Acts

Prologue

In the first part of my work, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning

until the day he was taken up to heaven. But first, he had instructed, through the Holy Spirit, the apostles he had chosen.

Promise of the Holy Spirit

After his passion, he presented himself to them, giving many signs that he was alive. Over a period of forty days, he showed himself to them and taught them about the kingdom of God.

Once, while he was eating with them, he told them:

John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days.”

Ascension of Jesus

When they had gathered together, they asked him:

“Is it now that you will restore the kingdom of Israel?”

He answered:

“It is not for you to know the time and the steps that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.”

After Jesus said this, he was taken up before their eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

While they were still looking up to heaven, where he went, suddenly, two men dressed in white stood beside them

and said: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will return in the same way as you have seen him go there.”

First Report on the Community in Jerusalem

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called Olives, which is a fifteen-minute walk away.

On entering the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Present there were Peter, John, James, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James, son of Alpheus; Simon the Zealot; and Judas, son of James.

They all gathered together and were constantly united in prayer. With them were some women, as well as Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Election of Matthias and First Speech in Acts

It was during this time that Peter stood up in the midst of the community—about one hundred and twenty in total—

and he said:“Brothers, it was necessary for the Scriptures about Judas to be fulfilled. The Holy Spirit had spoken through David about the one who would lead the crowd to arrest Jesus.

He was one of us and had been called to share our common ministry.

We know that he bought a field with the reward of his sin; yet he threw himself recklessly to his death; his body burst open, and all his bowels spilled out.

This event became known to everyone living in Jerusalem, and they called that field Akeldama in their own language, which means Field of Blood.

In the Book of Psalms, it is written:

Let his house become deserted

and may no one live in it.

And: May another take his office.

Therefore, we must select someone from those who were with us during the entire time the Lord Jesus was among us,

starting with John’s baptism and ending when Jesus was taken away from us. One of these must become our witness to his resurrection.

Then they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, also known as Justus, and Matthias.

Then they prayed: “You know, Lord, what is in everyone’s hearts. Show us, therefore, which of the two you have chosen

to replace Judas in this apostolic ministry, which he abandoned to go to the place he deserved.”

Then they cast lots between the two, and the choice fell on Matthias, who was added to the eleven apostles.