lu 24:49; Ac 1:5; Ac 1:22; Ac 4:33; Ac 8:1; Ac 8:14; Ac 10:38; Ac 13:47; Col 1:23; 1Th 1:5) 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. (Ac 1:2; 1Th 4:17) 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, (Jos 5:13; Da 9:21; Da 10:5; Da 12:6; Zec 1:8; Mt 28:3; Mr 16:5; Lu 24:4; Joh 20:12) 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Mt 16:27; Ac 2:7; Ac 13:31; Php 3:20; 1Th 1:10; 2Th 1:10) 



12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. (Lu 24:50; Lu 24:52) 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. (Mt 10:2; Mr 3:16; Lu 6:14; Ac 9:37; Ac 9:39; Ac 20:8; Ac 21:20) 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.[3] (Mt 12:46; Lu 8:2; Ac 2:42; Ac 2:46; Ac 4:24; Ac 5:12; Ac 6:4; Ac 15:25; Ro 12:12; Ro 15:6; Eph 6:18; Col 4:2) 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, (Joh 21:23) 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. (Mt 26:47; Mr 14:43; Lu 22:37; Lu 22:47; Lu 24:44; Joh 18:3) 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Joh 6:71; Joh 13:21; Ac 1:25; Ac 20:24; Ac 21:19; Ro 11:13; 2Co 4:1) 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong[4] he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. (Mt 26:14; Mt 27:5) 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) (Ac 21:40) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’ (Ps 69:25; Ps 109:8) 21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, (Nu 27:17; De 31:2; 1Sa 18:13; Joh 15:27) 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” (Mr 1:1; Lu 24:48; Ac 1:2; Ac 1:8; Ac 1:9; Ac 4:33; Ac 13:24; 1Pe 1:3) 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. (Ac 1:26; Ac 15:22; Ac 18:7; Col 4:11) 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen (1Sa 16:7; Ac 6:6; Ac 13:3; Ro 8:27) 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” (Ac 1:17; Ro 1:5; 1Co 9:2; Ga 2:8) 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. 

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