- In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote
about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
- until the day he was taken up to heaven,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had
chosen.
- After his suffering, he showed himself
to these men 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.
- 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.
- For John baptized with water, but in a
few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
- So when they met together, they asked him,
"Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel
?"
- He said to them: "It is not for you
to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
- 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."
- After he said this, he was taken up before
their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
- They were looking intently up into the
sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside
them.
- "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."
- Then they returned to Jerusalem from the
hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city.
- 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
and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
- They all joined together constantly in
prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his
brothers.
- In those days Peter stood up among the
believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)
- and said, "Brothers, the Scripture
had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth
of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus
--
- he was one of our number and shared in
this ministry."
- (With the reward he got for his wickedness,
Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all
his intestines spilled out.
- Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this,
so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of
Blood.)
- "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.'
- Therefore it is necessary to choose one
of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and
out among us,
- 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."
- So they proposed two men: Joseph called
Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
- Then they prayed, "Lord, you know
everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen
- to take over this apostolic ministry, which
Judas left to go where he belongs."
- Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to
Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
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