Acts Chapter 1
Showing all 26 verses for Acts Chapter 1.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, "
"In my earlier book, Theophilus, I wrote about everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning of his public life."
Jesus reminds you that a life well lived doesn't end with the person - it continues through everyone they trained and loved. What you build into other people outlasts you, so invest in people, not just achievements.
"Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: "
"That first book took the story up to the day Jesus was taken up into heaven, after he had given instructions, guided by the Holy Spirit, to the apostles he had personally chosen."
Jesus shows that a good leader spends their last moments not securing their own legacy but equipping others to carry the work forward. If you lead anything - a family, a team, a project - ask what instructions you're leaving behind for when you're not there.
"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: "
"After his death, Jesus showed himself alive to them with many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and talking with them about God's kingdom."
Jesus doesn't ask for blind belief - he gives real evidence and real time before asking people to act on it. When you're weighing something important in your own life, take the time you need to be genuinely convinced rather than rushing to a conclusion.
"And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. "
"While eating together with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the gift the Father had promised, which he had already told them about."
Jesus teaches that waiting isn't wasted time - sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is hold still and prepare rather than charge ahead before you're ready. Patience before a big step is not weakness; it's wisdom.
"For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. "
"John baptised people with water, Jesus said, but in just a few days they would be baptised with the Holy Spirit."
Jesus reminds you that real change isn't just about outward actions or symbols - it's about something that gets into you and reshapes you from the inside. Look for depth, not just performance, in your own growth.
"When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? "
"When they were together, they asked him, 'Lord, is this the time you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel?'"
Jesus doesn't mock the question - he simply redirects it. When your assumptions about how things should go get corrected, that's not failure, it's growth; stay teachable rather than defensive.
"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. "
"He replied, 'It isn't for you to know the timing or details the Father has kept under his own authority.'"
Jesus teaches that peace doesn't come from knowing everything that's going to happen - it comes from trusting the process even without a full timetable. Let go of the need to control or predict every outcome in your life.
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. "
"'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.'"
Jesus challenges you to start where you are - your own 'Jerusalem' - but never to stop there. Whatever good you're doing in your immediate circle, let it be the beginning, not the whole story.
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. "
"After he said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up into the sky, and a cloud hid him from their sight."
Jesus shows that sometimes moving forward means letting something visible and familiar go, trusting what it set in motion to continue without you physically present. Growth often means release, not clinging.
"And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; "
"While they were still staring up at the sky as he went, suddenly two men dressed in white were standing beside them."
Jesus reminds you that even in moments of loss or bewilderment, help and clarity often arrive exactly when you need it most - stay open rather than stuck staring at what's gone.
"Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. "
"The two men said, 'Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you've seen him go.'"
Jesus challenges you not to get stuck staring backwards at an ending, however significant, when there's work waiting in front of you. Grief and hope can coexist - move forward without forgetting what mattered.
"Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey. "
"Then they went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is about a Sabbath day's walk from the city."
Jesus shows that following instructions sometimes looks unremarkable - just walking back to where you were told to be and getting on with ordinary life while you wait. Faithfulness in small, obedient steps often precedes the big moments.
"And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. "
"When they arrived, they went up to the upstairs room where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James."
Jesus values you as an individual with a name and a history, not as an anonymous member of a crowd. Whatever your background, there's a specific place for you in this story, not a generic one.
"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. "
"They all devoted themselves together to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers."
Jesus shows that real community isn't built around hierarchy or who's most important, but around shared devotion and mutual support. Look for ways to include people who might otherwise be sidelined, and value togetherness over status.
"And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) "
"During this time, Peter stood up among the group of believers, about a hundred and twenty of them, and spoke."
Jesus reminds you that you don't need a big following to start something significant - faithful action within a small, committed group can be the seed of something enormous. Don't despise small beginnings.
"Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. "
"Peter said, 'Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through David about Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus.'"
Jesus teaches that even the most painful betrayals can be faced honestly and worked through, rather than denied or hidden. You don't have to pretend hurt didn't happen - name it clearly, then move forward.
"For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. "
"'Judas was one of our number and shared in this ministry with us.'"
Jesus shows that honesty about someone's real place in your life, even after they've hurt you badly, is more valuable than pretending the relationship never mattered. Truth-telling, even about painful things, is part of healing.
"Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. "
"(With the money he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field, and falling headfirst there, his body burst open and his insides spilled out.)"
Jesus doesn't ask you to look away from hard consequences, including the wreckage that betrayal and greed can leave behind. Take seriously how the choices you make can shape where your life ends up.
"And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. "
"Everyone living in Jerusalem heard about this, so that field is called, in their own language, Akeldama - meaning 'Field of Blood'."
Jesus reminds you that actions have public consequences that can outlast us in memory - what you do leaves a mark on the world around you, for good or ill.
"For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. "
"'It's written in the book of Psalms: Let his home become empty, and let no one live in it, and: let someone else take his position.'"
Jesus shows that even when someone abandons their responsibility, the work itself doesn't have to stop - it can be picked up by someone else. Don't let one person's failure derail a larger purpose.
"Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, "
"'So one of the men who has been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was among us -'"
Jesus values consistency and staying power over flashy but shallow commitment. What matters isn't just showing up once, but being present through the whole journey, including the hard parts.
"Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. "
"'- beginning from John's baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us, must join us as a witness of his resurrection.'"
Jesus teaches that credibility comes from having genuinely lived through something, not just having an opinion about it. When you speak about something important, let it be from real experience, not just borrowed conviction.
"And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. "
"So they proposed two men: Joseph, called Barsabbas (also known as Justus), and Matthias."
Jesus values decisions made together rather than by one person's say-so alone. Where you can, involve others honestly in choices that affect the whole group - it builds trust and shared ownership.
"And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, "
"Then they prayed, 'Lord, you know everyone's hearts - show us which of these two you have chosen'"
Jesus reminds you that you can't fully know what's going on inside another person, so hold your judgements of others humbly and be willing to leave some things bigger than your own certainty.
"That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. "
"'- to take on this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned by his own wrongdoing to go where he belonged.'"
Jesus teaches that we are responsible for our own choices, and that when we fail, the work we were meant to do doesn't disappear - someone else steps up. Own your mistakes honestly rather than blaming circumstance.
"And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. "
"Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias, so he was numbered among the eleven apostles."
Jesus shows that sometimes it's right to make the best decision you can with the wisdom and methods available, then trust the outcome rather than agonising forever. Do your honest best, then let go of needing total certainty.