Acts 1:12-22

12 Then they turned again to Jerusalem, from the hill that is called of Olivet, which is beside Jerusalem an holiday's journey. [Then they turned again to Jerusalem, from the hill that is called Olivet, the which is beside Jerusalem, having the journey of a sabbath.]

13 And when they were entered into the house, where they dwelled, they went up into the solar [And when they had entered into the supping place, they went up into the higher things, where they dwelt], Peter and John, and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas of James.

14 All these were lastingly continuing with one will in prayer [All these were dwelling, or lasting, together in prayer], with women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

15 In those days Peter rose up in the middle of the brethren, and said; and there was a company of men together, almost an hundred and twenty;

16 Brethren, it behooveth that the scripture be filled [Men brethren it behooveth the scripture to be fulfilled], which the Holy Ghost before-said by the mouth of David, of Judas that was leader of them that took Jesus;

17 and was numbered among us, and got a part of this service. [+which was numbered among us, and got the part of this ministry.]

18 And this Judas had a field of the hire of wickedness, and he was hanged, and burst apart the middle [And forsooth this wielded a field of the hire of wickedness, and he hanged, burst apart the middle], and all his entrails were shed abroad.

19 And it was made known to all men that dwelt in Jerusalem [And it was made known to all men dwelling in Jerusalem], so that that field was called Aceldama in the language of them [in the tongue of them], that is, the field of blood.

20 And it is written in the book of Psalms, The habitation of them be made desert [The habitation of him be made desert], and be there none that dwell in it, and another take his bishopric.

21 Therefore it behooveth of these men, that be gathered together with us in all the time [in all time], in which the Lord Jesus entered [in], and went out among us,

22 and began from the baptism of John till into the day in which he was taken up from us [beginning from the baptism of John unto the day in which he was taken up from us], that one of these be made a witness of his resurrection with us.

Acts 1:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ACTS

This book, in some copies, is called, "The Acts of the holy Apostles". It contains an history of the ministry and miracles of the apostles of Christ, and is a sort of a journal of their actions, from whence it takes its name. It begins at the ascension of Christ, and reaches to the imprisonment of the Apostle Paul at Rome; and is a history of upwards of thirty years: it gives an account of the first Gospel church at Jerusalem, and of the progress of the Gospel there, and in Judea, by the means of all the apostles, and particularly Peter, the minister of the circumcision, and who also first opened the door of faith to the Gentiles: it shows how the Gospel went forth from Jerusalem, and was spread in the Gentile world, especially by the Apostle Paul, whose companion Luke was, that was the writer of this book; for that it was written by him is very evident from the beginning of it, it being dedicated to the same person his Gospel is, and of which he makes mention; and in the Complutensian edition the book is called, "The Acts of the Apostles of Saint Luke the Evangelist"; and so the title of it in the Syriac version is, "the Book of the Acts: that is, the history of the blessed apostles, which my Lord Luke the Evangelist collected for the saints". It was by him written in the Greek language; and we are told {a}, that there was a version of it into the Hebrew language, and which was laid up in the library of the Jews at Tiberias; and is cited by R. Azarias {b} under the name of twlweph, "the Acts": of the authority of this book there has been no doubt, among the ancients, only Cerinthus the heretic endeavoured to discredit it; and it was not received by another sort of heretics called Severiani, from Severus, a disciple of Tatian {c}. It is a most excellent and useful work, showing the first planting of Christianity, and of Christian churches, both among the Jews and Gentiles; the spread and progress of the Gospel in several parts of the world; what sufferings the apostles endured for the sake of it; and with what patience and courage they bore them; and what success attended them; and is a standing proof and confirmation of the Christian religion.

{a} Epiphan. Contr. Haeres. l. 1. Haeres. 30. {b} Meor Enayim, p. 167. {c} Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 4. c. 29.