THE

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

CHAPTER I. .

1. Christ, preparing his apostles to the beholding of his ascension, gathereth them together into the mount Olivet, commandeth them to expect in Jerusalem the sending down of the Holy Ghost, promiseth after few days to send it by virtue whereof they should be witnesses unto him, even to the utmost parts of the earth. 9. After his ascension they are warned by two angels to depart, and to set their minds upon his second coming. 12. They accordingly return, and, giving themselves to prayer, choose Matthias apostle in the place of Judas.

1 THE former treatise have I made, O Theophi- | 1 lus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

THE former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began 2 both to do and to teach, until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the 2 Holy Ghost unto the apostles whom he 3 had chosen: to whom he also 3 shewed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things 4 concerning the kingdom of God: and, 4 being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me: 5 for John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized 5 with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

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They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to 7 Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons,

1 Gr. first. Or, Holy Spirit: and so throughout this book. 3 Gr. presented. Or, eating with them. Or, in.

1. The former treatise. The Gospel of Luke. Internal and external evidence agree that Luke is the author of this book. The present chapter is introductory, and a connecting link between the Gospel and the ensuing history. The Acts of the Apostles, as the inspired founders of the church (Rev. 21:14), properly begin with the events of the day of Pentecost, recorded in the second chapter. Theophilus. See Luke 1:3. Began. The doing and teaching which Jesus “ began," the apostles continued (compare John 14:12).

2. In which he was received up. Luke 24:51. Through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost's guidance of Christ shows that he was very man, as his work and word show he was very God.

3. Forty days. Pentecost was the fiftieth day from (and counting) the day after the Passover sabbath (Lev. 23:15, 16). The forty days here probably were in exactness forty three days, if we suppose our Lord ascended on a Sunday, as he arose on a Sunday. Exactly a week would thus intervene between the ascension and Pentecost. The kingdom of God. The church so soon to be founded as the successor of the Jewish church now cast aside as having performed its work.

4. Wait. This word appears to denote that no official action was to be taken by the apostles until the promise of the Father (i.e., the Spirit promised from the Father) should come (see Luke 24: 49).

5. These words of Christ are not given in the Gospels. They were adopted by him from John the Baptist (Matt. 3:11), with specification as to time (“not many days hence ").

6. The kingdom to Israel. They were still looking for a temporal kingdom (see Matt. 20:21, and Luke 17:20). "which the Father

7. Which the Father hath set within his own authority. Rather, as in the margin, hath appointed by his own authority."

8 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 Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

and continue in prayer.

which the Father hath 1 set within his own 8 authority. But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and 10 And while they were looking stedfastly a cloud received him out of their sight.

into heaven as he went, behold, two men 11 stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, which was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.

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Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey off. And when they were coine in, they went up into the upper chamber, where they were abiding; both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the 2 son of James. These all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

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And in these days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren, and said (and there was a multitude of persons gathered together, about a hundred and twenty), Brethren, it was needful that the scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost spake before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to them

17 For he was numbered with us, and had ob- 17 that took Jesus. For he was numbered tained part of this ministry.

18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed

out.

19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

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among us, and received his portion in 18 this ministry. (Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is, The field of blood.) For it is written in the book of Psalms,

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1 Or, appointed by. 2 Or, brother. See Jude 1. 3 Or, with certain women. 4 Gr. names. 5 Or, lot.

8. When the Holy Ghost is come upon you. Another injunction to wait. Unto the uttermost part of the earth. This was accomplished literally, if tradition is to be believed, which asserts, that, to the extreme borders of the known world, the apostles went preaching the gospel.

10. In white apparel. The usual appearance of angelic visitants (see John 20:12, Acts 10:30, etc.). 11. So come in like manner. A bodily and visible coming.

12. The mount called Olivet rises beautifully on the east side of Jerusalem, beyond the gorge of the Kidron. Bethany, near which our Saviour ascended (Luke 24:50), was on its eastern slope. A sabbath day's journey. A rabbinical distance of about three-fifths of a mile, supposed to have been the distance from the tabernacle to the outermost line of tents in the wilderness encampment.

13. The upper chamber. Probably the same in which the Lord's Supper was instituted, and where Jesus had, after his resurrection, twice at least, appeared to them. Both Peter, etc. All twelve but Judas Iscariot.

14. With the women. The two Marys, Salome, Joanna, and probably Martha and Mary of Bethany. There may have been others whose names are not mentioned (see the "many others" of Luke 8:3). His brethren. The immediate kinsmen of Jesus (Matt. 13:55), probably cousins.

15. Peter, who in his impulsive nature could not wait till the promised Spirit should come.

16. The scripture. The quotation does not come till verse 20.

17. In this ministry of apostleship.

18. Obtained a field. Judas probably got possession, but did not pay for it; and the priests afterwards confirmed the purchase (Matt. 27:5-10). 18, 19. Luke inserts this narrative of Judas's death. He, as a physician, gives a more exact description of Judas' death than does Matthew. Judas hung himself; and then, probably by the rope's breaking, or by the violence of his leap, a rupture was produced. Akeldama. Aramaic.

20. Ps. 69: 25 and 109: 8.