Acts 1

Acts 1

The big picture

Acts 1 opens in verse 1 with “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and…”, and closes in verse 26 with “And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with…” Repeated or prominent terms include Jerusalem, Jesus, Ghost, heaven, Holy. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Acts · King James Version · 26

Acts 1:1-7

1–7: The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began…

Acts 1:1–7 opens with “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,” and reaches “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The risen Jesus teaching the apostles, being taken up, and the believers waiting together in prayer, with particular weight carried by baptized, days, Father.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,” Naming Jesus and Theophilus keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Acts 1:1-7

King James Version

1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2Until 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:

3To 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:

4And, 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.

5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7And 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.

Acts 1:8-14

8–14: Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and…

Acts 1:8–14 opens with “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be…” and reaches “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The risen Jesus teaching the apostles, being taken up, and the believers waiting together in prayer, with particular weight carried by heaven, James, Jerusalem.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” The line’s distinctive content terms include beheld, cloud, received. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.

Acts 1:8-14

King James Version

8But 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 Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11Which 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.

12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.

13And 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.

14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Acts 1:15-21

15–21: In those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said…

Acts 1:15–21 opens with “And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names…” and reaches “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The risen Jesus teaching the apostles, being taken up, and the believers waiting together in prayer, with particular weight carried by field, Jesus, midst.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an…” The number hundred makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Acts 1:15-21

King James Version

15And 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,)

16Men 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.

17For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

18Now 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.

19And 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.

20For 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.

21Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Acts 1:22-26

22–26: Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken…

Acts 1:22–26 opens with “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be…” and reaches “And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The risen Jesus teaching the apostles, being taken up, and the believers waiting together in prayer, with particular weight carried by fell, Matthias, apostles.

Context that brings the passage to life

“Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Acts 1:22-26

King James Version

22Beginning 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.

23And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

25That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

26And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Details worth noticing

26verses in this reading
4major movements
8verses with speech
2questions in the KJV text

The opening image

Acts 1:1 begins with “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,”

Where the chapter turns

Acts 1:12 forms a natural hinge: “Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.”

The final note

Acts 1:26 leaves the reader with “And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”

A word trail through the chapter

The words Jerusalem, Jesus, Ghost, heaven, Holy, taken help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.

Who receives the image and the blessing?

Both male and female in verses 27-28. Human worth precedes achievement.

What limits human dominion?

The world belongs to its Creator and is already declared good. Compare the charge to tend and keep in 2:15.

KJV words made clear

behold
look, or pay close attention
unto
to
thou
you
hath
has
spake
spoke

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.