1The former account, indeed, I made concerning all things, O Theophilus, that Jesus began both to do and to teach, 2until the day in which, having given command through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He chose out, He was taken up, 3to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, in many certain proofs, being seen by them through forty days, and speaking the things concerning the Kingdom of God.

4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “Which you heard from Me; 5because John, indeed, immersed in water, but you will be immersed in the Holy Spirit not many days after these.”

6They, therefore, indeed, having come together, were questioning Him, saying, “Lord, do You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7And He said to them, “It is not yours to know times or seasons that the Father appointed in His own authority; 8but you will receive power at the coming of the Holy Spirit on you, and you will be witnesses for Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

9And having said these things—they beholding—He was taken up, and a cloud received Him up from their sight; 10and as they were looking steadfastly to the sky in His going on, then, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, 11who also said, “Men, Galileans, why do you stand gazing into the sky? This Jesus who was received up from you into Heaven, will so come in what manner you saw Him going on to Heaven.”

12Then they returned to Jerusalem from [that] called the Mount of Olives, that is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath’s journey; 13and when they came in, they went up into the upper room, where were abiding both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James, of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas, of James; 14these were all continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication, with women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

15And in these days, Peter having risen up in the midst of the disciples, said (also the multitude of the names at the same place was, as it were, one hundred and twenty), 16“Men, brothers, it was necessary [for] this Writing to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who became guide to those who took Jesus, 17because he was numbered among us, and received the share in this ministry. 18(This one, indeed, then, purchased a field out of the reward of unrighteousness, and falling headlong, burst apart in the midst, and all his bowels gushed forth, 19and it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem, insomuch that this place is called, in their proper dialect, Aceldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20For it has been written in [the] Scroll of Psalms: Let his lodging-place become desolate, and let no one be dwelling in it, and let another take his oversight.

21It 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, 22beginning from the immersion of John, to the day in which He was received up from us, one of these to become with us a witness of His resurrection.” 23And they set two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias, 24and having prayed, they said, “You, LORD, who are knowing the heart of all, show which one You chose of these two, 25to receive the share of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas, by transgression, fell, to go on to his proper place”; 26and they gave their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.