1 The first account I composed, O Theophilus, was about all that Jesus did and taught,

2 until the day he was received up to heaven. After that he gave orders through the Holy Spirit to his chosen apostles.

3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering. He gave many convincing proofs. He appeared to them during forty days speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 When they were gathered together he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem. They were to wait for the promise of the Father that he spoke about.

5 »John baptized with water; but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit in a few days,« He said.

6 When they met they asked him: »Lord will you restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?«

7 He replied: »It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has set within His own authority.

8 »You will receive power, when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.«

9 When he said these things, while they watched, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 They gazed intently into the sky as he went into heaven. Two men wearing white stood beside them.

11 They said: »You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven will come in a similar manner as you saw him go into heaven.«

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

13 When they entered the city they went to the upper chamber where they were staying. Included were Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealous one, and Judas the son of James.

14 They all continued united in earnest prayer. The women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers were also there.

15 In these days Peter stood up among the brothers about a hundred and twenty, and said:

16 »Brothers, the Scripture needed to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus.

17 »He was numbered among us, and shared in this ministry.

18 »This man obtained a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Matthew 27:5 says he hanged himself. The rope broke or the branch on which it was tied broke. Then he fell to the ground and burst open.

19 »It became known to all who live in Jerusalem that the field was called the field of blood, in their language; Akeldama.

20 »It is written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let his habitation be made desolate and let no man dwell there. Let another take his office.’ (Psalm 109:8)

21 »Someone must join us as a witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. He must be one of the men who were in our group during the time that the Lord Jesus traveled about with us. This should be from the time John preached his message of baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us to heaven.

22 »One who was with us from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us must become a witness with us of his resurrection.«

23 They proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24 They prayed: »You O Jehovah, know the hearts of all men. Show us which of these men you choose.

25 »Which of these men should assume this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.«

26 They cast lots for them and the lot fell on Matthias. So he was included with the eleven apostles.