Acts Chapter 1

Jesus Promises the Spirit

¹ In the earlier volume, most excellent Theophilus, I gave an account of what Jesus did and taught ² up to when by the Holy Spirit he commissioned the apostles he’d chosen. ³ During 40 days after he suffered, he showed himself alive to them in a variety of unmistakable proofs and discussed God’s kingdom. ⁴ While he was eating with them, he told them to wait in Jerusalem for “the Father’s promise I told you about: ⁵ John immersed in water, but you’ll be ‘immersed’ in the Holy Spirit in a few days.”                Acts 1:1-5           

The Ascension of Jesus

         ⁶ While they were with him, they asked, “Lord, is that when you’ll restore Israel’s independence?”

            ⁷ “You^pl aren’t to know the dates and circumstances the Father has scheduled by his authority. ⁸ You’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you’ll represent me in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and all over the world.”

            ⁹ Then he ascended and a cloud took him out of sight. ¹⁰ While they were staring up at the sky, two men in dazzling clothes stood next to them. ¹¹ “Galileans, why stand here staring at the sky? He’ll come back the way you’ve watched him go.”

¹² They went back to Jerusalem from the hill called The Mount of Olives, about six-tenths of a mile from the city. ¹³ When they went inside, they got together in the upstairs room: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon Zelotes; and Judas son of James. ¹⁴ They were praying with the women there; with Mary, Jesus’ mother; and with his brothers.   

Acts 1:6-14

Choosing Judas’ Replacement

            ¹⁵ During that time Peter stood up among the brothers. (There was a crowd of about 120 there.)

¹⁶ “Brothers, it needed to happen what the Holy Spirit predicted through David about Judas, who guided the ones that arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ He had a part in this ministry. ( ¹⁸ He bought a field with the payment for his sin. He swelled up and burst open, and his entrails gushed out. ¹⁹ Everybody in Jerusalem heard about it, so in their [Aramaic] language they called that field Haceldama, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ Scripture says in the Psalms,

‘Let his house be deserted

                                    and nobody live in it’ [Ps 69:25];

and,

                                    ‘Let someone else have his office of oversight’ [Ps 109:8].

^21-22 So we need to choose a replacement to serve as a witness with us about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, someone that’s been with us from the time of John’s baptizing to the Lord’s ascension.”      

Acts 1:15-22

 ²³ They put forward Matthias and Joseph Barsabbas called Justus. ²⁴ They prayed, “Lord, you know everybody’s heart. Show which one you’ve chosen ²⁵ to receive this apostleship that Judas left to go to his own place.” ²⁶ They cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias; he joined the eleven apostles.                                                                                                                            

Acts 1:23-26