| Acts 1 Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven 1 In my former book , Theophilus , I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven , after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen . 3 After his suffering , he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive . He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God . 4 On one occasion , while he was eating with them , he gave them this command : “ Do not leave Jerusalem , but wait for the gift my Father promised , which you have heard me speak about . 5 For John baptized with[a ] water , but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit . ” 6 So when they met together , they asked him , “ Lord , are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel ? ” 7 He said to them : “ It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority . 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you ; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem , and in all Judea and Samaria , and to the ends of the earth . ” 9 After he said this , he was taken up before their very eyes , and a cloud hid him from their sight . 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going , when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them . 11 “ Men of Galilee , ” they said , “ why do you stand here looking into the sky ? This same Jesus , who has been taken from you into heaven , will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven . ” Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives , a Sabbath day’s walk[b ] from the city . 13 When they arrived , they went upstairs to the room where they were staying . Those present were Peter , John , James and Andrew ; Philip and Thomas , Bartholomew and Matthew ; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot , and Judas son of James . 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer , along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus , and with his brothers . 15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers[c ] ( a group numbering about a hundred and twenty ) 16 and said , “ Brothers , the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas , who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus — 17 he was one of our number and shared in this ministry . ” 18 ( With the reward he got for his wickedness , Judas bought a field ; there he fell headlong , his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out . 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this , so they called that field in their language Akeldama , that is , Field of Blood . ) 20 “ For , ” said Peter , “ it is written in the book of Psalms , “ ‘ May his place be deserted ; let there be no one to dwell in it , ’ [ d ] and , “ ‘ May another take his place of leadership . ’ [ e ] 21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us , 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us . For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection . ” 23 So they proposed two men : Joseph called Barsabbas ( also known as Justus ) and Matthias . 24 Then they prayed , “ Lord , you know everyone’s heart . Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry , which Judas left to go where he belongs . ” 26 Then they cast lots , and the lot fell to Matthias ; so he was added to the eleven apostles . Acts 2 The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost 1 When the day of Pentecost came , they were all together in one place . 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting . 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them . 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a ] as the Spirit enabled them . 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven . 6 When they heard this sound , a crowd came together in bewilderment , because each one heard them speaking in his own language . 7 Utterly amazed , they asked : “ Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans ? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language ? 9 Parthians , Medes and Elamites ; residents of Mesopotamia , Judea and Cappadocia , Pontus and Asia , 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia , Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene ; visitors from Rome 11 ( both Jews and converts to Judaism ) ; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues ! ” 12 Amazed and perplexed , they asked one another , “ What does this mean ? ” 13 Some , however , made fun of them and said , “ They have had too much wine . [ b ] ” Peter Addresses the Crowd 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven , raised his voice and addressed the crowd : “ Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem , let me explain this to you ; listen carefully to what I say . 15 These men are not drunk , as you suppose . It’s only nine in the morning ! 16 No , this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel : 17 “ ‘ In the last days , God says , I will pour out my Spirit on all people . Your sons and daughters will prophesy , your young men will see visions , your old men will dream dreams . 18 Even on my servants , both men and women , I will pour out my Spirit in those days , and they will prophesy . 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below , blood and fire and billows of smoke . 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord . 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved . ’ [ c ] 22 “ Men of Israel , listen to this : Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles , wonders and signs , which God did among you through him , as you yourselves know . 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge ; and you , with the help of wicked men , [ d ] put him to death by nailing him to the cross . 24 But God raised him from the dead , freeing him from the agony of death , because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him . 25 David said about him : “ ‘ I saw the Lord always before me . Because he is at my right hand , I will not be shaken . 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices ; my body also will live in hope , 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave , nor will you let your Holy One see decay . 28 You have made known to me the paths of life ; you will fill me with joy in your presence . ’ [ e ] 29 “ Brothers , I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried , and his tomb is here to this day . 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne . 31 Seeing what was ahead , he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ , [ f ] that he was not abandoned to the grave , nor did his body see decay . 32 God has raised this Jesus to life , and we are all witnesses of the fact . 33 Exalted to the right hand of God , he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear . 34 For David did not ascend to heaven , and yet he said , “ ‘ The Lord said to my Lord : “ Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet . ” ’ [ g ] 36 “ Therefore let all Israel be assured of this : God has made this Jesus , whom you crucified , both Lord and Christ . ” 37 When the people heard this , they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles , “ Brothers , what shall we do ? ” 38 Peter replied , “ Repent and be baptized , every one of you , in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins . And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit . 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call . ” 40 With many other words he warned them ; and he pleaded with them , “ Save yourselves from this corrupt generation . ” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized , and about three thousand were added to their number that day . The Fellowship of the Believers 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles ’ teaching and to the fellowship , to the breaking of bread and to prayer . 43 Everyone was filled with awe , and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles . 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common . 45 Selling their possessions and goods , they gave to anyone as he had need . 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts . They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts , 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people . And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved . |