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.
1 Pirmajā grāmatā, Teofil, esmu stāstījis par visu, ko Jēzus darījis un mācījis no paša sākuma 2 līdz tai dienai, kad, caur Svēto Garu devis pavēles apustuļiem, ko bija izredzējis, Viņš tika uzņemts debesīs. 3 Tiem Viņš arī pēc Savām ciešanām ar daudz skaidrām zīmēm bija dzīvs parādījies un, četrdesmit dienas viņu vidū redzēts, runājis par Dieva valstību. 4 Un, tos sapulcinājis, Viņš tiem pavēlēja neaiziet no Jeruzālemes, bet gaidīt Tēva apsolījumu, ko jūs, tā Viņš sacīja, no Manis esat dzirdējuši. 5 Jo Jānis gan ir kristījis ar ūdeni, bet jūs tiksit kristīti ar Svēto Garu pēc nedaudz dienām. 6 Tad tie, kas bija kopā, Viņam vaicāja: "Kungs, vai Tu šinī laikā atkal uzcelsi Israēlam valstību?" 7 Viņš tiem atbildēja: "Nav jūsu daļa zināt laikus vai brīžus, ko Tēvs nolicis Savā paša varā. 8 Bet jūs dabūsit spēku, kad Svētais Gars būs nācis pār jums, un būsit Mani liecinieki kā Jeruzālemē, tā visā Jūdejā un Samarijā un līdz pašam pasaules galam." 9 To sacījis, Viņš, tiem redzot, tika pacelts, un padebess Viņu uzņēma prom no viņu acīm. 10 Kad tie, Viņam aizejot, cieši skatījās uz debesīm, lūk, pie tiem stāvēja divi vīri baltās drēbēs. 11 Tie sacīja: "Galilieši, ko jūs stāvat, skatīdamies uz debesīm? Šis Jēzus, kas uzņemts prom no jums debesīs, tāpat nāks, kā jūs Viņu esat redzējuši debesīs aizejam." 12 Tad viņi griezās atpakaļ uz Jeruzālemi no kalna, ko sauc Eļļas kalns, kas ir tuvu pie Jeruzālemes, vienu sabata gājumu. 13 Un, tur nonākuši, viņi uzkāpa augšistabā, kur mēdza uzturēties Pēteris un Jānis, Jēkabs un Andrejs, Filips un Toms, Bartolomejs un Matejs, Jēkabs, Alfeja dēls, un Zēlots Sīmanis un Jūda, Jēkaba dēls. 14 Tie visi vienprātīgi palika kopā lūgšanās līdz ar sievām un Mariju, Jēzus māti, un ar Viņa brāļiem. 15 Tanīs dienās Pēteris, piecēlies brāļu vidū - tur bija kopā ap simts divdesmit cilvēku, sacīja: 16 "Brāļi, bija jāpiepildās rakstiem, ko Svētais Gars runājis ar Dāvida muti par Jūdu, kurš bija vedis Jēzus gūstītājus. 17 Jo tas bija pieskaitīts mums un saņēmis to pašu kalpošanu. 18 Tas, ieguvis tīrumu par netaisnības algu un uz vaiga nokritis, ir vidū pārsprādzis, un visas viņa iekšas izgāzušās. 19 Tas kļuva zināms visiem Jeruzālemes iedzīvotājiem, tādēļ arī šis tīrums viņu valodā nosaukts Hakeldama, tas ir, asins tīrums. 20 Jo psalmu grāmatā ir rakstīts: viņa māja lai paliek par postažu, lai neviens tur nedzīvo; un lai cits dabū viņa uzrauga pilnvaras. 21 Tāpēc vienam no tiem vīriem, kas ar mums kopā gājuši visu to laiku, kad Kungs Jēzus pie mums nācis un gājis, 22 sākot ar Jāņa kristību līdz tai dienai, kad Viņš no mums tika uzņemts debesīs, vienam no tiem līdz ar mums jākļūst par Viņa augšāmcelšanās liecinieku." 23 Un tie izraudzīja divus, Jāzepu, sauktu Barsabu, ar pievārdu Justs, un Matiju. 24 Un, Dievu pielūguši, viņi sacīja: "Kungs, Tu visu siržu pazinējs, rādi, kuru no šiem abiem Tu esi izredzējis 25 uzņemties kalpošanu un apustuļa darbu, ko Jūda ir atstājis, lai noietu savā vietā." 26 Tie deva viņiem meslus, un mesli krita Matijam, un viņš tika pieskaitīts vienpadsmit apustuļiem.
