1The former treatise I made , O Theophilus , concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach , 2until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen : 3to whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs , appearing unto them by the space of forty days , and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God : 4and , being assembled together with them , he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem , but to wait for the promise of the Father , which , said he , ye heard from me : 5for John indeed baptized with water ; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence . 6They therefore , when they were come together , asked him , saying , Lord , dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel ? 7And he said unto them , It is not for you to know times or seasons , which the Father hath set within his own authority . 8But ye shall receive power , when the Holy Spirit is come upon you : and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem , and in all Judæa and Samaria , and unto the uttermost part of the earth . 9And when he had said these things , as they were looking , he was taken up ; and a cloud received him out of their sight . 10And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went , behold two men stood by them in white apparel ; 11who also said , Ye men of Galilee , why stand ye looking into heaven ? this Jesus , who was received up from you into heaven , shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven .
The Selection of Matthias
12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet , which is nigh unto Jerusalem , a sabbath day ’ s journey off. 13And when they were come in , they went up into the upper chamber , where they were abiding; both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas , Bartholomew and Matthew , James the son of Alphæus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James . 14These all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer , with the women , and Mary the mother of Jesus , and with his brethren . 15And in these days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren , and said ( and there was a multitude of persons gathered together , about a hundred and twenty ), 16Brethren , it was needful that the scripture should be fulfilled , which the Holy Spirit spake before by the mouth of David concerning Judas , who was guide to them that took Jesus . 17For he was numbered among us , and received his portion in this ministry . 18( Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong , he burst asunder in the midst , and all his bowels gushed out . 19And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem ; insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is , The field of blood.) 20For it is written in the book of Psalms , Let his habitation be made desolate , And let no man dwell therein : and , His office let another take . 21Of the men therefore that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us , 22beginning from the baptism of John , unto the day that he was received up from us , of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection. 23And they put forward two , Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus , and Matthias . 24And they prayed , and said , Thou , Lord , who knowest the hearts of all men , show of these two the one whom thou hast chosen , 25to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away , that he might go to his own place . 26And they gave lots for them ; and the lot fell upon Matthias ; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.