The Introduction to the Book of Acts of the Apostles 1

The Introduction to the Book of Acts of the Apostles

1 - The first treatise, O Theophilus, did on all that Jesus began, not only to do, but to teach,
2 - Until the day when he was received upstairs, after having given commandments by the Holy Spirit to the apostles which he had chosen;

3 - To whom also, after having suffered, he presented himself alive, with many infallible proofs, being seen by them for forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
4 - And being with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, from whom ye heard.

Ascension of Jesus Christ of the Mount of Olives

5 - For John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not long after these days.

6 - And they that were gathered asked him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?

7 - And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the Father hath established by his own power.

8 - But ye shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost, which is to come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

9 - And when he had said this, when he saw it, he was lifted up to the heights, and a cloud received him, and hid him in his sight.

10 - And when he was standing with his eyes fixed on the sky as he went up, behold, two men were clothed in white.

11 - And they said unto them, Men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This Jesus, who was received up from among you in heaven, will come to you as you have seen him go to heaven.

Disciples Return Mount Of Olives To Jerusalem

12 - And they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, even the way of the sabbath.

13 - And they went up into the upper room, where Peter and James lived, and John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James.

14 - All these continued unceasingly in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with their brethren.

Matias Elected As Apostle In Place Of Judas Iscariot

15 - And it came to pass in those days, that Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (and the multitude together was one hundred and twenty) said:

16 - Brethren, it was fitting that the scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit prophesied by the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide of them that took Jesus:

17 - For he was numbered with us, and hath obtained lot in this ministry.

18 - And he bought a field with the reward of iniquity; and it came to pass, and it burst forth in the midst, and all the bowels thereof were poured out.

19 - And it was known to all that dwell in Jerusalem; so that in his own tongue this field is called Aceldama, that is, Field of Blood.

20 - For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein, and let his bishop take another.

21 - And it came to pass, that out of the men that dwelt with us all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out from us,

22 - From the baptism of John unto the day when he was received from among us, let one of them make himself a witness of his resurrection.

23 - And they presented two: Joseph called Barsabas, whose surname was the Just, and Matthias.

24 - And they prayed, and said, Thou Lord, knower of the hearts of all, show which of these two thou hast chosen,

25 - That he may take part in this ministry and apostleship, that Judas has gone astray, to go into his own place.

26 - And casting lots, the lot fell on Matthias. And by common vote he was numbered with the eleven apostles.