Acts 1:21
New International Version
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us,

New Living Translation
“So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus—

English Standard Version
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore it behooves the men having accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us,

King James Bible
Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

New King James Version
“Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

New American Standard Bible
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—

NASB 1995
“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—

NASB 1977
“It is therefore necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—

Legacy Standard Bible
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—

Amplified Bible
So of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus spent with us,

Christian Standard Bible
“Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—

American Standard Version
Of the men therefore that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us,

English Revised Version
Of the men therefore which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He must be one of the men who accompanied Jesus with us the entire time that the Lord Jesus was among us.

International Standard Version
who was one of the men associated with us all the time the Lord Jesus came and went among us,

Majority Standard Bible
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

NET Bible
Thus one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with us,

New Heart English Bible
"Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore, of these men who accompanied us, all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Weymouth New Testament
"It is necessary, therefore, that of the men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us--

World English Bible
“Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
It is necessary, therefore, of the men who went with us during all the time in which the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us,

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore it behooves the men having accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us,

Young's Literal Translation
'It behoveth, therefore, of the men who did go with us during all the time in which the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us,

Smith's Literal Translation
Therefore must there, of these men having come with us in all the time in which the Lord Jesus came in and came out among us,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore of these men who have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, it is necessary that, out of these men who have been assembling with us throughout the entire time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

New American Bible
Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us,

New Revised Standard Version
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
It is necessary, therefore, that one of these men, who have been with us during all the time that our LORD Jesus went in and out among us,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Therefore it is right that one of these who have been with us all this time in which our Lord Yeshua went in and out among us”,
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Therefore, of these men who have associated with us during the whole time in which the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Godbey New Testament
Therefore the men having come together with us all the time in which the Lord Jesus came in unto us and went out,

Haweis New Testament
Wherefore from among the men who have associated with us always during the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Mace New Testament
wherefore of those who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus convers'd among us,

Weymouth New Testament
"It is necessary, therefore, that of the men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us--

Worrell New Testament
"It is needful, therefore, that one of these men—who accompanied us all the time that the Lord went in and out among us,

Worsley New Testament
Wherefore it is necessary that one of these men, who have been conversant with us all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and out among us,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Matthias Replaces Judas
20“For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’ 21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”…

Cross References
Luke 24:48
You are witnesses of these things.

John 15:27
And you also must testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Acts 10:39-41
We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, / God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen— / not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.

1 John 1:1-3
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life. / And this is the life that was revealed; we have seen it and testified to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. / We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, / and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Mark 16:15-16
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. / Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

John 20:21-23
Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.” / When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. / If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”

Acts 2:32
God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.

Acts 3:15
You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of this fact.

Acts 4:33
With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.

Acts 13:31
and for many days He was seen by those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.

1 Corinthians 15:5-8
and that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve. / After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. / Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ...

Matthew 18:16
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

Deuteronomy 19:15
A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Isaiah 43:10-12
“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come. / I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior but Me. / I alone decreed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you. So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.


Treasury of Scripture

Why of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

these.

Luke 10:1,2
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come…

John 15:27
And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

went.

Numbers 27:17
Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

Deuteronomy 31:2
And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

2 Samuel 5:2
Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

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Accompanied Assembled Behoveth Choose Companied Jesus Necessary Reason Time Wherefore Whole
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Accompanied Assembled Behoveth Choose Companied Jesus Necessary Reason Time Wherefore Whole
Acts 1
1. Christ, preparing his apostles to the beholding of his ascension, .
4. gathers them together unto the Mount of Olives,
6. commands them to expect in Jerusalem the sending down of the Holy Spirit,
9. and ascends into heaven in their sight
10. After his ascension they are warned by two angels to depart, and to set their minds upon his second coming.
12. They accordingly return, and, giving themselves to prayer,
23. choose Matthias apostle in the place of Judas.














Therefore it is necessary
The phrase "it is necessary" underscores the imperative nature of the task at hand. In the Greek, the word used is "dei," which conveys a sense of divine necessity or obligation. This reflects the early church's understanding that their actions were not merely human decisions but were guided by divine mandate. The apostles recognized the importance of fulfilling God's plan, emphasizing the seriousness with which they approached their mission.

to choose one of the men
The selection of "one of the men" highlights the communal and inclusive nature of the early church. The Greek word for "men" here is "andrōn," which can refer to males specifically, but in this context, it emphasizes the need for a witness who has been part of the community. This choice was not arbitrary but was rooted in the need for continuity and shared experience among the apostles.

who have accompanied us
The phrase "who have accompanied us" indicates the importance of shared experience and witness. The Greek word "syneleusai" suggests a close association or companionship. This requirement ensured that the new apostle would have firsthand knowledge of Jesus' ministry, reinforcing the authenticity and credibility of their testimony.

the whole time
The emphasis on "the whole time" underscores the necessity for a comprehensive witness. The Greek phrase "panta chronon" implies an unbroken period of time, highlighting the importance of consistency and faithfulness. This requirement ensured that the new apostle had a complete understanding of Jesus' teachings and actions.

the Lord Jesus
Referring to "the Lord Jesus" affirms the centrality of Christ in the life and mission of the apostles. The title "Lord" (Greek: "Kyrios") denotes authority and divinity, while "Jesus" (Greek: "Iēsous") is His earthly name, emphasizing His role as Savior. This duality reflects the early church's recognition of Jesus as both divine and human, the cornerstone of their faith.

went in and out among us
The phrase "went in and out among us" conveys the idea of daily interaction and fellowship. The Greek "eisēlthen kai exēlthen" suggests a regular, ongoing presence. This highlights the relational aspect of Jesus' ministry, where He was not distant or aloof but actively engaged with His followers, setting a model for apostolic ministry.

(21) Wherefore of these men which have companied with us.--From the retrospective glance at the guilt and punishment of the traitor, Peter passes, as with a practical sagacity, to the one thing that was now needful for the work of the infant Church. They, the Apostles, must present themselves to the people in their symbolic completeness, as sent to the twelve tribes of Israel, and the gap left by the traitor must be filled by one qualified, as they were, to bear witness of what had been said or done by their Lord during His ministry, and, above all, of His resurrection from the dead. That would seem, even in St. Paul's estimate, to have been a condition of apostleship (1Corinthians 9:1).

Went in and out . . .--The phrase was a familiar Hebrew phrase for the whole of a man's life and conduct. (Comp. Acts 9:28.)

Verse 21. - Of the men therefore for wherefore of these men, A.V.; event out for out, A.V.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Therefore
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

it is necessary [to select]
Δεῖ (Dei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1163: Third person singular active present of deo; also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is Necessary.

one of the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

men
ἀνδρῶν (andrōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

who have accompanied
συνελθόντων (synelthontōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4905: From sun and erchomai; to convene, depart in company with, associate with, or, cohabit.

us
ἡμῖν (hēmin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

[the] whole
παντὶ (panti)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

time
χρόνῳ (chronō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5550: A space of time or interval; by extension, an individual opportunity; by implication, delay.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Lord
Κύριος (Kyrios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

went in
εἰσῆλθεν (eisēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

out
ἐξῆλθεν (exēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1831: To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.

among
ἐφ’ (eph’)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

us,
ἡμᾶς (hēmas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Apostles: Acts 1:21 Of the men therefore who have accompanied (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 1:20
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