Chapter 1

In the former book, O Theophilus, I spoke of all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning

until the day on which he was taken up, after he had given commandments through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

To them also he showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, during forty days appearing to them and speaking of the kingdom of God.

And while eating with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, "of which you have heard," said he, "by my mouth;

for John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence."

They therefore who had come together began to ask him, saying, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? "

But he said to them, "It is not for you to know the time or dates which the Father has fixed by his own authority;

but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the ends of the earth."

And when he said this, he was lifted up before their eyes, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

And while they were gazing up to heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white garments,

and said to them, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall come in the same way as you have seen him going up to heaven."

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.

And when they had entered the city, they mounted to the upper room where were staying Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon the Zealot, and Jude the brother of James.

All these with one mind continued steadfastly in prayer with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. Matthias Chosen

In those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (now the number of persons met together was about a hundred and twenty), and he said,

"Brethren, the Scripture must be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit declared before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was the guide of those who arrested Jesus;

inasmuch as he had been numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.

And he indeed bought a field with the price of his iniquity and, being hanged, burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

And it became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field came to be called in their language Haceldama, that is, the Field of Blood.

For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let their habitation become desolate and let there be none to dwell in it. ' And, 'His ministry let another take. '

"Therefore, of these men who have been in our company all the time that the Lord Jesus moved among us,

from John's baptism until the day that he was taken up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection."

And they put forward two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

And they prayed and said, "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all, show which of these two thou hast chosen

to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away to go to his own place."

And they drew lots between them, and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.