1 I composed the first discourse, O Theophilus, concerning all things which Jesus began both to do and to teach, 2 until that day in which, having by the Holy Spirit charged the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up; 3 to whom also he presented himself living, after he had suffered, with many proofs; being seen by them during forty days, and speaking of the things which concern the kingdom of God; 4 and, being assembled with them, commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to await the promise of the Father, which said he ye have heard of me. 5 For John indeed baptised with water, but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit after now not many days.

6 They therefore, being come together, asked him saying, Lord, is it at this time that thou restorest the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said to them, It is not yours to know times or seasons, which the Father has placed in his own authority; 8 but ye will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. 9 And having said these things he was taken up, they beholding him, and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing into heaven, as he was going, behold, also two men stood by them in white clothing, 11 who also said, Men of Galilee, why do ye stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall thus come in the manner in which ye have beheld him going into heaven.

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called the mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath-day’s journey off. 13 And when they were come into the city, they went up to the upper chamber, where were staying both Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the zealot, and Jude the brother of James. 14 These gave themselves all with one accord to continual prayer, with several women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

15 And in those days Peter, standing up in the midst of the brethren, said, (the crowd of names who were together was about a hundred and twenty,) 16 Brethren, it was necessary that the scripture should have been fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before, by the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who became guide to those who took Jesus; 17 for he was numbered amongst us, and had received a part in this service. 18 (This man then indeed got a field with the reward of iniquity, and, having fallen down headlong, burst in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it was known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that that field was called in their own dialect Aceldama; that is, field of blood.) 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his homestead become desolate, and let there be no dweller in it; and, Let another take his overseership. 21 It is necessary therefore, that of the men who have assembled with us all the time in which the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day in which he was taken up from us, one of these should be a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 And they appointed two, Joseph, who was called Barsabas, who had been surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said, Thou Lord, knower of the hearts of all, shew which one of these two thou hast chosen, 25 to receive the lot of this service and apostleship, from which Judas transgressing fell to go to his own place. 26 And they gave lots on them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

1 Oma varasemas raamatus, Teofilos, ma kirjutasin kõigest, mida Jeesus hakkas tegema ja õpetama, 2 kuni selle päevani, mil ta võeti taevasse pärast seda, kui ta oma väljavalitud apostlitele oli Püha Vaimu läbi andnud korraldusi. 3 Pärast oma kannatusi näitas ta end nendele elavana ja tegi seda veenvalt. Ta ilmus neile neljakümne päeva jooksul ja kõneles Jumala Kuningriigist. 4 Ühel korral, kui ta koos nendega sõi, andis ta neile käsu: „Ärge lahkuge Jeruusalemmast, vaid oodake mu Isa tõotust, millest te olete minult kuulnud. 5 Sest Johannes ristis veega, aga mõne päeva pärast ristitakse teid Püha Vaimuga."

6 Kui nad jälle kokku tulid, küsisid nad temalt: „Issand, kas sa sel ajal taastad Iisraeli kuningriigi?" 7 Ta vastas: „Teile ei ole teada antud aegu ja ajastuid, mis Isa on oma meelevallas määranud. 8 Aga te saate Püha Vaimu väe, kes tuleb teie peale, ja peate olema minu tunnistajad Jeruusalemmas ja kõigel Juuda- ja Samaariamaal ja maailma otsani!"

9 Kui ta seda oli öelnud, võeti ta nende nähes üles ja pilv varjas ta nende silme eest. 10 Kui nad üksisilmi taevasse vaatasid tema lahkumist, ennäe, siis seisis järsku nende kõrval kaks valgeis riideis meest. 11 Nad ütlesid imestunud jüngritele: „Galilea mehed, miks te seisate ja vaatate üles taeva poole? See Jeesus, kes teilt üles võeti taevasse, tuleb samal kombel kui te nägite teda taevasse minevat!"

12 Apostlid pöördusid Õlimäelt tagasi Jeruusalemma, mis oli linnast vaid hingamispäeva teekonna*1:12 See on umbes 1 kilomeetrit. kaugusel. 13 Kui nad sinna jõudsid, läksid nad ülemisse tuppa, kus nad peatusid. Seal olid:

Peetrus, Jaakobus, Johannes, Andreas,

Filippus, Toomas,

Bartolomeus, Matteus,

Jaakobus Alfeuse poeg, seloot Siimon ja Juudas, Jaakobuse poeg.

14 Nemad kõik olid ühel meelel lakkamatus palves ja anumises. Nendega olid naisjüngrid ja Maarja, Jeesuse ema, ja tema vennad.

15 Neil päevil tõusis Peetrus usklike hulgas püsti (rahvast oli koos umbes sada kakskümmend inimest) 16 ja ütles: „Mehed-vennad, täide pidi minema kirjasõna, mis Püha Vaim on Taaveti suu läbi kõnelenud Juudase kohta, kes juhatas Jeesuse kinnivõtjaid – 17 tema oli üks meie hulgast ja valitud samasse ametisse.

18 Ta ostis ülekohtu palga eest põllu, ja kui ta pea ees alla kukkus, rebis lõhki oma kõhu ja kogu ta sisikond valgus välja. 19 Igaüks Jeruusalemmas teab, mis temaga juhtus. Sellepärast kutsutaksegi seda põldu nende keeles Hakeldamaks, see tähendab Verepõlluks.

20 Sest lauludes on kirjutatud:

„Nende telklaager saagu lagedaks:

ärgu olgu nende telkides elanikke!"

Ja samuti:

„Tema amet saagu teisele!"

21 Nõnda on tarvis valida tema asendaja nende hulgast, kes on meiega olnud kogu selle aja, mil Issand Jeesus meiega sisse ja välja kõndis, 22 alates Johannese ristimisest kuni ajani, mil Jeesus meilt võeti üles. Üks neist peab saama Jeesuse ülestõusmise tunnistajaks koos meiega."

23 Nõnda nad pakkusid välja kaks meest: Joosepi, keda kutsuti Barsabaseks (tuntud ka kui Justus), ja Mattiase. 24 Siis nad palvetasid: „Issand, sina tead iga inimese südant. Näita meile, kumma neist kahest mehest sina oled valinud 25 selleks teenistuseks, mille Juudas jättis, et minna sinna, kuhu ta kuulub." 26 Nad heitsid liisku ja liisk langes Mattiasele. Nõnda lisati ta üheteistkümne apostli hulka.