¶ The former¹ treatise have I made, O Theophilus², of³ all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Until the day⁴ in which he was taken up, after that he through⁵ the Holy Ghost had given⁶ commandments unto the apostles⁷ whom he had chosen:

To whom also he shewed⁸ himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty⁹ days, and speaking¹⁰ of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

And, being assembled together¹¹ with them, commanded¹² them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise¹³ of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

For John¹⁴ truly baptized with water; but¹⁵ ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

¶ When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord¹⁶, wilt thou at this time restore¹⁷ again the kingdom to Israel?

And he said unto them, It¹⁸ is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which¹⁹ the Father hath put in his own power.

But ye shall²⁰ receive power²¹, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye²² shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria²³, and unto²⁴ the uttermost part of the earth.

And when²⁵ he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud²⁶ received him out of their sight.

¶ And while²⁷ they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two²⁸ men stood by them in white apparel;

Which also said, Ye men²⁹ of Galilee, why³⁰ stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall³¹ so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

¶ Then returned they unto Jerusalem from³² the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath³³ day's journey.

And when they were come in, they went up into an³⁴ upper room, where abode both Peter³⁵, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip³⁶, and Thomas³⁷, Bartholomew, and Matthew³⁸, James⁴⁰ the son of Alphaeus⁴¹, and Simon⁴² Zelotes, and Judas⁴⁴ the brother of James.

These all⁴⁷ continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the⁴⁸ women, and Mary⁴⁹ the mother of Jesus, and with his⁵⁰ brethren.

¶ And in those days Peter⁵¹ stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an⁵³ hundred and twenty,)

Men⁵⁴ and brethren, this⁵⁵ scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the⁵⁶ Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake⁵⁷ before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

For he⁵⁸ was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this⁵⁹ ministry.

Now this⁶⁰ man purchased a field with⁶¹ the reward of iniquity; and falling⁶² headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

And it⁶³ was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama⁶⁴, that is to say, The field of blood.

¶ For it is written in⁶⁵ the book of Psalms, Let his⁶⁶ habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his⁶⁷ bishoprick⁶⁸ let another take.

Wherefore of these⁶⁹ men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went⁷⁰ in and out among us,

Beginning⁷¹ from the baptism of John, unto⁷² that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness⁷³ with us of his resurrection.

And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas⁷⁴, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

And they⁷⁵ prayed, and said, Thou, Lord⁷⁶, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

That he may⁷⁷ take part of this ministry and apostleship, from⁷⁸ which Judas by⁷⁹ transgression fell, that he might go⁸⁰ to his own place.

And they⁸¹ gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias⁸²; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.