Prologue
THE first book have I already completed, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up; after that, He through the Holy Spirit gave commandments to the apostles, whom He had chosen;
3 To whom also, He showed Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Promise of the Holy Spirit
4 ¶ And eating together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, rather: “Wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard from Me.
5 For John baptized with water; but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 ¶ When they therefore had come together, they asked of him, saying: Lord, will you at this time, restore the kingdom to Israel?
7 And He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own authority.
8 But you will receive power, after the Holy Spirit has arrived upon you; and you shall be witnesses of Me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the furthermost part of the earth.”
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
9 ¶ And when He had spoken these things, while they were watching, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him up out of their sight.
10 And while they looked intently toward heaven as He went up: behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said: “You men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven: shall in this same way arrive, as you have seen him go into heaven.”
12 Then they returned into Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey away.
The Upper Room
13 ¶ And when they had come in, they went up into the upper room where abode Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judah the brother of James.
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers.
New Apostle
15 ¶ And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names were about a hundred and twenty), and said:
16 “Men and brothers, this scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke beforehand concerning Judah, which was guide to those that arrested Jesus.
17 For he was numbered together with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
18 Now this man purchased a field with the wages of his unrighteousness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out.
19 And it was known to all the residents in Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama; that is to say: The 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: “his overseership let another take.”
21 Therefore, of these men which have accompanied us all of the time that the Lord Jesus come in and went out among us,
22 Beginning from the baptism of John, until the day that He was taken up from us; must one become a witness with us, of his resurrection.”
23 ¶ And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said: “You, Lord, which knows the hearts of all men; commission which one of these two You have chosen;
25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship; from which Judah went aside, that he might go to his own place.
26 And they cast their lots; and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.