Acts 1

1In the first account, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,

2until the day when, after giving commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up.

3To them he also presented himself alive after he had suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4And while staying with them, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me.

5For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

6So when they had come together, they asked him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time that you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

7But he said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority.”

8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

9And after he said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

10And as they were gazing intently into heaven while he was going, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,

11They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you saw him going into heaven.”

12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

13And when they had entered, they went up to the upstairs room where they were staying: Peter, John, James, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

14All of these were continually devoting themselves with one accord to prayer, together with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

15And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and said (the number of names together was about one hundred twenty),

16Men, brothers, it was necessary for the Scripture to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus,

17For he was numbered among us and received a share in this ministry.

18So this man acquired a field with the wages of unrighteousness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.

19And it became known to all those living in Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field was called Akeldamach, that is, Field of Blood.

20For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his dwelling place become desolate, and let there be no one dwelling in it,’ and, ‘Let another take his office.’

21Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us during all the time in which the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.

23And they put forward two: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.

24And after praying, they said, “You, Lord, knower of the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen,”

25to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.

26And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.