Acts chapter 1

Jesus promises the Holy Spirit. He ascends into the sky. The apostles pray together in the Upper Room. They elect Matthias to replace Judas.

 


 

JESUS PROMISES THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

VERSE 1. The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,

 

VERSE 2. until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

 

VERSE 3. To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God’s Kingdom.

 

VERSE 4. Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me.

Don’t depart from Jerusalem. Christ called the apostles to stay in Jerusalem and wait.

In our day, some people believe that God has called them to stay where they are.

wait for the promise of the Father. They were to wait for the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Likely they spent their time, waiting in the Upper Room and praying.

In our day, some poeple feel called to wait and pray. They wait and pray until they receive a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit into their lives.

 

VERSE 5. For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

 

VERSE 6. Therefore when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

 

VERSE 7. He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.

 

VERSE 8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Acts of the Apostles and from the entire Bible.

KJV translation. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon 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.

you will receive power. When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we receive power.

What does it mean that the LORD God gives us power? What are we empowered to do? Read more »

You will be witnesses to me. The Holy Spirit makes us witnesses. We are to give witness to Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus calls us to take his Gospel to the whole world. Here are the key Bible verses about this »

in Jerusalem. The witnessing of the apostles began right where they were at: Jerusalem.

Judea … Samaria … uttermost parts of the earth. Their witnessing was not to remain bottled up in one location. Christ wished for them to take it everywhere.

Isaiah 32:15. until the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is considered a forest.

1 Corinthians 5:4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

 

JESUS ASCENDS INTO THE SKY

 

VERSE 9. When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.

 

VERSE 10. While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,

 

VERSE 11. who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.”

 

THEY PRAY TOGETHER IN THE UPPER ROOM

 

VERSE 12. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

 

VERSE 13. When they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

 

VERSE 14. All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

continued steadfastly in prayer. They had a of pact of prayerfulness. Their prayerfulness included the apostles, the holy women, and the brothers of Jesus.

In our day, some believers meet regularly in small groups for prayer. These groups are usually made up of friends who simply agree to pray together.

 

THEY ELECT MATTHIAS TO REPLACE JUDAS

 

VERSE 15. In these days, Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred twenty), and said,

 

VERSE 16. “Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus.

 

VERSE 17. For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry.

 

VERSE 18. Now this man obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness, and falling headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines gushed out.

People complain that this phrase does not exactly align with the testimony in the Book of Matthew:

Matthew 27:5. He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself.

However, they can both be true. The gruesome details here in the Book of Acts could have happened as a result of Judas hanging himself.

See also:

Deuteronomy 21:22. If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,

 

VERSE 19. It became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called ‘Akeldama,’ that is, ‘The field of blood.’

 

VERSE 20. For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation be made desolate. Let no one dwell in it;’ and, ‘Let another take his office.’

Psalm 109:8. Let his days be few. Let another take his office.

 

VERSE 21. “Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

 

VERSE 22. beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

 

VERSE 23. They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.

 

VERSE 24. They prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen

 

VERSE 25. to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.”

 

VERSE 26. They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

they drew lots. Sometimes people in the Bible made decisions by casting lots. That is, by rolling dice. Dice give a yes-or-no answer. Read more »

 


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ACTS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.