THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
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1 In the former treatise (Deare frende Theophilus) I have written of all that Iesus beganne to do and teache 2 vntyll the daye in the which he was taken vp after that he thorowe the holy goost had geven commaundementes vnto the Apostles which he had chosen: 3 to whom also he shewed him selfe alyve after his passion by many tokens apperynge vnto them fourty dayes and speakynge of the kyngdome of god 4 and gaddered them togeder and commaunded the that they shuld not departe from Ierusalem: but to wayte for the promys of the father whereof ye have herde of me. 5 For Iohn baptised with water: but ye shalbe baptised with the holy goost and that with in this feawe dayes. 6 When they were come togeder they axed of him sayinge: Lorde wilt thou at this tyme restore agayne the kyngdome to Israel? 7 And he sayde vnto them: It is not for you to knowe the tymes or the seasons which the father hath put in his awne power: 8 but ye shall receave power of the holy goost which shall come on you. And ye shall be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem and in all Iewrye and in Samary and even vnto the worldes ende. 9 And when he had spoken these thinges whyll they behelde he was take vp and a cloude receaved him vp out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly vp to heaven as he went beholde two men stode by them in white apparell 11 which also sayde: ye men of Galile why stonde ye gasinge vp into heaven? This same Iesus which is taken vp from you in to heaven shall so come even as ye haue sene him goo into heaven. 12 Then returned they vnto Ierusalem from mount olivete which is nye to Ierusalem coteyninge a Saboth dayes iorney. 13 And when they were come in they went vp into a parler where abode both Peter and Iames Iohn and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartlemew and Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes and Iudas Iames sonne. 14 These all continued with one acorde in prayer and supplicacion with the wemen and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren. 15 And in those dayes Peter stode vp in the myddes of the disciples and sayde (the noumbre of names that were to gether were aboute an hondred and twenty) 16 Ye men and brethren this scripture must have nedes ben fulfilled which the holy goost thorow the mouth of David spake before of Iudas which was gyde to them that tooke Iesus. 17 For he was noubred with vs and had obtayned fellouship in this ministracion. 18 And the same hath now possessed a plot of grounde with the rewarde of iniquite and when he was hanged brast a sondre in the myddes and all his bowels gusshed oute. 19 And it is knowe vnto all the inhabiters of Ierusalem: in so moche that that felde is called in their mother tonge Acheldama that is to saye the bloud felde. 20 It is written in the boke of Psalmes: His habitacion be voyde and no man be dwellinge therin: and his bisshoprycke let another take. 21 Wherfore of these me which have companyed with vs all the tyme that the Lorde Iesus went in and out amonge vs 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.