2. until the day he was carried up into heaven. Before he went, he talked to the apostles he had chosen. With the help of the Holy Spirit, he told them what they should do.
3. This was after his death, but he showed them that he was alive, proving it to them in many ways. The apostles saw Jesus many times during the 40 days after he was raised from death. He spoke to them about God’s kingdom.
4. One time when Jesus was eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, “Wait here until you receive what the Father promised to send. Remember, I told you about it before.
5. John baptized people with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6. The apostles were all together. They asked Jesus, “Lord, is this the time for you to give the people of Israel their kingdom again?”
7. Jesus said to them, “The Father is the only one who has the authority to decide dates and times. They are not for you to know.
8. But the Holy Spirit will come on you and give you power. You will be my witnesses. You will tell people everywhere about me—in Jerusalem, in the rest of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.”
9. After Jesus said this, he was lifted up into the sky. While they were watching, he went into a cloud, and they could not see him.
16-17. “Brothers and sisters, in the Scriptures the Holy Spirit said through David that something must happen. He was talking about Judas, one of our own group. Judas served together with us. The Spirit said that Judas would lead men to arrest Jesus.”
18. (Judas was paid money for doing this. His money was used to buy him a field. But he fell on his head, his body broke open, and all his intestines poured out.
19. And all the people of Jerusalem learned about this. That is why they named that field Akeldama, which in their language means “field of blood.”)
20. Peter said, “In the book of Psalms, this is written about Judas: ‘People should not go near his land; no one should live there.’ Psalm 69:25 And it is also written: ‘Let another man have his work.’ Psalm 109:8
21-22. “So now another man must join us and be a witness of Jesus’ resurrection. He must be one of those men who were part of our group during all the time the Lord Jesus was with us. He must have been with us from the time John was baptizing people until the day when Jesus was carried up from us into heaven.”
23. They put two men before the group. One was Joseph Barsabbas. He was also called Justus. The other man was Matthias.