Actuum Apostolorum 1
1 Primum quidem sermonem feci de omnibus, o Theophile, quae coepit Iesus facere, et docere
The first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first,
2 usque in diem, qua praecipiens Apostolis per Spiritum sanctum, quos elegit, assumptus est:
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 quibus et praebuit seipsum vivum post passionem suam in multis argumentis, per dies quadraginta apparens eis, et loquens de regno Dei.
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 Et convescens, praecepit eis ab Ierosolymis ne discederent, sed expectarent promissionem Patris, quam audistis (inquit) per os meum:
And once, when he had gathered them together, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfilment of the Father’s promise – ‘that promise,’ he said, ‘of which you have heard me speak;
5 quia Ioannes quidem baptizavit aqua, vos autem baptizabimini Spiritu sancto non post multos hos dies.
for, while John baptized with water, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit before many days have passed.’
6 Igitur qui convenerant, interrogabant eum, dicentes: Domine si in tempore hoc restitues regnum Israel?
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?’
7 Dixit autem eis: Non est vestrum nosse tempora vel momenta, quae Pater posuit in sua potestate:
His answer was, ‘It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;
8 sed accipietis virtutem supervenientis Spiritus sancti in vos, et eritis mihi testes in Ierusalem, et in omni Iudaea, et Samaria, et usque ad ultimum terrae.
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.’
9 Et cum haec dixisset, videntibus illis, elevatus est: et nubes suscepit eum ab oculis eorum.
No sooner had Jesus said this than he was caught up before their eyes, and a cloud received him from their sight.
10 Cumque intuerentur in caelum euntem illum, ecce duo viri astiterunt iuxta illos in vestibus albis,
While they were still gazing up into the heavens, as he went, suddenly two men, clothed in white, stood beside them,
11 qui et dixerunt: Viri Galilaei quid statis aspicientes in caelum? hic Iesus, qui assumptus est a vobis in caelum, sic veniet quemadmodum vidistis eum euntem in caelum.
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 Tunc reversi sunt Ierosolymam a monte, qui vocatur Oliveti, qui est iuxta Ierusalem, sabbati habens iter.
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called Olivet, which is about three quarters of a mile from the city.
13 Et cum introissent in coenaculum, ascenderunt ubi manebant Petrus, et Ioannes, Iacobus, et Andreas, Philippus, et Thomas, Bartholomaeus, et Matthaeus, Iacobus Alphaei, et Simon Zelotes, et Iudas Iacobi.
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.
14 hi omnes erant perseverantes unanimiter in oratione cum mulieribus, et Maria matre Iesu, et fratribus eius.
They all united in devoting themselves to prayer, and so did some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
15 In diebus illis exurgens Petrus in medio fratrum dixit (erat autem turba hominum simul, fere centum viginti.)
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 Viri fratres, oportet impleri Scripturam, quam praedixit Spiritus sanctus per os David de Iuda, qui fuit dux eorum, qui comprehenderunt Iesum:
‘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,
17 qui connumeratus erat in nobis, et sortitus est sortem ministerii huius.
for he was one of our number and had his part allotted him in this work of ours.’
18 Et hic quidem possedit agrum de mercede iniquitatis, et suspensus crepuit medius: et diffusa sunt omnia viscera eius.
(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 Et notum factum est omnibus habitantibus Ierusalem, ita ut appellaretur ager ille, lingua eorum, Hacheldema, hoc est, ager sanguinis.
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 Scriptum est enim in libro Psalmorum: Fiat commoratio eorum deserta, et non sit qui inhabitet in ea: et episcopatum eius accipiat alter.
‘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 Oportet ergo ex his viris, qui nobiscum sunt congregati in omni tempore, quo intravit et exivit inter nos Dominus Iesus,
Therefore, from among the men who have been with us all the time that Jesus, our Master, went in and out among us –
22 incipiens a baptismate Ioannis usque in diem, qua assumptus est a nobis, testem resurrectionis eius nobiscum fieri unum ex istis.
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 Et statuerunt duos, Ioseph, qui vocabatur Barsabas, qui cognominatus est Iustus: et Mathiam.
So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas, whose other name was Justus, and Matthias;
24 Et orantes dixerunt: Tu Domine, qui corda nosti omnium, ostende, quem elegeris ex his duobus, unum
and they offered this prayer – ‘Lord, who reads all hearts, show which of these two men you have chosen
25 accipere locum ministerii huius, et apostolatus, de quo praevaricatus est Iudas ut abiret in locum suum.
to take the place in this apostolic work, which Judas has abandoned, to go to his proper place.’
26 Et dederunt sortes eis, et cecidit sors super Mathiam, et annumeratus est cum undecim Apostolis.
Then they drew lots between them; and, the lot having fallen to Matthias, he was added to the number of the eleven apostles.
