Introduction

1 The first account I ^[a]composed, ^(A)Theophilus, about all that Jesus ^(B)began to do and teach, ² until the day when He ^(C)was taken up to heaven, after He ^(D)had ^[b]by the Holy Spirit given orders to ^(E)the apostles whom He had ^(F)chosen. ³ To ^[c]these ^(G)He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of ^(H)the things concerning the kingdom of God. ^4 [d]Gathering them together, He commanded them ^(I)not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for ^[e](J)what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; ⁵ for ^(K)John baptized with water, but you will be baptized ^[f]with the Holy Spirit ^[g](L)not many days from now.”

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

The Ascension

⁹ And after He had said these things, ^(S)He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And as they were gazing intently into ^[h]the sky while He was going, behold, ^(T)two men in white clothing stood beside them. ¹¹ They also said, “^(U)Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into ^[i]the sky? This Jesus, who ^(V)has been taken up from you into heaven, will ^(W)come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

The Upper Room

¹² Then they ^(X)returned to Jerusalem from the ^[j](Y)mount called ^[k]Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a ^[l]Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ When they had entered the city, they went up to ^(Z)the upper room where they were staying; ^(AA)that is, Peter and John and ^[m]James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, ^[n]James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and ^(AB)Judas the ^[o]son of ^[p]James. ¹⁴ These all with one mind ^(AC)were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with ^(AD)the women, and Mary the ^(AE)mother of Jesus, and with His ^(AF)brothers.

^15 [q]At this time Peter stood up in the midst of ^(AG)the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty ^[r]persons was there together), and said, ¹⁶ “Brethren, ^(AH)the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, ^(AI)who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ For he was ^(AJ)counted among us and received his share in ^(AK)this ministry.” ¹⁸ (Now this man ^(AL)acquired a field with ^(AM)the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. ¹⁹ And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in ^(AN)their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ “For it is written in the book of Psalms,

and,

²¹ Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that ^(AQ)the Lord Jesus went in and out ^[t]among us— ^22 (AR)beginning ^[u]with the baptism of John until the day that He ^(AS)was taken up from us—one of these must become a ^(AT)witness with us of His resurrection.” ²³ So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and ^(AU)Matthias. ²⁴ And they ^(AV)prayed and said, “You, Lord, ^(AW)who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen ²⁵ to ^[v]occupy ^(AX)this ministry and ^(AY)apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶ And they ^[w](AZ)drew lots for them, and the lot fell ^[x]to ^(BA)Matthias; and he was ^[y]added to ^(BB)the eleven apostles.