New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning
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I have given an earlier account, O Theophilus, of all the things which Jesus did, and of his teaching from the first,
2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
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Till the day when he was taken up to heaven after he had given his orders, through the Holy Spirit, to the Apostles of whom he had made selection:
3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
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And to whom he gave clear and certain signs that he was living, after his death; for he was seen by them for forty days, and gave them teaching about the kingdom of God:
4 While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me;
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And when they were all together, with him, he gave them orders not to go away from Jerusalem, but to keep there, waiting till the word of the Father was put into effect, of which, he said, I have given you knowledge:
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
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For the baptism of John was with water, but you will have baptism with the Holy Spirit, after a little time.
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"
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So, when they were together, they said to him, Lord, will you at this time give back the kingdom to Israel?
7 He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.
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And he said to them, It is not for you to have knowledge of the time and the order of events which the Father has kept in his control.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
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But you will have power, when the Holy Spirit has come on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
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And when he had said these things, while they were looking, he was taken up, and went from their view into a cloud.
10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them.
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And while they were looking up to heaven with great attention, two men came to them, in white clothing,
11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
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And said, O men of Galilee, why are you looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will come again, in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away.
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Then they went back to Jerusalem from the mountain named Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.
13 When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, 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.
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And when they came in, they went up into the room where they were living; Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas, the son of James.
14 All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
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And they all with one mind gave themselves up to prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said,
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And in those days Peter got up among the brothers (there were about one hundred and twenty of them), and said,
16 "Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus—
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My brothers, the word of God had to be put into effect, which the Holy Spirit had said before, by the mouth of David, about Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus,
17 for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry."
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For he was numbered among us, and had his part in our work.
18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.
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(Now this man, with the reward of his evil-doing, got for himself a field, and falling head first, came to a sudden and violent end there.
19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
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And this came to the knowledge of all those who were living in Jerusalem, so that the field was named in their language, Akel-dama, or, The field of blood.)
20 "For it is written in the book of Psalms, "Let his homestead become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it'; and "Let another take his position of overseer.'
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For in the book of Psalms it says, Let his house be waste, and let no man be living in it: and, Let his position be taken by another.
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
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For this reason, of the men who have been with us all the time, while the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection."
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Starting from the baptism of John till he went up from us, one will have to be a witness with us of his coming back from death.
23 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.
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And they made selection of two, Joseph, named Barsabbas, whose other name was Justus, and Matthias.
24 Then they prayed and said, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen
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And they made prayers and said, Lord, having knowledge of the hearts of all men, make clear which of these two has been marked out by you,
25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place."
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To take that position as a servant and Apostle, from which Judas by his sin was shut out, so that he might go to his place.
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
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And they put it to the decision of chance, and the decision was given for Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.