Acts 1:12-26

A Replacement for Judas is Chosen

1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem ¹  from the mountain ²  called the Mount of Olives ³  (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey ⁴  away). 1:13 When ⁵  they had entered Jerusalem, ⁶  they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter ⁷  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. ⁸  1:14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. ⁹  1:15 In those days ¹⁰  Peter stood up among the believers ¹¹  (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty people) and said, 1:16 “Brothers, ¹²  the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through ¹³  David concerning Judas – who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus – 1:17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” ¹⁴  1:18 (Now this man Judas ¹⁵  acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, ¹⁶  and falling headfirst ¹⁷  he burst open in the middle and all his intestines ¹⁸  gushed out. 1:19 This ¹⁹  became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language ²⁰  they called that field ²¹  Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”) 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, ²²  and let there be no one to live in it,’ ²³  and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ ²⁴  1:21 Thus one of the men ²⁵  who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with ²⁶  us, 1:22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day he ²⁷  was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.” 1:23 So they ²⁸  proposed two candidates: ²⁹  Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. 1:24 Then they prayed, ³⁰  “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 1:25 to assume the task ³¹  of this service ³²  and apostleship from which Judas turned aside ³³  to go to his own place.” ³⁴  1:26 Then ³⁵  they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; ³⁶  so he was counted with the eleven apostles. ³⁷ 

[1:12]  ¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:12]  ² tn Or “from the hill.” The Greek term ὄρος (oros) refers to a relatively high elevation of land in contrast with βουνός (bounos, “hill”).

[1:12]  ³ sn The Mount of Olives is the traditional name for this mountain, also called Olivet. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 1.8 mi (3 km) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 100 ft (30 m) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.

[1:12]  ⁴ sn The phrase a Sabbath day’s journey refers to the distance the rabbis permitted a person to travel on the Sabbath without breaking the Sabbath, specified in tractate Sotah 5:3 of the Mishnah as 2,000 cubits (a cubit was about 18 inches). In this case the distance was about half a mile (1 km).

[1:13]  ⁵ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[1:13]  ⁶ tn The word “Jerusalem” is not in the Greek text but is implied (direct objects were often omitted when clear from the context).

[1:13]  ⁷ sn In the various lists of the twelve, Peter (also called Simon) is always mentioned first (see also Matt 10:1-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16) and the first four are always the same, though not in the same order after Peter.

[1:13]  ⁸ tn The words “were there” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[1:14]  ⁹ sn Jesus’ brothers are mentioned in Matt 13:55 and John 7:3.

[1:15]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “And in those days.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[1:15]  ¹¹ tn Or “brethren” (but the term includes both male and female believers present in this gathering, as indicated by those named in vv. 13-14).

[1:16]  ¹² tn Grk “Men brothers.” In light of the compound phrase ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί (andre" adelfoi, “Men brothers”) Peter’s words are best understood as directly addressed to the males present, possibly referring specifically to the twelve (really ten at this point – eleven minus the speaker, Peter) mentioned by name in v. 13.

[1:16]  ¹³ tn Grk “foretold by the mouth of.”

[1:17]  ¹⁴ tn Or “and was chosen to have a share in this ministry.” The term λαγχάνω (lancanw) here and in 2 Pet 1:1 can be understood as referring to the process of divine choice and thus be translated, “was chosen to have.”

[1:18]  ¹⁵ tn The referent of “this man” (Judas) was specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ¹⁶ tn Traditionally, “with the reward of his wickedness.”

[1:18]  ¹⁷ tn Traditionally, “falling headlong.”

[1:18]  ¹⁸ tn Or “all his bowels.”

[1:19]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “And this.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[1:19]  ²⁰ sn Their own language refers to Aramaic, the primary language spoken in Palestine in Jesus’ day.

[1:19]  ²¹ tn Grk “that field was called.” The passive voice has been converted to active in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.

[1:20]  ²² tn Or “uninhabited” or “empty.”

[1:20]  ²³ sn A quotation from Ps 69:25.

[1:20]  ²⁴ tn Or “Let another take his office.”

[1:21]  ²⁵ tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, where a successor to Judas is being chosen, only men were under consideration in the original historical context.

[1:21]  ²⁶ tn Grk “the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.” According to BDAG 294 s.v. εἰσέρχομαι 1.b.β, “ἐν παντὶ χρόνῳ ᾧ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς went in and out among us = associated with us Ac 1:21.”

[1:22]  ²⁷ tn Here the pronoun “he” refers to Jesus.

[1:23]  ²⁸ tc Codex Bezae (D) and other Western witnesses have “he proposed,” referring to Peter, thus emphasizing his role above the other apostles. The Western text displays a conscious pattern of elevating Peter in Acts, and thus the singular verb here is a palpably motivated reading.

[1:23]  ²⁹ tn Grk “So they proposed two.” The word “candidates” was supplied in the text for clarity.

[1:24]  ³⁰ tn Grk “And praying, they said.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[1:25]  ³¹ tn Grk “to take the place.”

[1:25]  ³² tn Or “of this ministry.”

[1:25]  ³³ tn Or “the task of this service and apostleship which Judas ceased to perform.”

[1:25]  ³⁴ sn To go to his own place. This may well be a euphemism for Judas’ judged fate. He separated himself from them, and thus separated he would remain.

[1:26]  ³⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the continuity with the preceding verse. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.

[1:26]  ³⁶ tn Grk “and the lot fell on Matthias.”

[1:26]  ³⁷ tn Or “he was counted as one of the apostles along with the eleven.”