1 - In my (Luke’s) former book Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. (Acts was written by Luke, a Greek doctor who met and traveled with Paul. He also wrote one of the four gospel accounts.)
3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 He andwered them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed and ordained. 8 But you will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and you will be witnesses for me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They still had their eyes fixed on the sky as he went away, when two men dressed in white suddenly stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return in the same way you saw him go!”
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 These all were continuing steadfast and united in prayers, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the (natural) brothers of Jesus.
15 During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and said, 16 “Brothers and sisters, the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. 17 Judas was one of us and shared in this ministry [diakonia - service, ministry, waiting at table, active service, ministration].
18 (Judas had bought a field with the money he received for his treachery and then he fell headfirst there, his insides spilling out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.”)
20 Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’ 21 So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen 25 to take up this ministry and apostleship, which Judas turned aside from and abandoned, to go his own way. 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, so he was added to the eleven apostles.
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Very Brief Outline of Acts:
Jesus returns to where he was with the Father before his advent/visit (his brief first one).
The Holy Spirit/Presence of God is poured out on the believers who were in Jerusalem on the late Spring holy day of Pentecost. Peter speaks, there are 3000 new believers that day.
The good news message spreads, Peter is invited and goes to a Roman’s house and all believe. The first record of non Hebrew believers (besides likely some on Pentecost).
Persecution breaks out.. jail. stoning. Pharisee Saul leads the persecution, but on his way to Damascus with papers for arrests, Jesus makes himself seen but is so bright Paul falls to the ground and is blinded. After two days he is healed and is a believer, and soon is called Paul. He wrote many (to most) of the New Testament letters, but spent a few years (it seems to me) exclusively listening to the Lord. He established many ‘churches’ in what’s called three missionary journeys, and met and worked with Mark and Luke, and quite a few others. (Luke wrote this Book of Acts.) His fourth journey is to Rome to trial as a prisoner. There’s a shipwreck on the way.. He wrote many of his letters while in prison and under ‘house’ arrest.
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