Acts 1:17-25

1:17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” ¹  1:18 (Now this man Judas ²  acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, ³  and falling headfirst ⁴  he burst open in the middle and all his intestines ⁵  gushed out. 1:19 This ⁶  became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language ⁷  they called that field ⁸  Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”) 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, ⁹  and let there be no one to live in it,’ ¹⁰  and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ ¹¹  1:21 Thus one of the men ¹²  who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with ¹³  us, 1:22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day he ¹⁴  was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.” 1:23 So they ¹⁵  proposed two candidates: ¹⁶  Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. 1:24 Then they prayed, ¹⁷  “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 1:25 to assume the task ¹⁸  of this service ¹⁹  and apostleship from which Judas turned aside ²⁰  to go to his own place.” ²¹ 

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¹ tn Or “and was chosen to have a share in this ministry.” The term λαγχάνω (lancanw) here and in 2 Pet 1:1 can be understood as referring to the process of divine choice and thus be translated, “was chosen to have.”

² tn The referent of “this man” (Judas) was specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Traditionally, “with the reward of his wickedness.”

⁴ tn Traditionally, “falling headlong.”

⁵ tn Or “all his bowels.”

⁶ tn Grk “And this.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

⁷ sn Their own language refers to Aramaic, the primary language spoken in Palestine in Jesus’ day.

⁸ tn Grk “that field was called.” The passive voice has been converted to active in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.

⁹ tn Or “uninhabited” or “empty.”

¹⁰ sn A quotation from Ps 69:25.

¹¹ tn Or “Let another take his office.”

sn A quotation from Ps 109:8.

¹² tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, where a successor to Judas is being chosen, only men were under consideration in the original historical context.

¹³ tn Grk “the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.” According to BDAG 294 s.v. εἰσέρχομαι 1.b.β, “ἐν παντὶ χρόνῳ ᾧ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς went in and out among us = associated with us Ac 1:21.”

¹⁴ tn Here the pronoun “he” refers to Jesus.

¹⁵ tc Codex Bezae (D) and other Western witnesses have “he proposed,” referring to Peter, thus emphasizing his role above the other apostles. The Western text displays a conscious pattern of elevating Peter in Acts, and thus the singular verb here is a palpably motivated reading.

¹⁶ tn Grk “So they proposed two.” The word “candidates” was supplied in the text for clarity.

¹⁷ tn Grk “And praying, they said.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

¹⁸ tn Grk “to take the place.”

¹⁹ tn Or “of this ministry.”

²⁰ tn Or “the task of this service and apostleship which Judas ceased to perform.”

²¹ sn To go to his own place. This may well be a euphemism for Judas’ judged fate. He separated himself from them, and thus separated he would remain.