Acts 1:24

24 And they prayed sayinge: thou Lorde which knowest the hertes of all me shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen

Acts 1:24 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 1:24

And they prayed and said
Having proposed the above two persons, and not well knowing which to pitch upon, they being both very agreeable and fit for such service; they chose not to determine the affair without seeking to God for direction; a method to be taken in all cases, and especially in matters of importance: and the substance of their petition, though perhaps not in just the same words, was,

thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men;
which is a character peculiar to the one only living, and true God; for none knows the hearts of men, but God, who is the Maker of them; and he knows all the thoughts, counsels, and purposes of them, and the good or bad that is in them:

shew whether of these two thou hast chosen;
being desirous of having their choice directed by the choice God had made, in his eternal mind; and which they desired might be signified and pointed out to them, in some way or another, that they might be certain of the mind and will of God, and act according to it.

Acts 1:24 In-Context

22 begynninge at the baptyme of Iohn vnto that same daye that he was taken vp from vs must one be ordeyned to be are witnes with vs of his resurreccion.

23 And they appoynted two Ioseph called Barsabas (whose syr name was Iustus) and Mathias.

24 And they prayed sayinge: thou Lorde which knowest the hertes of all me shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen

25 that the one maye take the roume of this ministracion and apostleshippe from the which Iudas by transgression fell that he myght go to his awne place.

26 And they gave forthe their lottes and the lot fell on Mathias and he was counted with the eleven Apostles.