Reading Guide
How the text is marked:
• Words in italics — added for English grammar (not in the Greek text)
• wind/spirit — a word the Greek leaves open to two meanings, both kept
• "…" — direct speech of God or the holy wind/spirit
Notes are tagged by type — Critical · Lexical · Grammatical · Theological — each shown with its colour (see the legend at the top of the Notes view).
This is the opening of Acts — the second volume of Luke's work. Acts 1 ties directly back to the Gospel: the same author addresses the same Theophilos (1:1) and recalls "the first account." The chapter spans the forty days after the resurrection, the ascension, and the days before Pentecost. The risen Yeshua promises the holy wind/spirit (vv.4-8) and is taken up in a cloud (v.9); two messengers interpret the event (vv.10-11); the eleven gather in the upper room with the women, Miryam, and Yeshua's brothers (vv.12-14); and Kefa leads the reconstitution of the Twelve, replacing Yehudah with Mattityahu by lot (vv.15-26). Note on speech-marking (Rule 30): the risen Yeshua's direct speech IS marked (vv.4-5, 7-8) — consistent with the Gospel treatment of his words. The two men in white (vv.10-11) are messengers (the angelos-class) and are NOT marked. Proper names follow TT transliteration: Yeshua (Jesus), Kefa (Peter), Yochanan (John), Miryam (Mary), Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), Mattityahu (Matthias).
Supplementary — patterns across the chapter
The first account I made about all things, O Theophilos (Theophilus), that Yeshua (Jesus) began both to do and to teach,
• ὧν ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς ποιεῖν τε καὶ διδάσκειν (hōn ērxato ho Iēsous poiein te kai didaskein) = "all that Yeshua began both to do and to teach." The word "began" implies the Gospel recorded the beginning* of Jesus's work, which the present volume continues — Acts as the ongoing acts of the risen Yeshua through the wind/spirit.
until the day on which he was taken up, having given orders through the holy wind/spirit to the apostles whom he chose.
• ἀνελήμφθη (anelēmphthē*) = "he was taken up" (aorist passive) — the ascension, the terminus of the Gospel narrative (Lk 24:51) and the hinge into Acts. The same root recurs in vv.11, 22.
• διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου (dia pneumatos hagiou) = "through the* holy wind/spirit." Anarthrous in Greek; the TT keeps the slash for πνεῦμα (Rule 2 — wind/spirit/breath) per the locked GS glossary. The risen Jesus's instructions are mediated by the Spirit even before Pentecost.
To them also he presented himself living after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them through forty days and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God.
• ἐν πολλοῖς τεκμηρίοις (en pollois tekmēriois) = "by many proofs." Tekmērion is a technical word for demonstrative* (compelling) evidence — the strongest evidentiary term available in Greek; used only here in the GS.
And being assembled together with them, he ordered them not to depart from Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), but to await the promise of the Father @@"which you heard from me;
because Yochanan (John) immersed in water, but you will be immersed in the holy wind/spirit after not many of these days."@@
So they, having come together, were asking him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time that you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"
And he said to them, @@"It is not yours to know times or seasons which the Father set by his own authority;
• χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς (chronous ē kairous) = "times or seasons" — duration and decisive moments. Set ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ (en tē idia exousia*, "by his own authority") of the Father. Direct divine speech of the risen Yeshua → marked … (Rule 30). The answer redirects from calendar to commission (v.8).
but you will receive power when the holy wind/spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses both in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) and in all Yehudah (Judea) and Shomron (Samaria) and unto the end of the earth."@@
And having said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from under their eyes.
And as they were gazing into the sky as he was going, behold, two men stood beside them in white garments,
who also said, "Men, Galileans, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Yeshua (Jesus), the one taken up from you into the sky, will so come in the manner in which you saw him going into the sky."
Then they returned to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) from the mount called of Olives (Har haZeitim), which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath's journey away.
• σαββάτου ἔχον ὁδόν (sabbatou echon hodon*) = "having a sabbath's journey" (~2,000 cubits, the permitted sabbath distance). Har haZeitim (the Mount of Olives) is the place of the ascension and, in Zech 14:4, of YHWH's eschatological coming — resonant with v.11.
And when they entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying — both Kefa (Peter) and Yochanan (John) and Ya'aqov (James) and Andreas (Andrew), Philippos (Philip) and Thomas, Bartholomaios (Bartholomew) and Mattityahu (Matthew), Ya'aqov son of Halfai (James son of Alphaeus) and Shimon the Zealot and Yehudah son of Ya'aqov (Judas son of James).
These all were persevering with one accord in prayer, together with the women and Miryam (Mary) the mother of Yeshua (Jesus) and with his brothers.
• ὁμοθυμαδόν (homothymadon*) = "with one accord, of one mind" — a keynote of early Acts (1:14; 2:46; 4:24; 5:12), describing the community's unity in prayer and worship.
And in those days Kefa (Peter), rising up in the midst of the brothers, said — the crowd of names was together about a hundred and twenty —
• ὡσεὶ ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι (hōsei hekaton eikosi) = "about a hundred and twenty." ὄχλος ὀνομάτων (ochlos onomatōn*, "a crowd of names") = a count of persons. The number (12 × 10) may signal a quorum sufficient to constitute a community in Jewish reckoning. Kefa's leadership emerges here.
"Men, brothers, it was necessary for the scripture to be fulfilled which the holy wind/spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Yehudah (Judas), who became a guide to those who arrested Yeshua (Jesus);
because he was numbered among us and obtained the share of this service."
• ἔλαχεν τὸν κλῆρον τῆς διακονίας ταύτης (elachen ton klēron tēs diakonias tautēs) = "obtained the share/lot of this service." κλῆρος (klēros, "lot/portion") foreshadows the casting of lots in v.26 and the word for the office Judas forfeited. διακονία (diakonia*) = "service, ministry."
(This one, then, acquired a field from the wages of unrighteousness, and falling headlong, he burst in the middle, and all his entrails poured out.
And it became known to all those dwelling in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), so that that field was called in their own language Hakeldama — that is, Field of Blood.)
"For it is written in the book of Psalms: 'Let his homestead become desolate, and let there be no one dwelling in it,' and: 'Let another take his overseership.'
It is necessary, therefore, that of the men who accompanied us during all the time in which the Lord Yeshua (Jesus) went in and out among us,
• εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς (eisēlthen kai exēlthen eph' hēmas) = "went in and out among us" — a Hebraic idiom (cf. Deut 31:2; 1 Sam 18:13) for the whole course of daily life and leadership. ὁ κύριος Ἰησοῦς ("the Lord Yeshua") — kyrios* as the title of the risen Jesus.
beginning from the immersion of Yochanan (John) until the day on which he was taken up from us — that one of these become a witness of his resurrection together with us."
And they put forward two, Yosef (Joseph) called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Mattityahu (Matthias).
And praying, they said, "You, Lord, knower of the hearts of all, show which one — these two — you chose
• καρδιογνῶστα (kardiognōsta, vocative) = "knower of hearts" — a rare title (only here and Acts 15:8), addressed to κύριε ("Lord"). The referent of kyrios* in the prayer is debated (God the Father, or the risen Yeshua who "chose" the Twelve, cf. 1:2); the TT keeps "Lord" and notes the ambiguity. [referent: Possible — God or the risen Yeshua.]
to take the place of this service and apostleship, from which Yehudah (Judas) turned aside to go to his own place."
• πορευθῆναι εἰς τὸν τόπον τὸν ἴδιον (poreuthēnai eis ton topon ton idion*) = "to go to his own place" — a restrained, perhaps euphemistic, statement of Judas's end/destiny. τόπος ("place") balances the κλῆρος ("share/lot") he forfeited (v.17).
And they gave lots for them, and the lot fell on Mattityahu (Matthias), and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Glossary
Supplementary — patterns across the chapter
Cross-Chapter Tracking (HB -> Acts)
| HB / earlier source | Theme | In Acts 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 24:49-53 | The ascension and the promise | Acts 1 retells the ascension and "the promise of the Father" (vv.4-11) — the deliberate seam joining the two volumes. |
| Lk 3:16 (par. Mt 3:11; Mk 1:8; Jn 1:33) | "He will immerse you in the holy wind/spirit" | The risen Jesus repeats the promise (v.5); Pentecost (ch. 2) fulfills it. |
| Ex 40:34; Dan 7:13 | The glory-cloud; the son of man with clouds | "A cloud took him" (v.9); "will so come" (v.11). |
| Zech 14:4 | YHWH's feet on the Mount of Olives | The ascension and return are staged on the Mount of Olives (v.12). |
| Ps 69:25; Ps 109:8 | Imprecation on the betrayer; "let another take his office" | Cited as fulfilled in Judas; grounds the apostolic election (v.20). |
| Prov 16:33; Lev 16:8 | The lot is cast, but its decision is from the LORD | The Twelve restored by lot (v.26) — the last such instance before Pentecost. |
| Num 1; the twelve tribes | The twelve as Israel's structure | Restoring the Twelve (vv.15-26) signals the reconstitution of Israel. |