| In the former treatise (dear friend Theophilus) I have written of all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day in the which he was taken up, after that he, through the holy ghost, had given commandments unto the Apostles, which he had chosen: to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many tokens, appearing unto them forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God, and gathered them together, and commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem: but to wait for the promise of the father, whereof ye have heard of me. For John baptised with water: but ye shall be baptised with the holy ghost, and that within this few days. When they were come together, they asked of him saying: Lord wilt thou at this time, restore again the kingdom to Israel? 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: but ye shall receive power of the holy ghost which shall come on you. And ye shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Jewry and in Samary, and even unto the worlds end.
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him up out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly up to heaven as he went, behold two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said: ye men of Galile, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, even as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from mount Olivete, which is nigh to Jerusalem, containing a Saboth days journey. And when they were come in, they went up into a parlour, where abode both Peter and James, John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartlemew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas, James son. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of *Jesu, and with his brethren.
And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples and said (the number of names that were together, were about an hundred and twenty) Ye men and brethren, this scripture must have needs been fulfilled which the holy ghost through the mouth of David spake before of Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us and had obtained fellowship in this ministration. And the same hath now possessed a plot of ground with the reward of iniquity, and when he was hanged, burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it is known unto all the inhabiters of Jerusalem: in so much that, that field is called in their mother tongue, Acheldama, that is to say, the blood field.
It is written in the book of Psalms: His habitation be void, and no man be dwelling therein: and his *Bishopricke let another take. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning at the baptism of John unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to bear witness with us of his resurrection.
And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas (whose surname was Justus) and Matthias. And they prayed saying: thou Lord which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen that the one may take the room of this ministration and Apostleship, from the which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven Apostles. |
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