Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
The Acts of the Holy Apostles, Written by Luke the Evangelist
1 1 Luke tieth this history to his Gospel. 9 Christ being taken into heaven. 10 The Apostles, 11 being warned by the Angels, 12 to return, 14 and give themselves to prayer. 15 By Peter’s motion, 18 into Judas the traitor’s place. 26 Matthias is chosen.
1 I have made the [a]former treatise, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to [b]do and teach,
2 Until the day that he was taken up, after that he through the holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the Apostles, whom he had chosen:
3 [c]To whom also he presented himself alive after that he had suffered, by many [d]infallible tokens, being seen of them by the space of forty days, and speaking of those things which appertained to the kingdom of God.
4 (A)And when he had [e]gathered them together, he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, (B)which said he, ye have heard of me.
5 (C)For John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized [f]with the holy Ghost within these few days.
6 [g]When they therefore were come together they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time [h]restore the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times, or the [i]seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 (D)But ye shall receive power of the holy Ghost, when he shall come on you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 (E)[j]And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up: for a cloud took him up out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel.
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing into heaven? This Jesus which is taken up [k]from you into heaven, shall so come, as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12 ¶ Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount that is called the mount of Olives, which is near to Jerusalem, being from it a Sabbath [l]day’s journey.
13 [m]And when they were [n]come in, they went up into an upper chamber, where abode both Peter and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zealot, and Judas James’s brother.
14 These all [o]continued with [p]one accord in [q]prayer and supplication with the [r]women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his [s]brethren.
15 [t]And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said (now the number of [u]names that were in one place were about an hundred and twenty.)
16 [v]Ye men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, Which the (F)holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before of Judas, which was (G)guide to them that took Jesus.
17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained fellowship in this ministration.
18 He therefore hath [w]purchased a field with the reward of iniquity: and when (H)he had [x]thrown down himself headlong, he brast asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
19 And it is known unto all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, insomuch, that that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, The field of blood.
20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, (I)Let his habitation be void, and let no man dwell therein: (J)also, Let another take his [y]charge.
21 [z]Wherefore of these men which have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus was [aa]conversant among us,
22 Beginning from the baptism of John unto the day that he was taken up [ab]from us, must one of them be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
23 [ac]And they [ad]presented two, Joseph called Barsabas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, saying, Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen,
25 That he may take the [ae]room of this ministration and Apostleship, from which Judas hath [af]gone astray, to go to his own place.
26 Then they gave forth their lots: and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was by a common consent counted with the eleven Apostles.
2 1 The Apostles 4 filled with the holy Ghost 8 speak with divers tongues: 12 They are thought to be drunk, 15 but Peter disproveth that. 34 He teacheth that Christ is the Messiah: 37 And seeing the hearers astonied, 38 he exhorteth them to repentance.
1 And [ag]when the day of Pentecost was [ah]come, they were [ai]all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing and mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they sat.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and began to speak with [aj]other tongues, as the [ak]Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, men that feared God, of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised, the multitude came together and were astonied, because that every man heard them speak his own language.
7 And they wondered all, and marveled, saying among themselves, Behold, are not all these which speak, of Galilee?
8 [al]How then hear we every man our own language, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, and of Judea, and of Cappadocia, of Pontus, and Asia,
10 And of Phrygia, and Pamphylia, of Egypt, and of the parts of Libya, which is beside Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, and [am]Jews, and Proselytes,
11 Cretes, and Arabians: we heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 [an]They were all then amazed, and doubted, saying one to another, What may this be?
13 And others [ao]mocked, and said, They are full of new wine.
14 ¶ But Peter standing with the eleven, [ap]lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and ye all that inhabit Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken unto my words.
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, since it is but the [aq]third hour of the day.
16 But this is that, which was spoken by the [ar]Prophet (K)Joel,
17 [as]And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon [at]all [au]flesh, and your sons, and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 And on my servants, and on mine handmaids I will pour out of my Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above, and tokens in the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and the vapors of smoke.
20 The Sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come.
21 [av]And it shall be, that whosoever shall [aw]call on the Name of the Lord, shall be saved.
22 [ax]Ye men of Israel, hear these words, JESUS of Nazareth, a man [ay]approved of God among you with great works, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, I say, being delivered by the determinate counsel, and [az]foreknowledge of God, after you had taken, with wicked [ba]hands you have crucified and [bb]slain.
24 [bc]Whom God hath raised up, and loosed the [bd]sorrows of death, because it was impossible that he should be holden of it.
25 For David saith concerning him, (L)I beheld the Lord always before me: for he is at my right hand, that I should not be shaken.
26 Therefore did mine heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad, and moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope,
27 Because thou wilt not [be]leave my soul in grave, neither wilt suffer thine Holy one to see corruption.
28 Thou hast [bf]showed me the ways of life, and shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29 Men and brethren, I may boldly speak unto you of the Patriarch David, (M)that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher remaineth with us unto this day.
30 Therefore, seeing he was a Prophet, and knew that God had (N)[bg]sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would raise up Christ concerning the flesh, to set him upon his throne.
31 He knowing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that (O)his soul should not be left in grave, neither his flesh should see corruption.
32 [bh]This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Since then that he by the [bi]right hand of God hath been exalted, and hath received of his Father the promise of the holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear.
34 For David is not ascended into heaven, but he saith, (P)The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand,
35 Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
36 Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for a surety, that God hath [bj]made him both Lord, and Christ, this Jesus, I say, whom ye have crucified.
37 Now when they heard it, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and the other Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 [bk]Then Peter said unto them, Amend your lives, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins: and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost.
39 For the [bl]promise is made unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 [bm]And with many other words he besought and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this [froward] generation.
41 [bn]Then they that gladly received his word, were baptized, and the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand souls.
42 [bo]And they continued in the Apostles’ doctrine, and [bp]fellowship, and [bq]breaking of bread, and prayers.
43 ¶ [br]And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles.
44 [bs]And all that believed, were in one place, and had all things common.
45 And they sold their possessions, and goods, and parted them to all men, as everyone had need.
46 [bt]And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread at home, did eat their meat together with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and had favor with all the people: and the Lord added to the Church from day to day, such as should be saved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.