1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, 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 to the apostles whom he had chosen:

3 To whom also he showed 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, said he, you have heard of me.

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

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

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

8 But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come on you: and you shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to 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 steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

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

12 Then returned they to 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 stayed both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, 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 brothers.

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

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

17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

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

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

20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his position as bishop let another take.

21 Why of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22 Beginning from the baptism of John, to that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24 And they prayed, and said, You, Lord, which know the hearts of all men, show whether of these two you have chosen,

25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

former. Literally first. This links the Acts with Luke’s Gospel, see p. 1575.

treatise = account. Greek. logos. App-121.

have. Omit.

Theophilus. See note on Luk 1:3.

of = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.

Jesus. App-98.

began. This shows that the Acts records the continuation of the Lord’s ministry to the Circumcision ( Rom 15:8).

taken up = received up. Compare Mar 16:19.

after that He . . . had = having.

through. Greek. dia. App-104. Act 1:1.

the Holy Ghost = Divine power. App-101. given commandments unto = commanded.

the apostles. See App-189.

had chosen = chose out ( Luk 6:13).

also. Read after "Himself".

shewed = presented.

after His passion = after (Greek. meta. App-104.) that He suffered.

infallible proofs = indubitable evidence. Greek. tek-merion. Only here. Compare 1Jn 1:1, 1Jn 1:2.

seen. Greek. optanomai. App-133. Only here.

forty days = during (Greek. dia. App-104. Act 1:1) forty days. The only reference to the period between the Resurrection and the Ascension.

pertaining to = concerning. Greek. peri, as in Act 1:1.

the kingdom of God. App-112and App-114.

being assembled together with. Greek. sunalizomai. Only here.

commanded. Greek. parangello. First occurance Mat 10:5. Compare App-121.:6. Not the same word as in Act 1:2.

depart = separate themselves. Greek. charizo. First occurance, Mat 19:6.

wait for. Greek. perimeno. Only here.

promise of the Father. See App-17. Compare Luk 24:49.

be baptized with. App-115.

not. Greek. ou. App-105.

many days hence = after (Greek. meta. App-104.) these many days.

asked of = were questioning. Greek. eperotao. Compare App-134.

wilt Thou. Literally if (App-118. a) Thou dost. Figure of speech Heterosis (of Tense). App-6.

at = in. Greek. en. App-104.

restore again = establish or setup. Greek. apokathistano. First occurance Mat 12:13.

the kingdom: i.e. the Messianic kingdom, which the prophets spoke of, and all Israelites were looking for. Compare Luk 1:32, Luk 1:33; and see App-112and App-114.

unto. Greek. pros. App-104.

for you = yours.

know. Greek. ginosko. App-132.

the times, &c. = the great time, &c. A Hebraism, plural of majesty. Figure of speech Heterosis. App-6.

in. Greek. en, as Act 1:6.

power = authority. App-172.

power. Greek dunamis. App-172.

the Holy Ghost = the Holy Spirit (with art.) App-101. Compare Luk 24:49.

upon. App-104.

witnesses. See note on Joh 1:7.

unto Me. Texts read, "of Me", or "My" witnesses. Compare Isa 43:10, Isa 43:12; Isa 44:8.

unto = as far as. Greek. heos.

earth. App-129.

beheld. App-133.

taken up = lifted up. Greek. epairo. First occurance Mat 17:8. Always in Gospels, "lift up".

a cloud. Not a rain cloud of the earth, but referring to the attendant angelic hosts. Compare Psa 24:7-10; Psa 47:5. Mat 24:30; Mat 26:64. 1Th 4:17. Rev 1:7; Rev 11:12.

received. Greek. hupolambano. Here; Act 2:15. Luk 7:43; Luk 10:30.

out of their sight = from (App-104.) their eyes.

looked stedfastly = were gazing earnestly. App-133.

toward = into. App-104.

heaven = the heaven (sing). See note on Mat 6:9, Mat 6:10.

went up = was going.

behold. App-133.

men. App-123. These were angels. Compare Act 10:30. Joh 20:12.

also said = said also.

Ye men of Galilee. Literally Men, Galileans. The term "men" was usual in addressing a company. Compare our use of the word, "Gentlemen". This usage is common in Acts: Act 1:16; Act 2:14, Act 2:22, Act 2:29, Act 2:37; Act 3:12; Act 5:35; Act 7:2; Act 13:15, Act 13:16, Act 13:26, Act 13:38; Act 15:7, Act 15:13; Act 17:22; Act 19:35; Act 21:28; Act 22:1; Act 23:1, Act 23:6; Act 28:17.

gazing up. App-133. Some texts read App-133.

this same = this.

so . . . in like manner. The Descent, therefore, will be like the Ascension, actual, literal, visible, unexpected, save by those looking for Him, in the clouds of heaven, and to the same place whence He departed ( Zec 14:4).

have seen = beheld. App-133.

go = going

Olivet. Only here in N.T., but found often in the Papyri. The usual expression is the "Mount of Olives".

from = near.

a sabbath day’s journey. See App-51.

were come = entered.

an = the.

upper room. Greek. huperoon: here; Act 9:37, Act 9:39; Act 20:8. Not the same word as in Mar 14:15. Luk 22:12.

abode = were abiding. Greek. katameno. Only here.

Peter, &c. See App-141.

continued = were continuing. Greek. proskartereo. In Acts, here; Act 2:42, Act 2:46; Act 6:4; Act 8:13; Act 10:7.

with one accord = with one mind. Occurs eleven times in Acts, once in Rom 15:6. Found in a Papyrus of 117 B.C.

prayer. App-134.

supplication. The texts omit.

and Mary. The last mention of her, "at prayer".

brethren. App-182.

stood up = rose up. Greek. anistemi. App-178.

disciples. The texts read "brethren".

number. Greek. ochlos, crowd. This is an occurance of the Figure of speech Epitrechon.

together = to the same (place). Greek. epi to auto. See Act 2:1, Act 2:44; Act 4:26. 1Co 7:5; 1Co 11:20; 1Co 14:23.

an hundred and twenty = three forties. A divinely appointed number during a period of waiting. It -was the number of Ezra’s great synagogue. See App-10.

Men and brethren. Compare Act 1:11.

scripture. Greek. graphe.

fulfilled = filled full. App-126.

Ghost = Spirit. App-101.

by = through. App-104. Act 1:1.

David. Peter asserts that Psa 69 was written by David, and was the utterance of the Holy Spirit. Compare 2Pe 1:21.

concerning. App-104.

was = became.

took = arrested. Greek. sullambano. Compare Mat 26:55.

numbered. Greek. katarithmeo. Only here.

with. Greek. sun, as in Act 1:14, but the texts read en, among.

had. Omit.

part = the lot. Greek. kleros. Five times in the Gospels, of the lots cast for the Lord’s garments.

ministry. Greek. diakonia. App-190.

Now = Therefore. Verses Act 18:19 form a parenthesis.

this man = this one, indeed.

purchased = caused to be purchased. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect). App-6. See App-161.

field = place, or holding. Greek. chorion. See note on Mat 26:36.

reward = pay. Greek. misthos. Sin pays its wages ( Rom 6:23).

iniquity. App-128. Compare 2Pe 2:13, where the same Greek words are translated "wages of unrighteousness".

headlong. Greek. prenes. Only here.

burst asunder. Greek. lakeo. Only here. Dr. John Lightfoot (1602-75) writes: "The devil, immediately after Judas had cast back his money into the temple, caught him up into the air, strangled him, threw him headlong, and dashed him in pieces on the ground". He refers to Tobit 3.8, and adds, "That this was known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem, argues that it was no common and ordinary event, and must be something more than hanging himself, which was an accident not so very unusual in that nation. "Works, viii, pp 366, 367. This requires that Mat 27:5 be read, "He was hanged, or strangled", instead of "hanged himself".

gushed out = were poured out.

known. Greek. gnostos. Compare App-132. This word occurs fifteen times, ten times in Acts. unto = to.

proper = own. Greek. idios.

tongue = dialect. Greek. dialektos. Only in Acts: here; Act 2:6, Act 2:8; Act 21:40; Act 22:2; Act 26:14. Aceldama. See App-94.:3 and 161.

is = has been.

the = a: i.e. the second book, in Psa 69:25.

habitation = farm, or country house. Greek. epaulis. Only here.

desolate = desert: i.e. let the place he has thus acquired become a wilderness.

let, &c. Literally let there not (Greek. me.) be the dweller ( Act 1:19).

therein = in (Greek. en App-104.) it.

bishoprick. Greek. episcope, the office of an episcopos, or overseer. Occurs only here; Luk 19:44. 1Ti 3:1. 1Pe 2:12. Compare Act 1:17. This is a composite quotation from Psa 69:25, and Psa 109:8. App-107.

another. Greek. heteros. App-124.

take = receive.

all = in (Greek. en) all.

went in and out. A Hebraism for life in general. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Species). App-6. Compare Act 9:28. Deu 28:6. Joh 10:9.

among = over. App-104.

baptism. Greek. baptisma. App-115. Put for ministry by Figure of speech Synecdoche. App-6.

one = one of these.

be ordained to be = become.

resurrection. Greek. anastasis. App-178. The resurrection is the great subject of the Apostolic witness. Compare Act 2:32; Act 3:26; Act 4:10; Act 5:30; Act 10:40; Act 13:30; Act 17:3, Act 17:31, &c.

appointed = put forward, or nominated.

Barsabas. Texts read Barsabbas. App-94.:11. Compare Act 15:22.

prayed. Greek. proseuchomai. App-134.

Which knowest, &c. Literally heart-knowing. Greek. kardiognostes. Only here and Act 15:8. Compare Jer 17:10.

shew = shew plainly. Greek. anadeiknumi. Only here and Luk 10:1.

whether of these two. Literally of these two, the one.

take part = receive the lot. Greek. kleros.

this ministry, &c. = this apostolic ministry. Figure of speech Hendiadys. App-6.

apostleship. Greek. apostole. Only here, Rom 1:5. 1Co 9:2. Gal 1:2, Gal 1:8.

from. App-104. but texts read apo.

by transgression fell = transgressed. App-128.

that he might = to.

his own. Same word as "proper", Act 1:19.

lots, lot. Greek. kleros. Same word as "part", in Act 1:17.

numbered. Greek. sunkatapsephizo. Only here. See note on Luk 14:28.

with. Greek. meta. App-104.