1 I composed the first account, O Theophilus, about all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,
2 until the day on which, having given charge through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up;
3 to whom also, after he had suffered, he presented himself alive by many sure proofs, appearing to them over forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
4 And being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, "which you heard from me;
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit before many days have passed."
6 They therefore, when they had come together, were asking him, "Lord, is it at this time that you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"
7 And he said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put within his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
9 And when he had said these things, while they watched, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, look, two men in white apparel stood by them,
11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the way you watched him going into heaven."
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey off.
13 And when they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were staying, both Peter and James and John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James.
14 All these were continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (a crowd of about a hundred and twenty names was gathered together) and said,
16 "Men and brothers, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became guide to those who took Jesus;
17 for he was numbered with us and had obtained a portion of this ministry."
18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of unrighteousness, and falling headlong he burst asunder in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out.
19 And it was known to all who live in Jerusalem, so that that field is called in their own tongue Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 "For it is written in the book of Psalms: 'Let his habitation be desolate, and let no one dwell in it'; and 'His office of oversight let another take.'
21 Therefore of these men who have kept company with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 starting from the baptism of John up to the day on which he was taken up from us, one of these should become with us a witness of his resurrection."
23 And they set forth two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And praying, they said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, make plain which one of these two you have chosen
25 to take the share of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell away, to go to his own place."
26 And they gave their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.