Acts 1:26
New International Version
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

New Living Translation
Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.

English Standard Version
And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Berean Standard Bible
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Berean Literal Bible
And they gave lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

King James Bible
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

New King James Version
And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

New American Standard Bible
And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

NASB 1995
And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

NASB 1977
And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

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

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

Christian Standard Bible
Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was numbered with the 11 apostles.

American Standard Version
And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Contemporary English Version
They drew names, and Matthias was chosen to join the group of the eleven apostles.

English Revised Version
And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They drew names to choose an apostle. Matthias was chosen and joined the eleven apostles.

Good News Translation
Then they drew lots to choose between the two men, and the one chosen was Matthias, who was added to the group of eleven apostles.

International Standard Version
So they drew lots for them, and when the lot fell on Matthias, he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.

Majority Standard Bible
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

NET Bible
Then they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; so he was counted with the eleven apostles.

New Heart English Bible
They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Weymouth New Testament
Then they drew lots between them. The lot fell on Matthias, and a place among the eleven Apostles was voted to him.

World English Bible
They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was counted with the eleven apostles.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they gave their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Berean Literal Bible
And they gave lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Young's Literal Translation
and they gave their lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he gave their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was voted together with the eleven sent.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they cast lots concerning them, and the lot fell upon Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.

New American Bible
Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

New Revised Standard Version
And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Mat-thi’as; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they cast lots, and it came up to Matthaya, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And they gave in their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias: and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Godbey New Testament
And they gave lots for them, and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Haweis New Testament
And they drew lots for them and the lot fell to Matthias and he was by unanimous suffrage numbered with the eleven apostles.

Mace New Testament
and having drawn lots; the lot fell upon Matthias, who was added to the eleven apostles.

Weymouth New Testament
Then they drew lots between them. The lot fell on Matthias, and a place among the eleven Apostles was voted to him.

Worrell New Testament
And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Worsley New Testament
And they gave out their lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the apostles.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Matthias Replaces Judas
25to take up this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.” 26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Cross References
Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

1 Samuel 14:41-42
So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge. / Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.

1 Chronicles 24:5
Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.

1 Chronicles 25:8
They cast lots for their duties, young and old alike, teacher as well as pupil.

1 Chronicles 26:13-14
They cast lots for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike. / The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him.

Jonah 1:7
“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

Numbers 26:55-56
Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. / Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes.”

Joshua 18:10
And Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions.

Leviticus 16:8-10
After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat, / he shall present the goat chosen by lot for the LORD and sacrifice it as a sin offering. / But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.

1 Samuel 10:20-21
Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected. / Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the clan of Matri was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they looked for him, they could not find him.

Matthew 27:35
When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.

John 13:18
I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’

John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

John 17:12
While I was with them, I protected and preserved them by Your name, the name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

Luke 6:13
When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:


Treasury of Scripture

And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

they.

Acts 13:19
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

Leviticus 16:8
And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

Joshua 18:10
And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.

Matthias.

Acts 1:23
And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

Jump to Previous
Added Apostles Cast Chance Decision Drew Eleven Enrolled Fell Forth Lots Matthias Matthi'as Numbered
Jump to Next
Added Apostles Cast Chance Decision Drew Eleven Enrolled Fell Forth Lots Matthias Matthi'as Numbered
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.














Then they cast lots
The practice of casting lots was a common method in ancient times for making decisions or discerning God's will. The Greek word for "lots" is "klēros," which refers to a small object used in this decision-making process. This method is seen throughout the Old Testament, such as in Leviticus 16:8, where lots were cast to choose between the two goats on the Day of Atonement. The casting of lots was not seen as a game of chance but as a means to allow God to reveal His choice. In this context, the apostles were seeking divine guidance to fill the vacancy left by Judas Iscariot, demonstrating their reliance on God's sovereignty.

and the lot fell to Matthias
The phrase "the lot fell" indicates the outcome of the casting process. The Greek verb "pipto" means "to fall," suggesting that the decision was not random but divinely orchestrated. Matthias, whose name means "gift of God," was chosen to become the twelfth apostle. This selection underscores the belief that God is actively involved in the leadership and direction of His church. Matthias' inclusion among the apostles highlights the importance of maintaining the symbolic number twelve, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, and ensuring the continuity of the apostolic witness.

so he was added to the eleven apostles
The phrase "he was added" comes from the Greek word "prostithemi," meaning "to add" or "to join." This indicates that Matthias was not merely a replacement but was fully integrated into the group of apostles. The number twelve holds significant biblical symbolism, representing completeness and divine order. By restoring the number of apostles to twelve, the early church affirmed its connection to the foundational structure established by Jesus. This act of adding Matthias also emphasizes the importance of community and unity within the body of Christ, as the apostles were tasked with spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

(26) And they gave forth their lots.--As interpreted by the prayer of Acts 1:24, and by the word "fell" here, there can be no doubt that the passage speaks of "lots" and not "votes." The two men were chosen by the disciples as standing, as far as they could see, on the same level. It was left for the Searcher of hearts to show, by the exclusion of human will, which of the two He had chosen. The most usual way of casting lots in such cases was to write each name on a tablet, place them in an urn, and then shake the urn till one came out. A like custom prevailed among the Greeks, as in the well-known story of the stratagem of Cresphontes in the division of territory after the Doriar invasion (Sophocles, Aias. 1285; comp. Proverbs 16:33). The practice was recognised, it may be noted, in the Law (Leviticus 16:8).

He was numbered with the eleven apostles.--The Greek word is not the same as in Acts 1:17, and implies that Matthias was "voted in," the suffrage of the Church unanimously confirming the indication of the divine will which had been given by the lot. It may be that the new Apostle took the place which Judas had left vacant, and was the last of the Twelve.

Verse 26. - They gave lots for them for they gave forth their lots, A.V. and T.R. (αὐτοῖς for αὐτῶν); but the T.R. gives the easiest sense. The exact mode of taking the lot does not appear. Some think the name of each candidate was written on a tablet, and that the first name which fell out of the urn after it had been shaken was the one chosen. Some think the lot was taken by dice. But however the taking of the lot was managed, the effect was to leave the choice to God in answer to prayer.



Parallel Commentaries ...


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

they cast
ἔδωκαν (edōkan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

lots,
κλήρους (klērous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2819: (a) a lot, (b) a portion assigned; hence: a portion of the people of God assigned to one's care, a congregation.

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

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.

lot
κλῆρος (klēros)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2819: (a) a lot, (b) a portion assigned; hence: a portion of the people of God assigned to one's care, a congregation.

fell
ἔπεσεν (epesen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4098: A reduplicated and contracted form of peto; probably akin to petomai through the idea of alighting; to fall.

to
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

Matthias;
Μαθθίαν (Maththian)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3159: Matthias. Apparently a shortened form of Mattathias; Matthias, an Israelite.

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

he was added
συνκατεψηφίσθη (synkatepsēphisthē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4785: To be voted or classed with. From sun and a compound of kata and psephizo; to count down in company with, i.e. Enroll among.

to
μετὰ (meta)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

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.

eleven
ἕνδεκα (hendeka)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 1733: Eleven. From heis and deka; one and ten, i.e. Eleven.

apostles.
ἀποστόλων (apostolōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 652: From apostello; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ.


Links
Acts 1:26 NIV
Acts 1:26 NLT
Acts 1:26 ESV
Acts 1:26 NASB
Acts 1:26 KJV

Acts 1:26 BibleApps.com
Acts 1:26 Biblia Paralela
Acts 1:26 Chinese Bible
Acts 1:26 French Bible
Acts 1:26 Catholic Bible

NT Apostles: Acts 1:26 They drew lots for them and (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 1:25
Top of Page
Top of Page