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

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

3 To these he also presented himself alive after his suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, »Which,« he said, »you heard of from me;

5 for John baptized with water, but before many days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.«

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, »Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?«

7 He said to them, »It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.«

9 And after he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while he was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.

11 They also said, »Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched 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 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying; Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.

14 All these with one mind devoted themselves to prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said,

16 »Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus.

17 For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.«

18 (Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.

19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his homestead be made desolate,and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and, ‘let another man take his office.’

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

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

23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias.

24 And they prayed and said, »You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen

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

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