ⲚⲒⲠⲢⲀⲜⲒⲤ 1
The first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first,
2 ⲃ̅ ϣⲁϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲁⲛⲁⲗⲁⲙⲃⲁⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲁϥϩⲱⲛ ⲉⲧⲟⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲛⲛⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲟⲥ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲡⲉⲡⲛⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲉⲧⲁϣⲉⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲙⲡⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲥⲟⲧⲡⲟⲩ
down to that day on which he was taken up to heaven, after he had, by the help of the Holy Spirit, given instructions to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3 ⲅ̅ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲁϩⲟϥ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲛⲁⲩ ⲉϥⲟⲛϩ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁ ⲧⲣⲉϥⲙⲟⲩ ϩⲛ ϩⲁϩ ⲙⲙⲁⲉⲓⲛⲛϩⲙⲉ ⲛϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉϥϣⲁϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲙⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
With abundant proofs, he showed himself to them, still living, after his death; appearing to them from time to time during forty days, and speaking of all that related to the kingdom of God.
4 ⲇ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲱⲙ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲛⲉϥⲡⲁⲣⲁⲅⲅⲓⲗⲉ ⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲧⲙⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉϭⲱ ⲉⲡⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲥⲟⲧⲙⲉϥ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲧ
And once, when he had gathered them together, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfillment of the Father’s promise – “that promise,” he said, “of which you have heard me speak;
5 ⲉ̅ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲙⲉⲛ ⲁϥⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲍⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲱⲧⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲡⲛⲁ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁ ϩⲁϩ ⲁⲛ ⲛϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϣⲁ ⲧⲡⲉⲛⲧⲏⲕⲟⲥⲧⲏ
for, while John baptized with water, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit before many days have passed.”
So, when the apostles had met together, they asked Jesus this question – “Master, is this the time when you intend to re-establish the kingdom for Israel?”
His answer was, “It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;
8 ⲏ̅ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁϫⲓ ⲛⲟⲩϭⲟⲙ ⲉⲣϣⲁⲛⲡⲉⲡⲛⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲱⲧⲛ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲙⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲙⲛ ϯⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓⲁ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲥⲁⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ ⲁⲩⲱ ϣⲁ ⲁⲣⲏϫϥ ⲙⲡⲕⲁϩ
but you will receive power, when the Holy Spirit will have descended on you, and will be witnesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
No sooner had Jesus said this than he was caught up before their eyes, and a cloud received him from their sight.
While they were still gazing up into the heavens, as he went, suddenly two men, clothed in white, stood beside them,
11 ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉϫⲁⲩ ⲛⲁⲩ ϫⲉ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲅⲁⲗⲓⲗⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲁϩⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛϭⲱϣⲧ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲓⲥ ⲛⲧⲁⲩϥⲓⲧϥ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲡⲉ ⲧⲁⲓ ⲧⲉ ⲑⲉ ⲉⲧϥⲛⲏⲩ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉϥⲛⲁⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲡⲉ
and said, “People of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the heavens? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into the heavens, will come in the same way in which you have seen him go into the heavens.”
12 ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲕⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲉⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲉϣⲁⲩⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲛϫⲟⲉⲓⲧ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲏⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ⲛⲟⲩϩⲓⲏ ⲛⲥⲁϣϥ ⲛϩⲟⲟⲩⲧⲛ
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called Olivet, which is about three quarters of a mile from the city.
13 ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟⲩⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲩⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲙⲁ ⲛⲧⲡⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲩⲟⲩⲏϩ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲛⲇⲣⲉⲁⲥ ⲫⲓⲗⲓⲡⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲑⲱⲙⲁⲥ ⲃⲁⲣⲑⲟⲗⲟⲙⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲙⲁⲑⲑⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲓⲁⲕⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲗⲫⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲥⲓⲙⲱⲛ ⲡⲍⲏⲗⲱⲧⲏⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲥ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲛⲓⲁⲕⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ
When they reached Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room, where they were staying. There were there Peter, John, James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
They all united in devoting themselves to prayer, and so did some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
15 ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲇⲉ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲓϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲙⲏⲧⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲏⲏϣⲉ ⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲉⲩⲛⲁⲣⲁϣⲉ ϫⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲛⲣⲁⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ϫⲉ
About this time, at a meeting of the Lord’s followers, when there were about a hundred and twenty present, Peter rose to speak.
16 ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲛⲉϩⲁⲡⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲧⲉⲓⲅⲣⲁⲫⲏ ϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲧⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ϫⲓⲛ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲉⲡⲛⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲧⲧⲁⲡⲣⲟ ⲛⲇⲁⲩⲓⲇ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲥ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲣⲉϥϫⲓ ⲙⲟⲉⲓⲧ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩϭⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲓⲥ
“Friends,” he said, “it was necessary that the prediction of scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit made by the lips of David about Judas, who acted as guide to the men who arrested Jesus,
for he was one of our number and had his part allotted him in this work of ours.”
18 ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ ⲡⲁⲓ ϭⲉ ⲁϥϣⲱⲡ ⲛⲁϥ ⲛⲟⲩϭⲱⲙ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲃⲉⲕⲉ ⲙⲡⲉϥϫⲓ ⲛϭⲟⲛⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥϩⲉ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲉϥϩⲟ ⲁϥⲡⲱϣ ⲉⲧⲉϥⲙⲏⲧⲉ ⲁⲛⲉⲧⲡⲉϥϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲡⲱⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
(This man had bought a piece of land with the price of his treachery; and, falling heavily, his body had burst open, and all his bowels protruded.
19 ⲓ̅ⲑ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲡⲉⲓϩⲱⲃ ϭⲱⲗⲡ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ϩⲱⲥⲧⲉ ⲛⲥⲉⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲡϭⲱⲙ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲩⲁⲥⲡⲉ ϫⲉ ⲁⲕⲉⲗⲇⲁⲙⲁⲭ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡϭⲱⲙ ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲛⲟϥ
This became known to everyone living in Jerusalem, so that the field came to be called, in their language, ‘Akeldama,’ which means the ‘Field of Blood.’)
20 ⲕ̅ ϥⲥⲏϩ ⲅⲁⲣ ϩⲙ ⲡϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲯⲁⲗⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲧⲉϥⲣⲥⲱ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛϫⲁⲓⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲡⲣⲧⲣⲉϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲉⲧⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉϥⲙⲁ ⲛϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲉϥⲙⲛⲧⲉⲡⲓⲥⲕⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲕⲉⲟⲩⲁ ϫⲓⲧⲥ
“For in the book of Psalms,” Peter continued, “it is said – ‘Let his home become desolate, and let no one live in it’; and also – ‘His office let another take.’
21 ⲕ̅ⲁ̅ ϣϣⲉ ϭⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲛ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲓⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧⲛ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲓⲥ
Therefore, from among the men who have been with us all the time that Jesus, our Master, went in and out among us –
22 ⲕ̅ⲃ̅ ⲉⲁϥⲁⲣⲭⲉⲓ ϫⲓⲛ ⲡⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲙⲁ ⲛⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ϣⲁϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲁⲩϥⲓⲧϥ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲧⲛ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲟⲩⲁ ⲛⲛⲁⲓ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲛ ⲙⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲁⲛⲁⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ
from his baptism by John down to that day on which he was taken from us – someone must be found to join us as a witness of his resurrection.”
23 ⲕ̅ⲅ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲩⲧⲁϩⲉ ⲥⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲁⲧⲟⲩ ⲓⲱⲥⲏⲥ ⲡⲉⲧⲉϣⲁⲩⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ϫⲉ ⲃⲁⲣⲥⲁⲃⲁⲥ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲩϯⲣⲓⲛϥ ⲉⲓⲟⲩⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲁⲑⲓⲁⲥ
So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas, whose other name was Justus, and Matthias;
and they offered this prayer – “Lord, who reads all hearts, show which of these two men you have chosen
25 ⲕ̅ⲉ̅ ⲉϫⲓ ⲙⲡⲙⲁ ⲛⲧⲉⲓⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲓⲁ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲙⲛⲧⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲡⲁⲣⲁⲃⲁ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲉϥⲙⲁ ⲙⲙⲓⲛ ⲙⲙⲟϥ
to take the place in this apostolic work, which Judas has abandoned, to go to his proper place.”
Then they drew lots between them; and, the lot having fallen to Matthias, he was added to the number of the eleven apostles.
