Gerninger 1

1-3 Højtærede Teofilus!
I min tidligere beretning fortalte jeg dig om alle de mirakler, Jesus udførte, og om hans undervisning lige fra begyndelsen af, og indtil han blev taget op til Himlen. I de 40 dage, der gik fra hans opstandelse til hans himmelfart, viste han sig adskillige gange for de apostle, han havde udvalgt. På den måde beviste han, at han virkelig var blevet levende igen, og når de var sammen, talte han med dem om Guds rige og gav dem ved Guds Ånds inspiration sine instrukser.

Helligåndens kraft

4 En dag, da de spiste sammen, sagde Jesus: I må ikke tage væk fra Jerusalem, før I har modtaget det, som Faderen har lovet, og som jeg har fortalt jer om.

5 Johannes døbte jo med vand, men I vil om ganske få dage blive døbt med Helligånden.

6 Mens de var sammen, spurgte de ham: Herre, er tiden nu kommet, hvor du vil genoprette Israels kongerige?
7 Jesus svarede: Det tilkommer ikke jer at få kendskab til de tidspunkter, som Faderen i sin almagt har fastsat.

8 Men I skal modtage en ny kraft, når Helligånden kommer over jer, og så skal I bringe budskabet om mig til Jerusalem, til hele Judæa og Samaria, ja, helt til verdens ende.

Jesus tages op til Himlen, hvorfra han skal vende tilbage igen

9 Derefter blev Jesus løftet op fra jorden, mens de så på det, og han forsvandt ind i en sky.10 Som de nu blev ved at stirre op mod himlen for at se, hvor han var blevet af, stod der pludselig to hvidklædte mænd hos dem.

11 Mænd fra Galilæa, sagde de, hvorfor står I og stirrer op i luften? Jesus, som nu er taget bort til Himlen, vil komme tilbage igen på samme måde, som I så ham forsvinde.

Disciplene samles til bøn

12 Apostlene gik så ned fra Olivenbjerget, hvor det her var sket, og tilbage til Jerusalem. Det var kun omkring et kvarters gang.13 De gik hen til det hus, hvor de plejede at samles i en stor sal ovenpå. De elleve tilbageværende apostle var: Peter, Johannes, Jakob og Andreas, Filip og Thomas, Bartolomæus og Mattæus, Jakob, Alfæus' søn, Simon Frihedskæmper og Judas, Jakobs søn.

14 De mødtes ofte for i fællesskab at bede til Gud. Også de kvinder, der havde fulgt Jesus, samt Jesu mor og hans brødre, var med.

Mattias erstatter Judas som apostel

15 Nogle dage senere, hvor en gruppe på ca. 120 disciple var samlet, rejste Peter sig og sagde:16 Venner, det var jo nødvendigt, at det skriftord, som Helligånden talte gennem David, skulle gå i opfyldelse, det ord, der handler om Judas, som viste vej for dem, der pågreb Jesus.17 Judas var en af os og havde fået en aposteltjeneste ligesom os.18-20 Det profetiske ord fra David, som passer på ham, står i Salmernes Bog:
Lad hans hjem ligge øde hen,
lad ingen bo der mere. t
Og et andet sted står der: Lad en anden overtage hans lederfunktion. t (De penge, Judas fik for sit forræderi, brugte han til at købe en mark. Så gik han hen og styrtede sig i døden, og i faldet blev han revet op, så hans indvolde væltede ud. Alle i Jerusalem hørte, hvordan det gik ham, og man kalder nu det sted for Blodmarken .t )

21-22 Peter fortsatte: Derfor bør vi nu finde en mand, som kan overtage Judas' plads. Det skal være en, der har været sammen med os hele tiden, mens Jesus var hos os - lige fra dengang han blev døbt af Johannes, og indtil han blev taget bort og vendte tilbage til Himlen. Den mand skal sammen med os bevidne, at Jesus virkelig er genopstået fra de døde.
23 De udpegede så to mænd, Josef Justus Barsabbas og Mattias.24 Derefter bad de: Herre, du som kender alle menneskers inderste tanker, vis os nu hvem af dem, du har valgt i stedet for Judas,25 så han kan overtage den aposteltjeneste, som Judas forlod for at tage derhen, hvor han hører hjemme.

26 Derpå kastede de lod, og loddet faldt på Mattias. Fra da af blev han regnet med blandt apostlene.

Acts 1

Jesus Ascends to Heaven

1 I wrotet the formert account,ts Theophilus,t about all that Jesus began to do and teach2 until the day he was taken up to heaven,t after he had given orderst byt the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.3 To the same apostlest also, after his suffering,s he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day periodt and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God.4 While he was with them,t he declared,t “Do not leave Jerusalem,s but wait theret for what myt Father promised,t which you heard about from me.t

5 Fort John baptized with water, but yout will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him,t “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”7 He told them, “You are not permitted to knowt the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest partst of the earth.”9 Aftert he had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight.10 Ast they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenlyt two men in white clothing stood near them

11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand heret looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heavenst will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.”

A Replacement for Judas is Chosen

12 Then they returned to Jerusalems from the mountaint called the Mount of Olivess (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journeys away).13 Whent they had entered Jerusalem,t they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peters and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James were there.t14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.s15 In those dayst Peter stood up among the believerst (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty people) and said,16 “Brothers,t the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold throught David concerning Judas – who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus –17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.”t18 (Now this man Judast acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed,t and falling headfirstt he burst open in the middle and all his intestinest gushed out.19 Thist became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own languages they called that fieldtHakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”)20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted,tand let there be no one to live in it,’s and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ts21 Thus one of the ment who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated witht us,22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day het was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.”23 So theys proposed two candidates:t Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias.24 Then they prayed,t “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen25 to assume the taskt of this servicet and apostleship from which Judas turned asidet to go to his own place.”s

26 Thent they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias;t so he was counted with the eleven apostles.t