1 Theophilus, I first wrote to you about all that Jesus did and taught from the very first 2 until he was taken up to heaven. But before he was taken up, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen with the help of the Holy Spirit.
3 For 40 days after Jesus had suffered and died, he proved in many ways that he had been raised from death. He appeared to his apostles and spoke to them about God's kingdom. 4 While he was still with them, he said:
Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do. 5 John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Is Taken to Heaven
6 While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?”
7 Jesus said to them, “You don't need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. 8 But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” 9 After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him, 10 but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky.
Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them. 11 They said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way you have seen him go.”
Someone To Take the Place of Judas
12-13 The Mount of Olives was about a kilometer from Jerusalem. The apostles who had gone there were Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon, known as the Eager One, and Judas the son of James.
After the apostles returned to the city, they went upstairs to the room where they had been staying.
14 The apostles often met together and prayed with a single purpose in mind. The women and Mary the mother of Jesus would meet with them, and so would his brothers. 15 One day there were about 120 of the Lord's followers meeting together, and Peter stood up to speak to them. 16-17 He said:
My friends, long ago by the power of the Holy Spirit, David said something about Judas, and what he said has now happened. Judas was one of us and had worked with us, but he brought the mob to arrest Jesus. 18 Then Judas bought some land with the money he was given for doing that evil thing. He fell headfirst into the field. His body burst open, and all his insides came out. 19 When the people of Jerusalem found out about this, they called the place Akeldama, which in the local language means “Field of Blood.”
20 In the book of Psalms it says,
“Leave his house empty,
and don't let anyone
live there.”
It also says,
“Let someone else
have his job.”
21-22 So we need someone else to help us tell others that Jesus has been raised from death. He must also be one of the men who was with us from the very beginning. He must have been with us from the time the Lord Jesus was baptized by John until the day he was taken to heaven.
23 Two men were suggested: One of them was Joseph Barsabbas, known as Justus, and the other was Matthias. 24 Then they all prayed, “Lord, you know what everyone is like! Show us the one you have chosen 25 to be an apostle and to serve in place of Judas, who got what he deserved.” 26 They drew names, and Matthias was chosen to join the group of the eleven apostles.
Svētā Gara apsolījums
1 Pirmajā grāmatā, Teofil, es aprakstīju visu, ko Jēzus darīja sākumā un mācīja 2 līdz tai dienai, kad viņš tika uzņemts debesīs un izraudzītajiem apustuļiem jau bija devis pavēles Svētajā Garā. 3 Pēc savām ciešanām viņš nostājās dzīvs viņu priekšā, un četrdesmit dienās viņš to daudzas reizes pierādīja, tiem parādīdamies un runādams par Dieva valstību. 4 Kopīgu mielastu ieturot, viņš tiem pavēlēja: “Neaizejiet no Jeruzālemes, bet sagaidiet Tēva apsolījumu, ko jau dzirdējāt no manis: 5 Jānis kristīja ar ūdeni, bet jūs pēc nedaudz dienām kristīs Svētajā Garā.”
Jēzus pacelšana debesīs
6 Tad tie, kas bija sapulcējušies, viņam jautāja: “Kungs, vai tu šajā laikā no jauna uzcelsi Israēlam ķēniņvalsti?” 7 Viņš tiem sacīja: “Nav jūsu daļa zināt laiku vai stundu, ko Tēvs ir nolicis savā varā, 8 bet jūs saņemsiet Svētā Gara spēku, kas nāks pār jums, un jūs būsiet mani liecinieki gan Jeruzālemē un visā Jūdejā, gan Samarijā un līdz pat pasaules galam.” 9 Un, to pateicis, viņš, tiem redzot, tika pacelts, un mākonis uzņēma viņu prom no to acīm. 10 Viņam aizejot, tie cieši lūkojās debesīs, un, redzi, divi vīri baltās drānās pie tiem nostājās un 11 sacīja: “Galilejieši, ko stāvat, skatīdamies debesīs? Šis Jēzus, kas uzņemts debesīs prom no jums, tāpat nāks, kā jūs redzējāt viņu debesīs aizejam.”
Mācekļi izraugās citu apustuli Jūdas vietā
12 Tad viņi atgriezās Jeruzālemē no tā sauktā Olīvkalna, kas no Jeruzālemes ir sabata gājiena attālumā. 13 Pārnākuši viņi uzkāpa augšistabā, kur bija apmetušies Pēteris un Jānis, Jēkabs un Andrejs, Filips un Toms, Bartolomejs un Matejs, Jēkabs, Alfeja dēls, un Sīmanis Zēlots un Jūda, Jēkaba dēls. 14 Viņi bija vienprātīgi neatlaidīgā Dieva lūgšanā kopā ar sievietēm un Mariju, Jēzus māti, un viņa brāļiem. 15 Un tajās dienās Pēteris, piecēlies brāļu vidū – tur bija sapulcējušies vienkopus ap simts divdesmit cilvēku –, sacīja: 16 “Mani brāļi, Rakstiem bija jāpiepildās, kā ar Dāvida muti Svētais Gars jau pavēstījis par Jūdu, kas parādīja ceļu Jēzus sagūstītājiem. 17 Viņš bija mūsu vidū un bija izraudzīts šai kalpošanai. 18 Par netaisnības algu viņš iemantoja zemes gabalu, nokrita zemē, pārsprāga, un visas viņa iekšas izgāzās ārā, 19 un tas kļuva zināms visiem Jeruzālemes iedzīvotājiem, un tā zemes gabals nosaukts viņu valodā Hakeldama, tas ir, Asins lauks. 20 Jo psalmu grāmatā ir rakstīts: viņa miteklis lai ir tukšs, lai tajā neviens nedzīvo, un lai viņa amatu dabū cits. 21 Tad nu kādam no vīriem, kas visu šo laiku bijuši kopā ar mums, kopš atnāca un aizgāja no mums Kungs Jēzus – 22 no Jāņa kristības līdz tai dienai, kad viņš tika uzņemts debesīs prom no mums –, vienam no viņiem ir jābūt kopā ar mums par viņa augšāmcelšanās liecinieku.” 23 Un tie izvirzīja divus – Jāzepu, sauktu Barsaba, ar pievārdu Jūsts, un Matiju. 24 Dievu lūgdami, viņi sacīja: “Tu Kungs, kas pazīsti ikvienu sirdi, parādi, kuru no šiem diviem tu izraugies, 25 lai tas tagad saņemtu to kalpošanas un apustuļa vietu, no kuras aizgāja Jūda, noiedams savā vietā.” 26 Viņiem deva lozes, un loze krita Matijam, un viņu pieskaitīja pie vienpadsmit apustuļiem.
