Acts 1 - The Message (MSG)

To the Ends of the World

1 1-5 Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon.”

6 When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?”

7-8 He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”

9-11 These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.”

Returning to Jerusalem

12-13 So they left the mountain called Olives and returned to Jerusalem. It was a little over half a mile. They went to the upper room they had been using as a meeting place:

Peter,

John,

James,

Andrew,

Philip,

Thomas,

Bartholomew,

Matthew,

James, son of Alphaeus,

Simon the Zealot,

Judas, son of James.

14 They agreed they were in this for good, completely together in prayer, the women included. Also Jesus’ mother, Mary, and his brothers.

Replacing Judas

15-17 During this time, Peter stood up in the company—there were about 120 of them in the room at the time—and said, “Friends, long ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David regarding Judas, who became the guide to those who arrested Jesus. That Scripture had to be fulfilled, and now has been. Judas was one of us and had his assigned place in this ministry.

18-20 “As you know, he took the evil bribe money and bought a small farm. There he came to a bad end, rupturing his belly and spilling his guts. Everybody in Jerusalem knows this by now; they call the place Murder Meadow. It’s exactly what we find written in the Psalms:

Let his farm become haunted
So no one can ever live there.

“And also what was written later:

Let someone else take over his post.

21-22 “Judas must now be replaced. The replacement must come from the company of men who stayed together with us from the time Jesus was baptized by John up to the day of his ascension, designated along with us as a witness to his resurrection.”

23-26 They nominated two: Joseph Barsabbas, nicknamed Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, “You, O God, know every one of us inside and out. Make plain which of these two men you choose to take the place in this ministry and leadership that Judas threw away in order to go his own way.” They then drew straws. Matthias won and was counted in with the eleven apostles.

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Acts 1 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 The former account, indeed, I made concerning all things, O Theophilus, that Jesus began both to do and to teach, 2 till the day in which, having given command, through the Holy Spirit, to the apostles whom he did choose out, he was taken up, 3 to whom also he did present himself alive after his s...
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Acts 1 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

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Acts 1 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

1 Theophilus, in the first book I wrote to you, I wrote about all the things Jesus began to do and to teach. 2 He did those things until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before he went up, he gave orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 In many ways he proved to them that he was...
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Acts 1 - World English Bible (WEB)

1 The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, 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. 3 To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many p...
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Acts 1 - The Voice (VOICE)

Luke, in this his second volume concerning the genesis of the Christian movement, doesn’t preserve Jesus’ teachings during those mysterious meetings with His emissaries after His death. Surely they are filled with joy, curiosity, and amazement as His followers hang on His every word and gaze on the ...
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Acts 1 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

When Will Yeshua Restore the Kingdom?1 I wrote the first volume, Theophilus, about all that Yeshua began to do and teach— 2 up to the day He was taken up, after He had given orders by the Ruach ha-Kodesh to the emissaries He had chosen. 3 To them He showed Himself to be alive after His suffering th...
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Acts 1 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit1 In the first book,[a] O Theoph′ilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 To them he presented himself alive after h...
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Acts 1 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit1 In the first book, O The-oph′ilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 To them he presented himself alive after his...
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Acts 1 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

1 I have made the first account, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day He was taken up (after He, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments to the Apostles whom He had chosen - 3 and to whom He presented Himself alive by many sure signs after He had suffered - be...
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Acts 1 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Here Comes the Sequel!1 Dear Theophilus,The previous book which I wrote had to do with everything Jesus began to do and teach. 2 I took the story as far as the day when he was taken up, once he had given instructions through the holy spirit to his chosen apostles. 3 He showed himself to them alive,...
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Acts 1 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented him...
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Acts 1 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented him...
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Acts 1 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach(A)2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.(B)3 After his suffering[a] he presented himself al...
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Acts 1 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

The ascension of Christ. Matthias is chosen in Judas’ place. 1 In the former treatise (dear friend Theophilus), I have written of all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day in which he was taken up, after he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen...
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Acts 1 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit1 In my first book[a] I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he app...
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Acts 1 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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