Prologue (Luke 1:1–4)
2 UST { I told you about those things} up to the moment when God took Jesus up to heaven. Before Jesus went to heaven, he gave instructions to his chosen Representatives as the Holy Spirit guided him. BSB BSB: until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.
3 UST Even though the Romans executed Jesus on a cross, God made him alive again. Jesus then went to his Representatives{ and other disciples} and proved to them in many convincing ways that he truly was alive again. He met with them at different times over a period of 40 days. He talked with them about how God would rule the lives of people everywhere. BSB BSB: After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
5 UST John baptized people in water, but within a few days God is going to baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” BSB BSB: For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
The Ascension (Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53)
9 UST After he said that, he started to rise up{ into heaven} while they watched. But then a cloud blocked their view so that they could no longer see him. BSB BSB: After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
10 UST While they were still staring toward the sky as Jesus was going up, suddenly two angels in human form stood beside them. Their clothes shone brightly. BSB BSB: They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
11 UST One of the angels said,“You men who come from Galilee, you do not need to look up at the sky any longer! Someday this same Jesus, whom God took from you up into heaven, will come back{ to earth}. He will return in the same way that you just now saw him go up to heaven.” BSB BSB: “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”
Matthias Replaces Judas 12 UST Then{ after the two angels left}, the Representatives returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is a short distance from Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13 UST After they entered the city, they went into the upstairs room{ in the house} where they were staying. Those who were there included Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew. They also included another man named James, who was the son of Alphaeus; Simon the Zealot; and Judas, who was the son of yet another man named James. BSB BSB: When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
15 UST Now about 120 people were meeting together at that place. At one of the meetings, Peter stood up among his fellow believers{ because he was going to say something important}. He said, BSB BSB: In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,
17 UST But Jesus had chosen Judas, along with the rest of us, to represent him.{ So we need to find someone else to take his place.}” BSB BSB: He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”
19 UST The news about this spread widely among the people of Jerusalem. When they heard about it, they gave that field a new name. In their Aramaic language it was Akeldama, which means“Field of Blood.”{ They gave it that name because it was where someone had died.} BSB BSB: This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 UST Peter also said,“What happened to Judas is like what we read in the book of Psalms:‘May his home become empty, with no one living in it.’ These other words in the Psalms also refer to him:‘Let someone else take over his work as a leader.’” BSB BSB: “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’
21 UST “So we need to identify all the men who were with us during the whole time when the Lord Jesus was with us. BSB BSB: Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 UST { They need to have been with us} from the time when John the Baptizer began his work until the day when Jesus left us and rose up to heaven. One such man must{ replace Judas and} join us in telling people about Jesus and how God caused him to live again after he died.” BSB BSB: beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
23 UST So the people who were meeting together suggested two men who could replace Judas. One man was Joseph the son of Sabbas, who also had the name Justus. The other man was Matthias. BSB BSB: So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
24 UST Then they prayed:“Lord Jesus, Judas stopped representing you as he should have. He has now gone to the place where he deserves to be. You know what every person thinks privately. So please show us which of these two men you have chosen to take the place of Judas as your Representative.” BSB BSB: And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen
26 UST Then they cast lots to choose between the two of them. The lot indicated that Matthias was the one to replace Judas. So he became a Representative along with the 11 others. BSB BSB: Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was added to the eleven apostles.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.