1In my first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,
2until the day when he was taken up. Before that day he had given his commands, through the Holy Spirit, to the apostles he had chosen.
3After his suffering he showed himself alive to them, with many sure proofs. They saw him over forty days, and he spoke about the things that belong to the kingdom of God.
4While he was gathered together with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised. "You have heard me speak of it," he said.
5"For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time give the kingdom back to Israel?"
7He said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons. The Father has kept those in his own power."
8"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the farthest part of the earth."
9When he had said these things, he was taken up while they watched, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10They kept looking up into heaven as he went. Look, two men in white clothing stood beside them.
11They said, "You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way as you have seen him go into heaven."
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away.
13When they came in, they went up into an upper room, where they were staying: Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
14All these joined together with one mind in prayer and pleading, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15In those days Peter stood up among the disciples and said (there were about a hundred and twenty people gathered there),
16"Men and brothers, this scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David about Judas, who led the men that arrested Jesus."
17"For he was counted as one of us, and had a share in this ministry."
18"Now this man bought a field with the money he was paid for his wickedness. He fell head first, his body burst open in the middle, and all his insides poured out."
19"Everyone living in Jerusalem came to know of it, so that the field is called in their own language Aceldama, that is, The field of blood."
20"For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his home be empty, and let no one live in it,' and, 'Let another take his office.'"
21"So then, from among the men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,"
22"from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us, one of them must be chosen to join us as a witness of his resurrection."
23So they put forward two men: Joseph called Barsabas, who was also named Justus, and Matthias.
24Then they prayed and said, "You, Lord, know the hearts of everyone. Show us which of these two you have chosen"
25"to take his place in this ministry and apostleship, which Judas left when he sinned and went to his own place."
26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. So he was counted with the eleven apostles.