Acts 1:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.

NIV: When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

NASB: When they had entered the city, they went up to the upstairs room where they were staying, that is, 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.

CSB: When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

NLT: When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the zealot), and Judas (son of James).

KJV: And 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.

NKJV: And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.

During the account of Jesus' ascension, the apostles (Acts 1:2) are mentioned, but it's likely there are many more witnesses. When the group of 120 determine who should replace Judas in the Twelve, one of the requirements Peter gives is that the man must have been with them "from the baptism of John until the day when [Jesus] was taken up from us" (Acts 1:22). But to refresh the memory of Theophilus (Acts 1:1), to whom Luke also addressed his Gospel, Luke lists the remaining eleven main disciples.

Peter and Andrew met Jesus on the Jordan, where John the Baptist was teaching (John 1:35–42) although Jesus didn't formally call them until they were back in Galilee, fishing (Mark 1:16). Jesus also called the brothers James and John on the Sea of Galilee while they were mending their nets (Mark 1:19–20). Jesus called Philip in Galilee, and Philip brought Nathanael with him (John 1:45–49). Sometimes, Nathanael is called "Bartholomew" (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14).

Thomas is one of the Twelve, but Scripture gives no explicit information about His calling by Jesus (John 11:16; 14:5; 20:27–28).

Matthew (Matthew 9:9), sometimes called Levi (Mark 2:14), was a tax collector near Capernaum when Jesus called him. James, son of Alphaeus (Matthew 10:2–3), is sometimes called James the Less or James the Younger (Mark 15:40). Simon the Zealot is sometimes called Simon the Canaanite (Mark 3:18). Judas the son of James (John 14:22) is also known as Thaddeus (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18). The Philip mentioned is not the Philip who will later be one of the first deacons (Acts 6:5) and a great evangelist (Acts 8:4–12, 26–40; 21:8).

Jesus originally chose twelve disciples, and the group in the upper room will choose a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:15–26). These twelve will be the apostles of the church, and no one will replace or succeed them. When Jesus comes into His kingdom, they will judge Israel from twelve thrones (Matthew 19:28). But their immediate call is to establish the church. They will teach (Acts 2:42), perform miracles (Acts 5:12), be arrested (Acts 5:17–18), be persecuted (Acts 5:40), and die (Acts 12:1–2). In fact, church tradition says that all but John will die as martyrs, and John will survive being boiled in oil. The honor they receive by founding the church will come at a great cost.

Acts 1:12–26 records what happens when the Jesus-followers pray. Jesus has ascended (Acts 1:9). The Holy Spirit is coming (Acts 1:5). The apostles don't really know what these things mean, but they know where to start. They join the other Jesus-followers in Jerusalem and start praying. The next order of business is to find a replacement for Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus (Matthew 26:14–16, 47–50) and then hanged himself (Matthew 27:3–10). The remaining eleven apostles don't know this yet, but their third task will literally be to change the world.

Acts 1 sets the stage for the establishment of the church and the spread of the gospel. Jesus is alive but if the Holy Spirit is to come Jesus must ascend into heaven (John 16:7). The disciples obey His last instructions and wait in Jerusalem. Peter uses Old Testament Scripture to show the group of about 120 they must choose a disciple to replace Judas. The man must have been with them from Jesus' baptism to His ascension. Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias are put forward and, in the last use of the lots found in the Bible, Matthias is chosen.

Acts 1 is the second letter Luke wrote for Theophilus. In it, he narrates the transition between Jesus' ministry as described in the Gospel of Luke and the development and spread of the church. The disciples have received a temporary indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 20:22), and Jesus has spent forty days reassuring His faithful followers (Acts 1:3), appearing to over five hundred in that short time (1 Corinthians 15:6). Now, the disciples complete some administrative-like tasks before the Holy Spirit can begin the ministry of the church on Pentecost (Acts 2).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.